Blue Cheese Dressing (or Dip)

At a glance

What stands out: This is a standby blue cheese dressing you’ll ever have and it’s so straightforward to mix! It’s reliable as a dip or to top a salad.

How long it takes: 10 minutes
Equipment you’ll need: small bowl, whisk
Servings: makes 1 ½ cups

The piquant taste of blue cheese stars in this creamy dressing that is reliable with buffalo wings or on a wedge salad. From-scratch blue cheese dressing is a breeze to stir up and you’ll love making it yourself.

This dressing is one of those foods that people either love or hate. There’s just no in-between with blue cheese. We think it may be an acquired taste which we admit we're still working on. (Our current favorite is this creamy Parmesan peppercorn dressing!) Many of you have been asking us for a blue cheese dressing recipe so here it is! We think you’re going to love it. Our mom sure does!

From-scratch Blue Cheese Dressing

From-scratch dressing is just so much better. We've said it before and we'll say it again: If you haven’t tried making your own dressing yet, please give it a try. From-scratch is straightforward and it’s healthier (no additives!), more economical, and much fresher tasting. We'll say the same thing for from-scratch croutons; once you’ve tried them, you’ll never go back to store bought.

Doesn’t skimp on the blue cheese. Have you ever purchased a bottle of blue cheese dressing and been sorely disappointed by the lack of actual cheese in it? Sometimes you’re lucky to get one or two tiny little pieces on your salad. Huge disappointment! With from-scratch dressing, you can add as much or as little blue cheese as you like. Go ahead and load it up!

Perfectly balanced. This recipe combines sour cream and mayonnaise for a tangy, rich tasting dressing. White wine vinegar adds a sweet note but not overtly, just a hint. Fresh parsley gives the dressing lots of fresh flavor. This blue cheese dressing has won us over!

Blue cheese is a ripened cheese with blue or green veins of mold running through it. It has a sharp pungent flavor. There are many varieties but the most common varieties are French roquefort, Italian gorgonzola, English stilton, and Spanish cabrales.

What’s in blue cheese dressing?

• Blue Cheese – Of course! It’s the star of the show. Crumble your own or buy pre-crumbled. We tested both types with similar results so use whichever kind you prefer.
• Sour Cream & Mayonnaise – These two ingredients are the backbone of the dressing and give it a creamy texture. If you’re looking for a lower-calorie version, use plain yogurt instead of sour cream. We tested the dressing both ways and found the flavor of sour cream to be superior, but you can definitely substitute yogurt and still have a tasty dressing.
• White Wine Vinegar – The vinegar adds a little tang. You could also use white distilled vinegar if that’s all you have, but we prefer the smoother taste of the white wine vinegar. It has just a tinge of sweetness that balances the sharp cheese.
• Seasonings – The blue cheese has a lot of flavor on its own but it is complemented by salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
• Fresh Parsley – Adding finely chopped fresh parsley makes this dressing stand out.

How To Serve Blue Cheese Dressing

Wedge salads: This creamy salad dressing dressing is great on almost any green salad but especially a wedge salad, as pictured. Start with a thick wedge of crisp iceberg lettuce, add a drizzle of tangy blue cheese dressing, and top with crumbled bacon, juicy chopped tomatoes, and a sprinkle of fresh green parsley.

Buffalo wings: You can’t serve buffalo wings without celery sticks and blue cheese dip, right? Another option is Buffalo chicken bites which are like wings but without the hassle of bones. For vegetarians, be sure to try air fryer buffalo cauliflower bites.

Sandwiches and wraps: We like to drizzle creamy blue cheese dressing on crockpot buffalo chicken sandwiches or pretty much any sandwich or wrap. It also is reliable with this roasted vegetable wrap.

As a dip: Serve blue cheese dressing with air fryer sweet potato fries. Yum! Blue cheese dip is a great alternative to veggie dip, too. Serve it with your favorite crudités.

Roasted vegetables: Blue cheese dressing will enhance the flavor of any roasted vegetable but it’s particularly tasty on roasted potatoes. Try it on roasted turnips, roasted carrots, or roasted radishes, too.

Baked potatoes: Instead of the usual sour cream and chives on your baked potato, try blue cheese dressing. It’s so good! Try oven baked potatoes, air fryer baked potatoes, or Instant Pot baked potatoes.

Ways to change it

Like any dressing recipe, you can play around with the ingredients and make the dressing to your taste. That’s the beauty of from-scratch. Like we mentioned earlier, add as much blue cheese as you like. Omit the fresh parsley, or add chopped fresh dill instead, or another fresh herb of your choice. Swap out sour cream and use yogurt for a lower fat version. We personally love to add lots of coarsely ground black pepper.

Keeping leftovers

From-scratch blue cheese dressing is best served immediately. It tends to get a thinner texture if you make it ahead, especially if you use yogurt instead of sour cream. If you do have leftovers, store them in the fridge in a tightly covered container for up to 3 days.

Please say after us, “From-scratch dressing is so much better.” And if you’re not in the blue cheese camp yet, we have lots more from-scratch dressing recipes for you!

From-scratch Dressing Recipes

• Yield: 12
• Prep: 10 minutes
• Total: 10 minutes

Ingredients

• ½ cup sour cream
• ¼ cup mayonnaise
• ½ cup crumbled blue cheese (about 3 ounces)
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
• 1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt, more to taste
• ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
• ⅛ teaspoon coarse ground black pepper, more to taste
• milk, optional

Method

1. In a small bowl, whisk together sour cream, mayonnaise, blue cheese, parsley, vinegar, salt, garlic powder, and pepper. Taste and season as desired.
2. Add milk as needed for the desired consistency. If you're serving it as a dip, omit milk.
3. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Notes

Yield: Makes 1 ½ cups.

Storage: The dressing should be refrigerated in an airtight container. It will keep for up to 3 days. The dressing tends to get a bit watery especially if you substitute yogurt. Stir well before serving.

Lower calorie dressing: To reduce calories, use plain unflavored yogurt or Greek yogurt instead of sour cream. With nonfat plain Greek yogurt and light mayonnaise, each serving (2 tablespoons) contains 37 calories and 3 grams fat. Dressing will be thinner and more tangy.