Homemade Blue Cheese Dressing

This homemade blue cheese dressing tastes so much better than anything you can find in a grocery store! Thick and creamy, with chunks of blue cheese. It’s tangy, delicious, and so easy to make. Why make your own dressing from scratch? Most salad dressing has a laundry list of ingredients including seed oil, preservatives, and other additives. Making your own blue cheese dressing at home takes just minutes, and is infinitely better than the bottled stuff. (This post was originally published May 7, 2012)

When I was a kid, restaurants gave you a choice of dressings, either 1,000 Island (it was a salmon color and too sweet), Italian, Green Goddess, or Roquefort. Then sometime in the late 70s, Roquefort dressings were replaced with Bleu, and 1,000 Island with Ranch. Of course, Roquefort is a lot more expensive than the generic blue cheese, which was probably the reason for the change. 

Types of blue cheese

Just about every European country has their own version of blue cheese. The French have Roquefort, Spain has Cabrales, Italy has Gorgonzola, and the English have Stilton. In the United States, we have several types of blue cheese including Maytag Blue, Point Reyes, and Oregon blue, in addition to dozens of other artisanal local cheeses.

French Roquefort is made from sheep’s milk and Cabrales from sheep, cow, goat’s milk, or a mixture of all three. Italian Gorgonzola and British Stilton are made from cow’s milk. Each cheese has a slightly different flavor profile.

Although, choosing a blue cheese to nibble on with crackers and a glass of wine, is quite different from choosing one to make blue cheese dressing.

Which kind of blue cheese is best for dressing?

While I usually recommend very good quality ingredients when cooking, in this case instead of using a premium blue, choose a reasonably cheese as it will be blended with several other ingredients. 

Ingredients for homemade blue cheese dressing

• 3 1/2 ounces blue cheese (divided)
• 1/4 cup of buttermilk
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 2 Tablespoons mayonnaise
• 2 teaspoons white wine vinegar
• 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder (skip the fresh garlic as it will overpower the dressing).
• sea salt
• black pepper

How to make this dressing recipe

For a chunky dressing 1/2 of the blue cheese is added after the dressing is mixed. For a smooth dressing, blend all the blue cheese at the beginning. This dressing tastes best if it rests in the fridge for an hour or two. Although this recipe is for dressing, it’s also the perfect dip! Add less buttermilk for a thicker dressing. If you like a tangy taste, add 1/2 teaspoon more vinegar. For a thinner dressing, add a little more buttermilk after it’s chilled as it thickens up after resting.

• Mash 1/2 of the blue cheese with a fork in a medium bowl with buttermilk.

• Add sour cream, mayonnaise, white vinegar, and garlic powder and stir well.

• First taste, and then adjust seasoning, adding salt and black pepper to taste.

• Lastly, add remaining blue cheese crumbles and stir well. 

• Store in an airtight container or mason jar for up to 2 weeks.

What to serve with blue cheese dressing

• Buffalo Wings with blue cheese dipping sauce. 

• It’s the perfect dip for fresh veggies.
• Drizzle it over grilled steak.
• Serve it with leafy greens or the classic wedge salad with blue cheese dressing.

How to make a blue cheese wedge salad

Of course, you’ve probably had a wedge salad in a steakhouse. A head of iceberg lettuce or romaine lettuce is cut into quarters, then topped with bacon, more blue cheese crumbles and usually chopped or quartered tomato wedges. Recently I had a wedge cut in thick slices, which makes it easier to keep the toppings from falling off. 

• Wash and quarter into wedges one head or romaine lettuce or slice a head of iceberg lettuce horizontally into thick slices.
• Top each serving with one sliced cooked bacon, chopped.
• Diced tomatoes.
• Diced avocado.
• Diced cucumbers.
• Hard boiled eggs; either sliced, quartered or grated egg yolk.

Spanky’s Stone Hearth Restaurant’s version of the blue cheese wedge. (Frazee, Minnesota)

Looking for more easy homemade salad dressings and dips?

Goat Cheese Dip

French Onion Dip

​Trader Joe’s Copycat Blue Pecan Cheese Dip

Orange Dijon Vinaigrette 

Caesar Salad Dressing

Buttermilk Ranch 

Asian Salad Dressing

​Warm Bacon Dressing

​Classic Vinaigrette