on December 31, 2024

Updated on May 24, 2025

My homemade blue cheese dressing has a tangy, rich flavor without being overly pungent. The mayo, sour cream, and buttermilk provide a creamy base that can be adjusted to be thick or thin, depending on how you like it. Adding fresh garlic and lemon adds bright, fresh notes you won't find in store-bought versions. The controversial ingredient I add to my blue cheese dressing is Tabasco hot sauce. Traditionally, blue cheese dressing has a touch of vinegar. All I do is substitute this hot sauce for the vinegar. It doesn’t add any noticeable heat to the dressing, but it gives it a tanginess that I like.

Adding blue cheese crumbles to the blue cheese dressing

Prep Time: 5

Cook Time: 5

Course: Salad

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Homemade Blue Cheese Dressing

Servings:

Calories: 156kcal

Homemade Blue Cheese Dressing

Ingredients

1/2 cup Mayonnaise
1/2 cup Sour Cream =
1/2 cup Buttermilk
1 clove Garlic
1/2 Lemon Zest
1/2 Lemon Juice
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp Tabasco Hot Sauce Substitute white vinegar
1/4 tsp White Pepper
1/4 tsp Kosher Salt
1 cup Blue Cheese

Equipment

Medium Mixing Bowl
Whisk
Microplane or fine grater
Storage container with lid

Instructions

Create the Base

Don’t add all the buttermilk at one time. Hold back half of it to adjust the thickness of the dressing.
In a medium bowl, combine 1/2 cup mayo, 1/2 cup sour cream, 1/4 cup buttermilk, 1 finely grated garlic clove, lemon zest for 1/2 lemon, lemon juice from 1/2 lemon, 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce, 2 tsp Tabasco hot sauce, 1/4 tsp white pepper, 1/4 tsp salt.
Whisk until smooth and well combined. Add the remaining 1/4 cup of buttermilk as needed to adjust the thickness.

Incorporate The Blue Cheese

Fold in 1 cup of crumbled blue cheese.
Gently whisk to break down some blue cheese chunks until you get the desired creamy texture from the blue cheese.
You want a good mix of tiny crumbles that flavor the base and larger chunks of blue cheese for texture. I've found that 5-6 gentle stirs with a whisk achieves this perfect balance. I added a short video below showing the texture of this blue cheese dressing.

Nutrition

Hot Tip

You want a good mix of tiny crumbles that flavor the base and larger chunks of blue cheese for texture. I’ve found that 5-6 gentle stirs with a whisk achieves this perfect balance. I added a short video below showing the texture of this blue cheese dressing.

What Type of Blue Cheese?

I prefer a milder, creamier Danish or Gorgonzola blue cheese for this dressing, but you can select a more pungent blue cheese if that’s your thing.

I use Danish or Gagonzola Blue Cheese for the Blue Cheese Dressing

Ingredient Substitutions

Hot Sauce: Use white vinegar instead
Buttermilk: Mix 1/2 cup whole milk with 1/2 tablespoon lemon juice, let stand 5 minutes.
Sour Cream: Greek yogurt can work if you want to cut some calories.
Fresh Garlic: 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder (though fresh is preferred)

Recipe Variations

Extra Chunky: Add an additional 1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese at the end.
Lighter Version: Replace sour cream with Greek yogurt.

What to Serve With

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does this dressing last in the refrigerator? This dressing stays fresh for up to 1 week when stored in an airtight container. The flavors actually improve a little after 24 hours in the fridge.
Can I make this dressing lighter? Yes, substitute Greek yogurt for the sour cream and use light mayo. The texture will be slightly different but still delicious.

Storage

Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. If it thickens too much, whisk in a splash of buttermilk before serving. Do not freeze this dressing, as it will affect the texture.

Serving Size

This recipe yields about 2 cups of dressing. For a larger batch, ingredients can be doubled while maintaining the same ratios.

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Homemade Blue Cheese Dressing (Better Than Store-Bought!)