This amazing homemade Blue Cheese Dressing is creamy, a little chunky and loaded with awesome blue cheese flavor! We have made it more healthy by using Greek Yogurt in place of some of the mayonnaise and it is only 63 calories per serving! Serve it drizzled over a classic wedge salad or use it for dunking Buffalo Wings.
I originally shared this on February 19th, 2015. I have updated the recipe, text and photos as well as made a video to share with you today. I hope you enjoy this new and improved Creamy Blue Cheese Dressing!
Why We Love This Creamy Blue Cheese Salad Dressing
Here we are again, and I have another homemade salad dressing to tickle your taste buds! Over the years I have been popping in here and there to share my latest dressing obsessions. Earlier this year I shared my tarragon vinaigrette and this nutty good Thai-inspired Peanut Dressing. Believe it or not, this dressing collection has been growing since 2015 so there are many favorites including this Apple Cider Vinegar Salad Dressing and our Lemon Tahini Dressing.
And now today I am sharing my own Blue Cheese Dressing! This is actually a lighter version of classic blue cheese dressing since it uses less mayonnaise than typical recipes. I swapped in some creamy Greek Yogurt instead so even though has far fewer calories, it tastes classic all the same. So it is great for all of us who are committed to healthy eating, but still love the classic tangy flavor of bleu cheese dressing.
It is salty and sour and has the traditional taste of blue cheese, so the flavors pair well with bold dark leafy greens. This week we had it with green leaf lettuce, radicchio and locally grown carrots and cherry tomatoes. It is also amazing over a variety of salads like with a thick wedge of iceberg lettuce or tossed in a classic Garden Salad. We also love to use it as a dipping sauce to dunk carrots and celery sticks in it for a snack, or use it for Air Fried Cauliflower Wings or classic chicken wings for game day!
We love the way the hand whisked dressing has great texture with chunks of blue cheese
Ingredients For This Recipe
- Greek yogurt: I used fat-free plain Greek yogurt to keep the calories lower, but if you have full-fat Greek yogurt that works well too. It will be even creamier! I like to use Greek yogurt instead of plain regular yogurt because it is much thicker and gives the dressing a rich creamy texture!
- Mayonnaise: You only need three tablespoons of mayonnaise to give this dressing classic Blue Cheese Dressing taste. In my original version of the recipe I used olive oil but I came back to mayo for the classic taste. You can use light mayo to make this even lower in calories, but I find that using three tablespoons of full fat gives it better taste and mouth feel.
- White wine vinegar: To give the dressing a kick of tangy sour flavor I used white wine vinegar. This is one of my favorite vinegars, and if you don’t currently use it, I highly recommend buying it. But if you don’t you can sub in rice vinegar, apple cider vinegar or white vinegar instead. You an read more about vingears here.
- Milk: To thin the dressing I added in three tablespoons of nonfat milk. We drink skim milk so that is what I used, but you can use low-fat or whole. Buttermilk is even better than milk for salad dressings, so if you have that on hand use that instead.
- Shallot: To further kick up the flavor, add in minced or grated shallot. I’ve mentioned before that allium is an important part of dressing. It adds to the depth of flavor that you would surely miss! A small amount of white onion or garlic would work as a substitute in a pinch. A lot of dressing recipes you’ll find online call for garlic powder or onion powder, but we find using fresh shallot tastes much better!
- Blue cheese: There are many types of blue cheese (or bleu as it is sometimes known outside the United States.) It can be made from goats milk, sheeps milk or cows milk. The best blue cheese for dressing is Danish Blue Cheese because it has a mild flavor and it is so soft, creamy and blends into the dressing easily. If there is another blue you prefer, or they don’t carry Danish at your local grocery store, you can also use Maytag or another type that you prefer. For stronger flavor, try Gorgonzola or Roquefort.
- Salt and Pepper: I also add in salt, and pepper. I used 1/2 teaspoon salt. If you do not like salty food or are salt sensitive, taste your dressing before you add it. It may be salty enough for you as is because blue cheese is so salty.
Step By Step Instructions to Make Blue Cheese Dressing
Homemade blue cheese dressing is really simple to make. Unlike vinaigrettes, you don’t have to worry about the fat and liquid separating, so you can just whisk everything together to make it.
- Step 1: Chop Shallot with a sharp chef’s knife. If you like, you can also use a fine grater instead. You’ll need about half of a small bulb of shallot.
- Step 2: Crumble the blue cheese into fine crumbles. We prefer freshly crumbled blue cheese because it blends into the dressing better. Pre-crumbled blue cheese is coated in starch and is often too hard to incorporate into the dressing well.
- Step 3: Whisk Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, milk, vinegar, salt and pepper in medium bowl until completely smooth.
- Step 4: Add in shallot and blue cheese and whisk until desired consistency. Mash the blue cheese into the dressing with the whisk or a fork if desired.
I love homemade blue cheese dressing to be chunky but if you like it more smooth like store-bought, you can puree it instead of whisking it. Try pulsing it in a blender a few times to get the desired texture. You can also use an immersion blender in a blending jar or a mini-prep food processor.
FAQ’s and Expert Tips
This dressing will keep in a sealed jar for one week in the refrigerator. Shake well before using.
Blue cheese and ranch dressing are similar in that they are both creamy dressings made with a base of milk (or buttermilk) and mayonnaise, but ranch is also typically a little sweeter than blue cheese and usually has herbs added to it such as dill.
There are plenty of ways to enhance the taste of this dressing. Adding herbs is probably the easiest. We like to add either dill or tarragon to blue cheese dressing. Use 1 to 2 teaspoons of fresh chopped with the shallots and cheese. You can also use tarragon-infused vinegar instead of white wine vinegar for a subtle yet gourmet taste change.
Store-bought blue cheese dressing is more than double the calories and nearly quadruple the amount of fat from this recipe. They also include additives such as xanthan gum. This Greek yogurt Blue cheese dressing recipe, however, has only 63 calories per two-tablespoon serving and only 2 grams of saturated fat. When enjoyed in moderation, it is part of a healthy diet.
Blue cheese is made with a harmless culture or mold called Penicillium roqueforti. In production, the cheese is innoculated with the spores before or after the curds are formed. When the cheese ages and ferments, the classic blue veining occurs and gives the cheese its distinctive smell and flavor.
More homemade salad dressing recipes:
- This Mustard Salad Dressing was inspired by the trip I had to Germany, where we enjoyed the strongly flavored dressings.
- If you love Caesar salad, try my Egg-Free Caesar Salad Dressing.
- This is probably one of my favorites ever: Maple Tahini Salad Dressing and also this maple one: Maple Sherry Vinaigrette. There is something magical that happens when you add maple to salad dressing!
- Speaking of which, I use a little of it in this Walnut Balsamic Vinaigrette along with fresh chopped thyme.
- If you have ever enjoyed a salad at a Japanese Steak house, then this Carrot Ginger Salad Dressing is for you.
- Our Italian Dressing is another oldie with a classic taste for creamy dressing lovers.
Thanks so much for reading. If you are new here you may want to sign up for my free weekly email newsletter for healthy recipes delivered right to your inbox. Or follow me on Instagram. If you make this recipe, please come back and leave a star rating and review! It is very appreciated. Happy Cooking! ~Katie
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Creamy Homemade Blue Cheese Salad Dressing Recipe
- Author: Katie Webster
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 1 cup
- Category: Salad Dressing
- Method: No cook
- Cuisine: American
Description
This Creamy Homemade Blue Cheese Dressing is creamy and a little chunky. It is wonderful served over classic garden salad, iceberg wedge, as a snack with carrot and celery sticks or for Buffalo wings!
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup plain non-fat Greek yogurt3 tablespoons mayonnaise
3 tablespoons non-fat milk
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon shallot
1/4 cup crumbled danish blue cheese
Instructions
- Whisk Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, milk, vinegar, salt (*see note) and pepper in medium bowl until completely smooth.
- Add in shallot and blue cheese and whisk until desired consistency. Mash the blue cheese into the dressing with the whisk or a fork if desired.
Notes
Make Ahead
This dressing can be stored in the refrigerator in a sealed jar for up to one week. Shake well before serving.
For a Smoother Consistancy
For a smoother consistency pulse the ingredients in a blender, mini-prep food processor or with an immersion blender to desired consistency.
Salt To Taste
Blue cheese is very salty on its own, so if you are salt sensitive, omit the salt and taste before adding in salt to taste.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 tablespoons
- Calories: 63
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 262
- Fat: 5 g
- Saturated Fat: 2 g
- Carbohydrates: 2 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 2 g