Bushra Griffith
Blue cheese dressing is a popular condiment in restaurants, used for salads, dipping chicken wings or crudites, and spreading on sandwiches or burgers. While some restaurants make their own blue cheese dressing from scratch, others buy it pre-made. Some popular brands of blue cheese dressing include Bob's Bleu Cheese dressing, Whole Foods' 365 organic chunky blue cheese dressing, and Marzetti. People who make their own blue cheese dressing at home often use a combination of blue cheese, buttermilk, mayonnaise, sour cream, milk, vinegar, and seasonings.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Type of food served with | Salads, chicken wings, crudites, burgers, sandwiches, chicken tenders, chips, crackers, potato skins, mushroom fries, parmesan bread bites, vegetable platters, wedge salads, spinach salads, Cobb salads |
| Texture | Chunky, creamy |
| Taste | Balanced, bold, tangy, funky, mild, rich, sour, sweet |
| Ingredients | Blue cheese, buttermilk, mayonnaise, sour cream, milk, vinegar, seasonings, garlic, sugar, salt, pepper, lemon juice, heavy cream, Worcestershire sauce, beer, gorgonzola cheese, stilton cheese |
| Brands | Bob's Bleu Cheese, Cindy's Kitchen, Whole Foods, Marzetti, Litehouse, 365, Ken's Steak House, Signature Select, Follow Your Heart Bleu Cheese, Toby's, Kraft, Briannas, Marie's |
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What You'll Learn
Blue cheese dressing recipes
Blue cheese dressing is a versatile condiment that can be used as a salad dressing, dipping sauce, or spread on sandwiches or burgers. While there are many store-bought options available, making blue cheese dressing from scratch allows for customization and a more pronounced blue cheese flavour. Here are some recipes and tips for creating delicious blue cheese dressing:
Ingredients:
- Blue cheese: Use good-quality blue cheese, such as gorgonzola or stilton, for a better-tasting dressing. Crumble or smash the cheese to add texture.
- Base: Combine mayonnaise (preferably a mild-flavoured brand like Best Foods or Hellmann's) and sour cream to create a balanced base.
- Flavour Enhancers: Add chopped or crushed garlic for a subtle tang. Marinate the garlic in distilled white vinegar for 5-10 minutes to enhance its flavour. You can also include a small amount of sugar, Worcestershire sauce, or milk to adjust the flavour to your preference.
- Seasonings: Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Thinning Agent (optional): If you prefer a thinner consistency, add milk or beer to the dressing. Using beer, especially an IPA, can add a unique flavour profile to the dressing.
Preparation:
- In a small bowl, combine the chopped garlic and vinegar and let it sit for 5-10 minutes.
- In a separate medium-sized bowl, mix the mayonnaise, sour cream, salt, and pepper until well combined.
- Add the garlic-vinegar mixture and milk (or beer) to the mayonnaise base and whisk until thoroughly blended.
- Add the blue cheese crumbles to the mixture. Smash or crumble about half of the cheese into the base, leaving the rest chunky for added texture.
- Stir well to incorporate the cheese, ensuring the dressing is evenly blended.
Storage:
Blue cheese dressing can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Homemade dressings typically last for 5-7 days, while some recipes claim a shelf life of up to two weeks. Freezing is not recommended as it may affect the texture and flavour.
Variations:
Experiment with different types of vinegar, such as white balsamic or white wine vinegar, to add sweetness to the dressing. You can also adjust the amount of blue cheese, salt, pepper, garlic, or milk to suit your taste preferences. For a vegan option, Follow Your Heart Bleu Cheese Dressing is a popular choice.
Serving Suggestions:
Blue cheese dressing is incredibly versatile. Use it as a dip for chicken wings, chicken tenders, crudites, chips, or crackers. It also pairs well with salads, especially wedge, spinach, and Cobb salads. For an indulgent treat, spread it on sandwiches or burgers as a condiment.
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Store-bought blue cheese dressings
While some restaurants make their blue cheese dressing from scratch, others buy it pre-made. There are many options available for store-bought blue cheese dressings, with most major salad dressing brands offering their own take on the product. However, not all store-bought blue cheese dressings are created equal, and some are better than others.
Marzetti
Marzetti's blue cheese dressing is a cult favourite. It is very mild, thick, and chunky, making it ideal for salads and wings. It can be purchased at Walmart for $3.98.
Toby's
Toby's is a family-owned company that makes one of the best blue cheese dressings on the market. Their dressing is chunky, herby, and packed with blue cheese funkiness.
Marie's Chunky Blue Cheese Dressing & Dip
Marie's Chunky Blue Cheese Dressing & Dip is thick, mild, and perfect for dipping crudités.
Litehouse
Litehouse's blue cheese dressing is quite bland and lacks the characteristic blue cheese flavour. However, it may be suitable for salads with many other ingredients where a strong blue cheese flavour is not desired.
Whole Foods 365 Organic Chunky Blue Cheese Dressing
Whole Foods offers a chunky, creamy blue cheese dressing that is suitable for both salads and dipping. It is slightly cheaper than other brands, retailing for $3.99, but it also lacks flavour.
Kraft
Kraft's blue cheese dressings (Roka and Chunky) deliver a lingering, bold, and funky blue cheese flavour.
Briannas
Briannas' blue cheese dressing is more of a blue cheese vinaigrette—light, tangy, and slightly sweet.
Ken's Steak House Creamy Wisconsin Blue Cheese Dressing
While Ken's Steak House usually makes excellent dressings, their Creamy Wisconsin Blue Cheese Dressing falls flat. It lacks the characteristic blue cheese flavour and is better suited for those who prefer a basic, creamy dressing.
Signature Select
Signature Select's blue cheese dressing is among the cheapest options available, but the flavour reflects its low price. It is watery and thin, with a strange sweetness that comes from the inclusion of sugar in the ingredients list.
Follow Your Heart Bleu Cheese Dressing
For vegans, Follow Your Heart Bleu Cheese Dressing is the best option. It is the only acceptable store-bought vegan blue cheese dressing.
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Blue cheese dressing brands
While some restaurants make their blue cheese dressing from scratch, others use store-bought options. Here are some popular blue cheese dressing brands:
Ken's Steak House
Ken's Steak House offers a range of blue cheese dressings, including a creamy Wisconsin blue cheese dressing. While some of their options may be lacking in blue cheese flavour, they do have a tangier, funkier blue cheese dressing made with gorgonzola that might be worth trying.
Marzetti
Marzetti is a cult favourite when it comes to salad dressings. Their blue cheese dressing is very mild, thick, and chunky, making it ideal for wings. However, some may find it too cheesy without the usual sourness of blue cheese dressing.
Toby's
Toby's is a family-owned company that produces some of the best blue cheese dressings on the market. Their dressing is chunky and funky, with a super herby flavour that resembles ranch dressing.
Whole Foods 365
Whole Foods offers an organic chunky blue cheese dressing and dip that is creamy and contains some chunks for texture. It is slightly cheaper than other brands but may lack flavour.
Signature Select
Signature Select's blue cheese dressing is among the cheapest options available, but the flavour reflects its price. It is watery and thin, with the first two ingredients being water and vegetable oil.
Litehouse
Litehouse's blue cheese dressing falls short on flavour and is quite bland. It has only a slight cheesy flavour and is better suited for adding texture to a salad rather than enhancing its taste.
Cindy's Kitchen
Cindy's Kitchen's blue cheese dressing comes in a glass bottle with a small opening, making it difficult to pour. The dressing itself has an abundance of chunks and is off-white in colour.
Follow Your Heart Bleu Cheese Dressing
For vegans, Follow Your Heart Bleu Cheese Dressing is a great option. It is the only acceptable store-bought vegan blue cheese dressing, offering a delicious flavour.
Marie's Chunky Blue Cheese Dressing & Dip
Marie's Chunky Blue Cheese Dressing & Dip is ideal for crudité platters and dipping vegetables due to its thick and mild flavour.
Kraft
Kraft offers two versions of blue cheese dressing, Roka and Chunky, both of which deliver a lingering, bold, and funky blue cheese flavour.
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Making blue cheese dressing at home
To make a basic blue cheese dressing, you will need blue cheese, buttermilk, mayonnaise, sour cream, milk, vinegar, and seasonings like salt, pepper, garlic, and sugar.
Start by mashing the blue cheese and buttermilk together in a small bowl with a fork until the mixture resembles large-curd cottage cheese. Then, stir in the sour cream, mayonnaise, vinegar, sugar, and garlic powder. Season with salt and pepper to taste. If you want a thinner dressing, you can add more milk or even beer to adjust the consistency to your liking.
For a chunkier texture, you can add extra crumbled blue cheese to the mixture. Some people also like to add a dash of Worcestershire sauce or hot sauce for an extra kick of flavour.
When it comes to ingredients, it's important to use good-quality blue cheese, such as Gorgonzola or Stilton, as it will greatly impact the overall taste of the dressing. Similarly, opt for a mild, good-quality mayonnaise like Best Foods or Hellman's, as off-brand mayonnaises may have a stronger flavour that comes through in the final product.
Once you've made your homemade blue cheese dressing, transfer it to an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator. It will typically last for about five to seven days, though some recipes claim it can last up to two weeks.
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Blue cheese dressing uses
Blue cheese dressing is a versatile condiment that can be used in a variety of ways. One of its most popular applications is as a salad dressing, where it adds a funky, cheesy flavour to the greens. It can also be used as a dipping sauce for fresh vegetables, chicken tenders, chips, or crackers. For those who enjoy a bold and funky flavour, blue cheese dressing is a perfect choice.
When it comes to specific brands, there are several options available in the market. Marzetti, for example, is a cult favourite, known for its extremely thick and mild-flavoured blue cheese dressing. It is particularly recommended for wings due to its clingy texture. Toby's, a family-owned company, offers a chunky and funky blue cheese dressing with a herby twist, resembling ranch dressing. For those who prefer thinner and creamier dressings, Ken's blue cheese dressing made with gorgonzola provides a tangier and funkier option.
Preparing blue cheese dressing at home is also a popular choice, as it allows for customisation to suit individual tastes. A typical recipe includes blue cheese, buttermilk, mayonnaise, sour cream, milk, vinegar, and seasonings. Some people also add ingredients like heavy cream, lemon juice, garlic, sugar, salt, and pepper to enhance the flavour and texture. Making it from scratch ensures a bold blue cheese flavour, which some store-bought options lack.
Blue cheese dressing can also be used as an ingredient in various recipes, such as Buffalo Chicken Lasagna, Super Cheesy Pasta, and Buffalo Chicken Stuffed Mushrooms. It adds a unique flavour to these dishes, elevating them to a new level.
In restaurants, blue cheese dressing is commonly served at wing restaurants and bars as a dip for chicken wings. It is also a popular choice for steakhouse salads, such as wedge, spinach, and Cobb salads. Some restaurants even add their own twist by including beer instead of milk in the dressing, creating a unique flavour profile.
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Frequently asked questions
Some popular store-bought blue cheese dressings include Whole Foods' 365 chunky blue cheese dressing, Cindy's Kitchen's dressing, and Marzetti's dressing.
A basic blue cheese dressing recipe includes blue cheese, buttermilk, mayonnaise, sour cream, milk, vinegar, and seasonings. Some recipes suggest adding sugar, garlic, or Worcestershire sauce for extra flavour. To make the dressing chunkier, add blue cheese crumbles.
Blue cheese dressing is commonly used as a salad dressing or as a dip for chicken wings, crudites, or chips. It can also be used as a spread on sandwiches or burgers.
