How do I keep the cheese chunks intact?

I cut cold cheese, straight from the refrigerator, into bits and stir them into the white base with a spatula. Warm cheese will mix into the base and prevent it from making attractive cheese bits. Gorgonzola Piccante is one type of cheese that makes attractive bits.

Greek yogurt or lemon juice?

Greek yogurt can be used as a substitute for sour cream in a pinch. Fresh lemon juice can be used as a substitute for white wine vinegar. I suggest using the dairy and vinegar ingredients mentioned to keep the recipes consistent.

How long does blue cheese dressing keep?

Transfer unused salad dressing to a new container, like an airtight glass jar or mason jar. Store in the refrigerator on the lowest shelf toward the back. Unused salad dressing will last 5 to 7 days.

Can I freeze this dressing?

Don't freeze it. Mayonnaise and sour cream lose their consistency when frozen and thawed. When used as a salad dressing, these ingredients won't mix properly and can't be salvaged by stirring.

Should I chill it before serving?

Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. I like it best on the second day myself.

Thick and Creamy Homemade Blue Cheese Dressing

By Felix GrantOct 25, 2026

Servings

Level

Easy

Jump to recipe

This blue cheese dressing includes a thick white sauce made with mayonnaise, sour cream, and buttermilk that have been whipped until smooth. Cubes of blue cheese are mixed into the white sauce. I make this blue cheese dressing whenever I need a tangy dip for celery and carrot sticks that won't slide off those vegetables.

Thick and Creamy Homemade Blue Cheese Dressing

I use a stainless steel balloon whisk at first, in addition to cheese, I use a flexible spatula at the end. There is a reason: A balloon whisk will break down the cheese, and the spatula will mix it more thoroughly, resulting in a dressing with blue cheese pieces throughout the center of the bowl. This is the preferred look before adding other topping ingredients.

Freshly ground black pepper and chives are served as toppings. Serving these toppings separately helps diners see and taste them rather than having them cooked with other ingredients. One suggestion for preparing chives is to cut one tablespoon of chives with a chef's knife; other types of knives can ruin chives, making them bitter and slimy. A pepper mill grinds black pepper into larger pieces rather than a fine powder.

Gorgonzola is recommended as an introductory blue cheese. Gorgonzola Piccante is a harder variety. Roquefort has a spicy taste. Danish Blue is a crumbly cheese. Offer the cheese in a serving bowl with fried chicken sandwiches and buffalo chicken lettuce wraps. Save some cheese in the bowl for use with peppercorn steak dishes and Mediterranean-style steak bowls. I've also served this cheese as a party dip.

Reasons to make this

White wine vinegar provides acidity and flavor to the dairy ingredient in the dressing without thinning it.
A pepper mill produces flakes with flavor and texture. Packaged pepper has no flakes.
Buttermilk in the dip may make it more like a sauce. Adding less buttermilk to the dip may help make it thicker.
Gorgonzola Piccante is firmer. Roquefort is pepperier.
Regular mayonnaise avoids the extra water in lite mayonnaise, and can be used as a thicker dip.

Instructions

Whisk the mayonnaise, sour cream, and buttermilk in a mixing bowl until the base is thick, glossy, smooth, and free of sour cream lumps.

Add the white wine vinegar, garlic powder, and kosher salt, then whisk until the salt dissolves and the garlic powder is evenly mixed in.

Crumble the 4 oz (113g) blue cheese into large, distinct pieces.

Fold the blue cheese into the dressing with a flexible spatula, using a sweeping bottom-to-top motion without overmixing.

Fold half the chopped chives and the 1/4 tsp (1g) coarse black pepper flakes into the dressing.

Transfer the dressing to a small rustic white ceramic bowl.

Scatter the remaining chives and extra freshly ground coarse black pepper over the top.

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill it in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.

Set the bowl on a light wooden surface and surround it with freshly cut celery sticks and carrot batons.

FAQ

If your recipe is thin, substitute full-fat sour cream and regular mayonnaise and 1/4 cup buttermilk as directed in the recipe. Light mayonnaise will make your recipe too thin. Whisk well to avoid lumps of sour cream in the finished dip, which can affect its appearance. To prepare a thicker dip for uncooked vegetables like carrots and celery, reduce the buttermilk in the recipe by half. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of buttermilk for a thinner dip.

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