Chunky Blue Cheese Dressing

Name: Chunky Blue Cheese Dressing
Prep time: 10 min
Total time: 10 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 6 oz (170 g) blue cheese, crumbled into small, pea-sized pieces, divided (about 1½ cups); ½ cup (120 g) full-fat sour cream, cold; ½ cup (115 g) mayonnaise, full-fat; ¼ cup (60 ml) buttermilk, cold, plus 1–2 tablespoons more if needed to thin; 1 tablespoon (15 ml) fresh lemon juice, freshly squeezed; 1 teaspoon (5 ml) Worcestershire sauce; 1 small (3 g) garlic clove, finely grated or minced to a paste; 1 tablespoon (4 g) fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped; ¼ teaspoon (½ g) black pepper, freshly ground; kosher salt, to taste, start with ⅛ teaspoon (blue cheese is salty)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A thick, tangy, creamy blue cheese dressing with plenty of crumbly chunks, made by whisking in one bowl in 10 minutes. Perfect for Buffalo wings, celery sticks, wedge salads, and burgers.

Prep: 10 min
Cook: —
Wait: 1 hr
Total: 1 hr 10 min
Makes: About 1¾ cups (420 ml), eight 3-tablespoon servings

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Steps

Before you start

Chill time matters: the dressing tastes best after at least 1 hour in the fridge, when the flavors meld and it thickens.
Use a firm, crumbly blue cheese such as Maytag, Roquefort, or a good domestic blue. Very soft or spreadable blue will dissolve and make a thinner dressing.
Take the blue cheese out of the fridge 15 minutes ahead so it crumbles easily.

1
Prep the cheese
- Crumble the blue cheese into small, roughly pea-sized pieces.
- Divide it in half: about ¾ cup (85 g) for mashing into the base and ¾ cup (85 g) to fold in later for chunks.
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Ready when: Pieces are small and uniform, with no large lumps.
Tip: Crumbling cold cheese is easier if it has sat out for 15 minutes.
2
Mash half the cheese
- In a medium bowl, add the sour cream, mayonnaise, and half of the crumbled blue cheese (85 g).
- Mash the cheese into the creamy ingredients with a fork, pressing firmly, until the base is mostly smooth with only a few small flecks.
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Ready when: The base looks creamy and speckled, with blue veins throughout.
Tip: Mashing first spreads the blue cheese flavor through the whole dressing.
3
Whisk in the liquids
- Add the buttermilk, lemon juice, and Worcestershire sauce.
- Whisk for about 30 seconds until completely smooth and glossy.
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Ready when: No streaks of buttermilk remain and the mixture falls from the whisk in a thick ribbon.
4
Add seasonings
- Whisk in the grated garlic, chopped parsley, black pepper, and ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt until evenly distributed.
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Ready when: Green flecks of parsley and black pepper are evenly spread.
Tip: Don't add more salt yet; the cheese will make the dressing saltier as it sits.
5
Fold in chunks
- Gently fold in the remaining crumbled blue cheese (85 g) with a spatula or spoon, stirring just 4–5 times so the pieces stay intact.
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Ready when: Visible chunks of blue cheese are suspended throughout the dressing.
Tip: Overmixing breaks the chunks down and turns the dressing gray-ish and pasty.
6
Chill to blend
- Transfer to an airtight jar or cover the bowl.
- Refrigerate at least 1 hour (up to overnight) so the flavors meld and the dressing thickens.
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Ready when: The dressing is noticeably thicker and cold throughout.
7
Adjust and serve
- Stir the chilled dressing.
- Taste and add a pinch more salt or a squeeze of lemon if needed.
- For a pourable salad dressing, stir in 1–2 tablespoons more buttermilk, 1 tablespoon at a time.
- For dipping, leave it thick.
- Serve cold.
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Ready when: Tangy, salty, and balanced; it coats a spoon and slowly drips off.
Tip: Always taste with a celery stick or wing, since the dressing is meant to balance something spicy or plain.

Good to know

Tips

Mash half the cheese into the base and fold in the rest for dressing with both flavor and chunky texture.
Use a firm, crumbly blue cheese for the best texture; creamy styles will melt into the base.
Grate the garlic to a paste so there are no harsh raw bites.
Taste before salting. Blue cheese and Worcestershire already bring plenty of salt.

Make ahead

Make up to 3 days ahead; the flavor improves after the first day. Stir well before serving.

Storage & reheating

Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Stir before using and thin with a splash of buttermilk if it has thickened. Not recommended for freezing, as it separates when thawed.

Substitutions

buttermilk → whole milk plus ¼ teaspoon extra lemon juice. Gives similar tang, though slightly less thick and rich.
full-fat sour cream → plain full-fat Greek yogurt. Tangier and thicker; add an extra tablespoon of buttermilk if needed.
fresh flat-leaf parsley → fresh chives. Use the same amount, finely snipped, for a mild onion flavor.
Worcestershire sauce → hot sauce (a few dashes). Adds tang and a little heat but less depth; Worcestershire contains anchovy, so this also suits those avoiding it.