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This chunky blue cheese dressing is our go-to recipe anytime we make chicken wings, buffalo sliders, or black ‘n bleu steak salad. With chunks of blue cheese, a tad bit of sweetness, and a kick from our “secret ingredient”, this homemade blue cheese dressing hits all the right flavor notes!
You may be a bleu cheese connoisseur if you have a go-to brand of the love-it-or-hate-it cheese. And not only do we have a favorite, we have different favorites depending on which grocery store we happen to be shopping at that day.
Yes, it’s safe to say that my wife and I are blue cheese fanatics. So naturally, we have a homemade blue cheese dressing recipe that’s tried-and-tested, better than any store-bought dressing you can find. And probably better than most restaurant blue cheese dressings, too!
With the tangy flavors of blue cheese chunks, the robust notes of horseradish and Worcestershire sauce, and just a hint of sweetness from added sugar, this will be your new go-to recipe. Perfect for crispy smoked chicken wings or buffalo chicken tacos, and everything in between!
The Key Ingredients
There are a few ingredients that set our dressing apart from most other recipes, some familiar and some unexpected. But they all work together harmoniously to create one of the best blue cheese dressing recipes that you’ll ever try!
Here are some notes on the specific ingredients that we use and recommend:
- sour cream and mayonnaise – Equal parts of these make up the base of our dressing. We recommend full-fat versions of both for the richest, creamiest dressing.
- Worcestershire sauce – Use your favorite, but we always use the classic Lea & Perrin’s sauce.
- prepared horseradish – This is one of our secret ingredients, and it’s a staple in our refrigerator for everything from homemade salad dressings to our favorite creamy horseradish sauce for prime rib. Be sure to use the prepared horseradish versus the creamy horseradish for more flavor.
- hot sauce – Just a few dashes of your favorite hot sauce.
- white vinegar – You can substitute apple cider vinegar in a pinch, but it will change the color of the dressing.
- blue cheese – You definitely want a chunk of blue cheese, not the pre-crumbled version. Look for a smoked blue cheese for an extra punch of flavor.
- garlic – We like fresh minced garlic best, but you can substitute the jarred stuff if needed.
- sugar – Just a small amount for a bit of sweetness to balance out the other bold flavors.
How to Make Homemade Blue Cheese Dressing
Like most dressing recipes, this homemade bleu cheese is incredibly easy to make. Just follow these simple steps:
- Use a fork to mix together sour cream and mayonnaise in a medium mixing bowl.
- Add Worcestershire sauce, prepared horseradish, hot sauce, sugar, minced garlic, and vinegar. Stir together well.
- Use a fork to break off chunks from the block of blue cheese into the dressing. Fold in the chunks of bleu cheese.
- Stir in salt and pepper to taste. *Be sure to adjust the salt based on how salty your cheese is.
- Cover the mixing bowl tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate at least 4-6 hours, or overnight for best results.
Recipe Tips
- Use a block instead of crumbles – Buy a block of good quality blue cheese and break it into large crumbles yourself using a fork. You’ll get a much creamier dressing this way.
- Refrigerate overnight for best results – Make the dressing a day before serving if possible, and refrigerate in an airtight container. The flavors really meld together for a perfectly balanced and impossibly delicious dressing.
- Adjust the thickness with milk – This if our favorite thick blue cheese dip for adding to buffalo chicken sliders or for serving with chicken wings, so it’s on the thicker side versus a runnier salad dressing version. Add 1/2 to 1 tablespoon of buttermilk or regular milk to thin if needed.
Storing the Homemade Dressing
Store the homemade dressing in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. This dressing gets better with time, so be sure to refrigerate at least 4-6 hours, or even overnight, after you mix it up and before serving.
Serving Suggestions for Chunky Blue Cheese Dressing
Our blue cheese dressing is chunky and thick, so it’s the perfect condiment for buffalo chicken sandwiches, wraps, or chicken wings. Here are some ways that we have served this delicious and easy homemade dressing:
- Buffalo chicken sandwiches – Our go-to for all kinds of buffalo sandwiches, from crispy fried sliders to grilled buffalo chicken breast sandwiches.
- Buffalo chicken pinwheels – We love these griddled appetizers filled with a creamy buffalo chicken mixture. This dressing is the perfect accompaniment!
- Black and blue salads – We slice up leftover steak and make delicious salads with chopped pecans, thinly sliced red onions, and this perfect chunky bleu cheese dressing.
- Chicken wings dip – Whether you’re making classic buffalo wings or lemon pepper wings, this dip is perfect! You may even find yourself eating more chicken wings just so you can get more of the dressing.
- Smoked buffalo chicken dip – Drizzle this homemade dressing on top of your buffalo dips!
Chunky Blue Cheese Dressing
Ingredients
- ½ cup sour cream
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- ½ tablespoon prepared horseradish
- 2-3 dashes hot sauce, optional
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic, about 1 clove
- 1 teaspoon white vinegar
- 4-5 oz block blue cheese, *see notes
- salt and pepper, to taste
- ½ – 1 tablespoon buttermilk, or substitute regular milk, to thin dressing if needed
Instructions
- Use a fork to mix together sour cream and mayonnaise in a medium mixing bowl.
- Add Worcestershire sauce, prepared horseradish, hot sauce, sugar, minced garlic, and vinegar. Stir together well.
- Use a fork to break off chunks from the block of blue cheese into the dressing. Fold in the chunks of bleu cheese.
- Stir in salt and pepper to taste. *Be sure to adjust the salt based on how salty your cheese is.
- Cover the mixing bowl tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate 4-6 hours before serving.
- Optional – Stir in ½ to 1 tablespoon of buttermilk or regular milk to thin the dressing before serving.
Notes
- For the blue cheese – Using a block of blue cheese and crumbling it yourself into large chunks gives you the best blue cheese dressing. The cheese that is pre-crumbled has added starches to prevent it from sticking together, so your dressing won’t be as creamy. Get a smoked blue cheese if you can find it. We love the Treasure Cave brand smoked blue cheese wedge (4.4 oz).
- Adjust the thickness with milk – This if our favorite thick blue cheese dip for adding to buffalo chicken sliders or for serving with chicken wings, so it’s on the thicker side versus a runnier salad dressing version. Add 1/2 to 1 tablespoon of buttermilk or regular milk to thin if needed.
