Why This Recipe Works

The secret to a good blue cheese dressing recipe, we found, lay in the creamy components, which we narrowed down to three: mayonnaise to give the dressing body, sour cream to supply tang, and buttermilk both to thin out the dressing and to support the sour cream. We added a little white wine vinegar to our blue cheese dressing recipe for zing and just a bit of sugar to take off any harsh edge.

Before You Begin

In a pinch, whole milk may be used in place of buttermilk. The dressing will be a bit lighter and milder in flavor, but will still taste good. We dressed a variety of different salad greens and found that delicate ones, such as mesclun and butter lettuce, became soggy under the weight of the dressing. Sturdy romaine and curly leaf lettuce were our two favorites. Remember that aggressive seasoning with salt and pepper is necessary because the dressing will be dispersed over the greens.

Instructions

Mash blue cheese and buttermilk in small bowl with fork until mixture resembles cottage cheese with small curds (see illustrations below). Stir in remaining ingredients. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Can be covered and refrigerated up to 14 days.