The best blues — dressings, that is
Pungent, salty and rich, blue cheese dressing isn’t just another condiment. It’s a meal-changer. It turns carrots into party food, tames the heat on wings, adds zip to a baked potato and turns a salad into a decadent meal.
A great blue cheese dressing is thick and tangy, with bold flavor and chunks of pungent blue cheese, balanced with a hint of garlic, a dash of vinegar and just the right sprinkling of salt and pepper.
A multitude of blue cheese options crowd supermarket shelves — on the salad dressing aisle and in the produce section. But beware: There are some seriously awful blue cheese dressings out there. Bland cheese, spoonfuls of sugar, overwhelming mayo and odd herbs turn far too many of these into a sour, disgusting mess.
Choosing a good one is tricky. Price does not equal quality, and refrigerated is not better than shelf stable. The ingredient list, however, offers good information. It’s a bad sign if sugar is high on the list. It’s also a bad sign if cheese is low on the list. Ingredients that you should see there include vegetable oil (instead of canola), buttermilk, sour cream and fresh garlic — and cheese culture in addition to the blue cheese. Those with two kinds of cheese in the mix tend to have a much more pronounced blue cheese flavor.
Here’s the scoop on the best — and most horrifying — blue cheese dressings at your local market. (Nutrition details are based on a 2 tablespoon serving.)
Trader Joe’s Chunky Blue Cheese Dressing & Dip
The first ingredient in this thick, chunky dressing is blue cheese with Roquefort culture — and it tastes like it. Aged cheese and just the right level of salt make this a stellar pick. 110 calories, 10 g fat, 200 mg sodium. $3.99 for 12 ounces. Found in the produce section. ★★★★
Bob’s Famous Blue Cheese Dressing & Dip
Bold garlic stirred into a thick, chunky, buttermilk-based dressing makes for a delicious bite. 140 calories, 15 g fat, 190 mg sodium. $4.99 for 16 ounces in the refrigerated case at Safeway.
★★★ ½ stars
Cindy’s Real Bleu Cheese Dressing Dip
Thick, chunky texture and a fresh, complex blend of flavors give this dressing a pleasant, homemade taste. Its only flaw is cheese that lacks oomph. 110 calories, 12 g fat, 2250 mg sodium. $6.99 in the refrigerated case at Whole Foods. ★★★ ½ stars
Toby’s Blue Cheese Dressing & Dip
Those who prefer a lighter hit of blue cheese may enjoy this less tangy, sour cream-forward dressing. 120 calories, 12 g fat, 120 mg sodium. $4.99 for 12 ounces in the refrigerated case at Whole Foods. ★★★
OPA Greek Yogurt Blue Cheese Dressing by Litehouse
Pungent cheese flavor makes this a tasty low-calorie pick. Add some chunks of cheese, and it would be even better. 60 calories, 5 g fat, 230 mg sodium. $3.99 for 11 ounces in the refrigerated case at Sprouts Market.
Bolthouse Farms Chunky Blue Cheese Yogurt Dressing
This dressing is drippily thin, due to the yogurt, but it offers pungent blue cheese flavor. 35 calories, 2.5 g fat, 135 mg sodium. $3.99 in the refrigerated case at Safeway. ½ stars
Wish-Bone Chunky Blue Cheese Dressing
Too much vinegar and powdered garlic detract from this otherwise pleasant, chunky dressing. 140 calories, 15 g fat, 250 mg sodium. $3.99 for 15 ounces at Safeway.
Litehouse Original Bleu Cheese Dressing & Dip
Mayonnaise fans might enjoy this very thick dressing with tiny bits of cheese, but it lacks both balance and blue cheese flavor. The Big Blue version has bigger cheese chunks, but it’s very salty. 150 calories, 16 g fat, 220 mg sodium. $3.99 for 13 ounces in the refrigerated case at Sprouts Market.
Ken’s Steak House Chunky Blue Cheese Dressing
If you’re desperate, this might do. It has fair blue cheese flavor and a touch of garlic, but it tastes murky and manufactured. 150 calories, 16 g fat, 290 mg sodium. $2.78 for 16 ounces at Raley’s. ½ stars
Raley’s Blue Cheese Dressing
This pungent pour has great blue cheese flavor, but it’s thin to the point of watery, with so much oil, the dressing separates, no matter how much you shake it first. 140 calories, 14 g fat, 240 mg sodium. $1.98 for 16 ounces.
Tony Baloney’s Simply the Best Blue Cheese Dressing
Gloppy texture, odd herbs and very little blue cheese flavor push this way down the list. 130 calories, 14 g fat, 125 mg sodium. $2.99 for 11.5 ounces at Raley’s.
Kraft Robust & Creamy Roka Blue Cheese
This extra sour, milky dressing is way out of balance and lacks blue cheese flavor. 120 calories, 12 g fat, 250 mg sodium. $3.99 for 16 ounces at Safeway.
Sprouts Organic Blue Cheese Dressing
A mishmash of vinaigrette flavors — not blue cheese — makes this vinegar-forward dressing a disappointing pick. 120 calories, 13 g fat, 210 mg sodium. $3.99 for 12 ounces (½ a star)
Marie’s Super Blue Cheese
Think mayonnaise with a dash of vinegar. If that sounds tasty, go for it. 160 calories, 17 g fat, 220 mg sodium. $3.99 for 12 ounces in the refrigerated case at Safeway. (½ a star)
Follow Your Heart High Omega Vegan Blue Cheese Dressing
The idea of creating a creamy, cheesy-flavored dressing without dairy is commendable. But this soy-flavored pour requires way too much imagination. 140 calories, 15 g fat, 125 mg sodium. $3.99 for 12 ounces in the refrigerated case at Safeway. (½ a star for effort)
Safeway Signature Kitchens Blue Cheese Dressing & Dip
A huge sour note and a dash of corn syrup make for a horrible pour. 130 calories, 13 g fat, 310 mg sodium. $2.49 for 16 ounces at Safeway. (No stars)
Briannas Homestyle Creamy Blue Cheese Dressing
Gluey texture and a huge dose of sugar make for a memorably awful bite. 120 calories, 11 g fat, 250 mg sodium. $3 for 12 ounces at Safeway. (No stars)
Daiya Dairy Free Blue Cheeze Dressing
This horrifying concoction of oil and strange starches tastes so rancid, it requires a run to the sink — and a toothbrush. 120 calories, 13 g fat, 220 mg sodium. $4.99 for 8.36 ounces at Safeway. (No stars)