My dad always ordered salad with blue cheese dressing when I was young. I found it strange at first — who wants mold in their cheese? — but after discovering buffalo sauce, I needed a cooling companion. That led me to develop this vegan blue cheese dressing. It doesn’t taste like traditional blue cheese mold, but it delivers a creamy, tangy texture that pairs perfectly with anything buffalo.
My kids love my vegan ranch and southwest dressings, yet they always request this vegan blue cheese when I serve Buffalo Tempeh. The tangy, cooling flavor is ideal to balance the heat of vegan buffalo sauce.
MAKING VEGAN BLUE CHEESE DRESSING IS EASY
There are a few base options depending on your preferences and dietary needs. I typically use my cashew mayo recipe, but I include alternatives for those avoiding nuts.
- Base: vegan cashew mayo, low-fat vegan mayo, white beans, or silken tofu
- Extra-firm tofu, pressed and crumbled
- Garlic
- Pure maple syrup
- Lemon juice
- White miso paste
- Apple cider vinegar
- Tahini
- Fresh Italian parsley
THE PROCESS OF MAKING DELICIOUS VEGAN BLUE CHEESE DRESSING
Start by preparing a cup of your chosen base. I often make a cup of cashew mayo and use half for this recipe, saving the remainder for another use. Add the mayo (or Vegenaise/silken tofu alternative) and the flavoring ingredients to a high-speed blender: garlic, maple syrup, lemon juice, white miso, apple cider vinegar, and tahini. Blend until completely smooth.
While the base blends, press the extra-firm tofu to remove excess moisture so it holds a crumbly texture. Once pressed, crumble half a block of tofu with a fork until it resembles coarse crumbs like small curds.
Fold the crumbled tofu and chopped fresh parsley into the blended mixture. Stir gently to combine, then chill the dressing until ready to serve. The tofu provides the characteristic “crumbly” element that mimics blue cheese, while the blended base gives creaminess and tang.
FAQs
What does vegan blue cheese dip taste like?
Vegan blue cheese dip offers a creamy, tangy profile similar to traditional blue cheese. The texture is smooth with small crumbles from the tofu, making it versatile as a dip, spread, or salad dressing.
How healthy is vegan blue cheese?
This vegan dressing is a healthier alternative to dairy-based blue cheese for many people. It contains no saturated animal fats or animal proteins and can be made with whole-food ingredients like tofu, miso, lemon, and tahini.
WHAT RECIPES GO WELL WITH VEGAN BLUE CHEESE DRESSING?
This dressing is ideal with Buffalo Tempeh, Buffalo Cauliflower Salad, roasted vegetables, grain bowls, or as a sandwich spread. It cools spicy dishes and adds bright savory notes to milder preparations.
(Buffalo Tempeh)
(Buffalo Cauliflower Salad)
📖 Recipe
Vegan Blue Cheese Dressing
Ingredients
- ½ cup cashew mayo (or low-fat vegan mayo / silken tofu)
- ½ block extra-firm tofu (about 7 ounces), pressed and crumbled
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- ½ teaspoon pure maple syrup
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons white miso paste
- 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons tahini
- 3 tablespoons chopped parsley
Instructions
- Press the tofu until about 1/2 to 1 inch thick. Use half the block for this recipe and save the remainder for another use.
- Crumble the pressed tofu with a fork and set it aside.
- Combine the mayo (or silken tofu/Vegenaise), garlic, maple syrup, lemon juice, white miso, apple cider vinegar, and tahini in a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth.
- Pour the blended mixture over the crumbled tofu, add the chopped parsley, and stir until evenly combined.
- Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. The flavors meld as it chills.
Notes
It tastes creamy and tangy with a texture reminiscent of traditional blue cheese thanks to the crumbled tofu. Use it as a dip, spread, or dressing.
How healthy is vegan blue cheese?
As a plant-based option, this dressing avoids saturated animal fats and animal proteins and can be a healthier choice depending on the ingredients you select.
Nutrition
Calories: 88 kcal • Carbohydrates: 2 g • Protein: 2 g • Fat: 8 g • Saturated Fat: 1 g • Sodium: 103 mg • Fiber: 0.2 g • Sugar: 1 g
Let us know how it was!