8 Store-Bought Blue Cheese Dressings, Ranked Worst To Best

Blue cheese dressing is a rich, pungent option I most often use as one of the starring ingredients in my homemade buffalo chicken dip. Of course, it can also be used to top salads, add a tangy depth to sauces, or serve as a deliciously creamy dip on its own beside spicy chicken wings. While you could go through the process of making homemade blue cheese dressing yourself, this isn't always practical because it takes time and effort to do well. That's where store-bought blue cheese dressings step in. Unfortunately, not every blue cheese dressing you find on your grocery store shelf is worth your hard-earned money. How do you know which are, and which deserve to be left where you found them?

Thankfully for you, I set out on a mission to answer this question for both of us. To do so, I bought eight blue cheese dressings from my local grocery stores and tasted them one after another. I judged them each primarily on taste and texture using my food industry background and other relevant experiences. Then I reported my findings back here by ranking the dressings from worst to best. You can find my full methodology at the end of this article if you're interested in learning more. Now, ready to discover which store-bought blue cheese dressing reigns supreme? Let's get into it.

If you've read anything I've written, you probably know about the toxic relationship I have with Shoprite's private label, Bowl and Basket. Although its apple cider vinegar brand was disgustingly artificial and flat, its grape jelly brand was quite good. Unfortunately, this blue cheese dressing belongs to the likes of the former and not the latter. Honestly, at this point, I don't know why I keep going back for more when the positive experiences are vastly outweighed by negative ones. But I do, and I probably will, so that's on me.

The best dressings are highly nuanced, while the worst (like this one) are flat and one-dimensional. When I tasted this, only a thick pungency came through. While the word "creamy" did come to mind as I forced my way through my taste test, it was really more about texture than taste. And the texture was also one-dimensional because it lacked the variance of chunky versions. Overall, this was a disappointing experience I'd rather not have again.

Every 2 tablespoons of this blue cheese dressing grants you 130 calories, 14 grams of total fat, and 270 milligrams of sodium. You couldn't pay me to buy this again, nor could I be tempted to use it by someone else. Since most of the top-ranked blue cheese options can be found at Shoprite, I highly suggest opting for one of those instead.

I might be alone in my opinion, but I'm not the biggest fan of Walmart's private label brand, Great Value. My relationship with this brand isn't nearly as toxic as the one I have with Bowl and Basket, but it's still a solid 50/50 chance as to whether a product will be good. Great Value's store-bought ketchup brand? All three varieties were disappointing. But its range of packaged snacks? There are numerous options I keep regularly stocked in my home. I really wish Great Value had pulled through on its blue cheese dressing, though.

There was slight textural complexity here, created by minuscule yet distinct bits of whole blue cheese dispersed through the otherwise creamy dressing. This did lean thinner than what I was looking for, but that could have been overlooked if the taste had been better. The flavor profile was almost singularly pungent again, although a bit less aggressive than the previous option. Faint salty notes came through at the end to break this up slightly. Unfortunately, I also detected faint chemical tones alongside the finishing saltiness, which added to my dissatisfaction.

Every 2 tablespoons of this blue cheese dressing grants you 120 calories, 13 grams of total fat, and 260 milligrams of sodium. I wouldn't buy this again, even if I were at Walmart. I also couldn't be tempted to eat this if someone else offered it to me, so I highly recommend you steer clear, too.

Ken's Steak House surprised me with how many blue cheese varieties it offered — in fact, it's the only brand with more than one option on this list. I was also surprised that this Creamy Wisconsin Blue Cheese Dressing came in lowest amongst those because I've really liked Wisconsin-sourced cheeses in the past.

My primary complaint here was that I detected zero textural complexity. The dressing was entirely smooth and creamy, which wouldn't have been bad in most dressings but has always made a blue cheese variety fall flat for me. The hallmark pungency of blue cheese dominated the flavor profile, although its mildness left the dressing lacking any real potency. I did detect faint salty notes, and a subtle garlic bite that would have been easy to miss if you weren't looking for it. While not disgusting, this just felt like it embodied the definition of "mediocre."

A 2-tablespoon helping provides 150 calories, 16 grams of total fat, and 230 milligrams of sodium. This dressing contains the highest amount of both calories and fat on this list, which is something some people may want to be aware of. There's also an allergen warning for eggs in addition to the expected dairy. I definitely wouldn't go out of my way to buy this again, but I may be tempted to eat Ken's Steak House Blue Cheese Dressing if someone offered it to me.

I actually found this Kraft Chunky Blue Cheese Dressing challenging to rank. It's not a bad dressing, per se, but it lacked some of the key qualities I looked for while also perfectly embodying other aspects that were quite important to me. Ultimately, I decided lower middle was the best spot, but it took a lot of deliberation to reach that decision.

One thing this had going for it was textural complexity, where various minuscule specks and small chunks of whole blue cheese dotted an otherwise smooth dressing. The dressing was runnier than I would have liked, and the flavor profile was astonishingly mellow. In fact, it was a creamy mayo-like taste that pulled forward most, followed by a combination of mild saltiness and a slight vinegar kick. The pungency was there, but barely — in fact, this is what I imagine combining blue cheese and ranch in equal parts would taste like.

2 tablespoons contain 120 calories, 12 grams of total fat, and 300 milligrams of sodium. This is the blue cheese dressing with the highest sodium on this list, making it the least suitable for those needing to watch their daily salt intake. I wouldn't buy this again, but I would probably eat it if someone else offered it to me. However, if you're someone who isn't a huge fan of blue cheese and needs some for a recipe, this is a decent choice due to its lack of bold pungency.

I know I have a habit of talking about my string of disappointments with other private labels, so I want to bring a bit of positivity to this ranking. Aldi private labels are amongst my favorites because — while there are certainly mediocre or lacking products — my experiences with them have been largely positive. And I feel Tuscan Garden mostly pulled through to meet those expectations here.

Although this was thinner than the top three dressings, it had textural complexity between the smooth base and solid chunks of blue cheese. These chunks varied from tiny to small, with limited medium-sized bites. I would have liked to see a few more larger blue cheese pieces. A sharp kick of tangy blue cheese took center stage, where it melded with soft, salty notes. There was a subtly savory finish, and a creamy dairy aftertaste that lingered for a while after I swallowed.

2 tablespoons contain 120 calories, 12 grams of total fat, and 290 milligrams of sodium. Besides the expected dairy warning, this dressing also contains a major allergen warning for eggs. I might buy this again if I were already at Aldi, and I think it's a good budget option if that's what you're looking for.

The second Ken's Steak House dressing to appear in this ranking features a unique twist whereby Gorgonzola cheese is used in lieu of "standard" blue cheese. In case you aren't familiar with it, Gorgonzola is a very creamy type of Italian blue cheese that typically has milder pungency than the options you'd normally see in these dressings.

Although this began with the expected blue cheese pungency, it was much more refined and balanced than standard options. This was paired from the beginning with moderate salty notes, mild buttery tones, and a faint garlic tang. While nicely layered, I would have liked to see some more nuance in the way the flavor presented rather than it being the same throughout. Texturally, this was smooth without alteration, but I was willing to look past this because it was exceptionally creamy, with a medium weight bordering on "heavy," though not quite there.

Per 2 tablespoons, this dressing contains 130 calories, 14 grams of total fat, and 270 milligrams of sodium. I might buy this again if my top two choices weren't available. If you're looking for a slightly milder blue cheese dressing that's still pungency-forward, this is your best option.

Wish-Bone took first place in my ranking of store-bought Thousand Island dressings, but it fell just short of reigning supreme once more with its blue cheese dressing. That being said, I've personally found that most Wish-Bone dressings are excellent, and I enjoy that they come in smaller containers when other brands often do not.

Wish-Bone Chunky Blue Cheese Dressing had a robust pungency upfront that was stronger than any other option on this list. But this mellowed out after a few seconds to meld with a creamy, mayonnaise-like flavor with faint hints of buttermilk. Through this were subtle acidic notes and herbal tones that really took this dressing to the next level. Texturally, it was creamy with fewer blue cheese bits than I expected. However, there were just enough cheese chunks to create the textural complexity I was looking for. The only reason this didn't rank higher is that I significantly prefer the chunkier texture of the top option.

A 2-tablespoon helping provides 130 calories, 14 grams of total fat, and 230 milligrams of sodium. I would definitely buy this again if my top choice weren't available, and I'd enthusiastically use it if it were offered to me by someone else.

Even with so many blue cheese dressings in the running, the chances were pretty high that Ken's Steak House would secure the top spot in this ranking. Before I dive into what makes it so fantastic, I do want to offer a quick disclosure — this has been my go-to blue cheese dressing for years, so I already knew I liked it. That being said, I entered into this ranking with an open mind and had every hope this would be displaced as my favorite. Obviously, that didn't happen.

My favorite thing here was the thick, creamy dressing that had an abundance of big chunks of real blue cheese throughout. The taste featured a robust hallmark pungency upfront, which faded into layers of rich dairy, mild tang, and a slight sweetness. Faint buttery notes came through at the end, alongside a moderate salty bite and subtle earthy tones. I truly have nothing bad to say about this blue cheese dressing.

Per 2 tablespoons, this dressing contains 130 calories, 13 grams of total fat, and 290 milligrams of sodium. Hands down, I will continue buying this moving forward, and I highly recommend you grab a bottle for yourself.

I chose blue cheese dressings for inclusion in this list based on their availability near Vineland, New Jersey. Each option was eaten off a spoon, one after another, with a palate-cleansing drink between.

I judged each option based predominantly on taste and texture. I was looking for a thick, rich dressing with some level of textural complexity, and a combination of sharp, salty, and creamy notes. Dressings received bonus points for going "above and beyond" if they also included faint tangy or earthy notes. Although nutritional information is included in each section, it was not used as a ranking factor; it's included so those with dietary needs or preferences can make the most informed purchasing decisions.

My extensive food industry background was primarily what gave me the confidence to rank these blue cheese dressings. Prior consumership of blue cheese dressing products and prior work for Daily Meal also contributed — this includes similar dressing-based articles like my ranking of store-bought ranch dressings or my ranking of store-bought Italian dressings. Although personal preference played a role in this ranking, I aimed to be as unbiased about product quality as possible.