When you want a quick salad dressing without buying another bottle, this Blue Cheese Vinaigrette Dressing Mix keeps it simple. Stir together a tiny pantry packet now, then shake it with blue cheese, vinegar, and oil later for a tangy dressing that works beautifully on salad greens, pears, grapes, and hearty vegetable salads.
It also tucks neatly into a gift basket, which is a nice way to look organized without actually having to become organized.
Ingredients
You only need a few pantry basics for the dry mix, then a few refrigerated ingredients when you’re ready to turn it into dressing.
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 teaspoon sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
- Dash ground red pepper
- Dash pepper
To use the mix:
- 1 package Blue Cheese Vinaigrette Dressing Mix
- 1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese
- 1/4 cup vinegar
- 1 cup salad oil
Blue cheese is the shortest-lived ingredient here once the dressing is mixed, so keep the finished vinaigrette refrigerated and use it promptly. For general cold-food safety timing, follow the FoodSafety.gov cold storage chart.
How to Make the Mix
- Measure the salt, sugar, dry mustard, ground red pepper, and pepper into a small zip-top bag or airtight jar.
- Seal the container and shake it well so the seasonings are evenly combined.
- Label the packet if you’re making it ahead or giving it as a gift.
How to Use the Mix
- Add 1 package of the mix, 1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese, 1/4 cup vinegar, and 1 cup salad oil to a small cruet bottle or jar with a tight-fitting lid.
- Shake until combined.
- Let the dressing stand for at least 30 minutes before serving so the flavors have time to blend.
- Shake again just before serving, then drizzle over salad greens.
For a simple lunch, try it over microgreens with pear slices and halved grapes. If you like homemade dressings, you might also enjoy this Blueberry Vinaigrette Dressing or keep another pantry packet ready with this Vinaigrette Dressing Mix.
Tips
- Use a jar with a lid if you don’t have a cruet. It gives you a better shake and less mess.
- Let it rest the full 30 minutes. That little wait softens the blue cheese and rounds out the sharp vinegar edge.
- Shake before every use. Oil and vinegar separate. That’s normal, not a kitchen catastrophe.
- Choose a vinegar you already like. White wine vinegar or distilled white vinegar both work, but each changes the final bite a bit.
Serving Suggestions
This dressing pairs especially well with crisp greens, sliced pears, red grapes, toasted nuts, and roasted beets. It also works nicely spooned over wedge salads, drizzled on a spinach salad, or used as a quick finishing dressing for a warm potato salad.
If you want a creamier blue cheese option for dipping vegetables or wings, take a look at Blue Cheese Dressing & Dip.
Storage
Dry mix: Store the sealed mix packet or jar in a cool, dry cupboard away from heat and moisture. A conservative shelf-life estimate is 6 months for best flavor, based on the ground spices being the quickest to lose potency. If it smells flat or the pepper notes have faded, make a fresh batch.
Prepared dressing: Once you add the blue cheese, vinegar, and oil, refrigerate the dressing promptly in a covered jar or cruet. Use it within 3 to 4 days for best quality and food safety. Shake before serving, and discard it if it develops an off smell, unusual thickness, or visible spoilage.
Make-ahead tip: Keep the dry mix on hand and wait to add the cheese, vinegar, and oil until the day you plan to serve it. That gives you the best flavor and the longest practical storage.
💸 Budget101® Price Breakdown: Blue Cheese Vinaigrette Dressing Mix
Ingredient |
Walmart Item |
Pkg Price |
Amount Used |
Cost Used |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Salt |
$0.62 |
1 t. |
$0.01 |
|
Sugar |
$2.98 |
3/4 t. |
$0.01 |
|
Dry mustard |
$3.98 |
1/4 t. |
$0.05 |
|
Ground red pepper |
$1.44 |
Dash |
$0.01 |
|
Pepper |
$2.48 |
Dash |
$0.01 |
|
Crumbled blue cheese |
$2.98 |
1/4 C. |
$0.71 |
|
Vinegar |
$1.18 |
1/4 C. |
$0.07 |
|
Salad oil |
$3.36 |
1 C. |
$0.56 |
💸 |
Cost |
|---|---|
🧾 Total Batch Cost |
$1.43 |
👨👩👧👦 Cost Per Serving |
$0.12 |
📅 Walmart prices last verified August 26, 2026. Prices may vary by location and are subject to change. Learn how to calculate the cost of a recipe on your own!
🛒 Walmart Grocery List
- Iodized Salt, 26 oz
- Granulated Sugar, 4 lb
- Ground Mustard, 1.5 oz
- Crushed Red Pepper, 1.5 oz
- Ground Black Pepper, 3 oz
- Bleu Cheese Dressing Mix, 4 oz
- Crumbled Blue Cheese, 5 oz
- Distilled White Vinegar, 32 fl oz
- Vegetable Oil, 48 fl oz
Not sure exactly what this batch costs you per serving? Here’s how to break down the real cost of any recipe so you know before you shop.
Frequently Asked Questions about Blue Cheese Vinaigrette Dressing Mix
You can, and it changes the whole personality of the dressing. White wine vinegar gives you a softer, salad-friendly tang, while distilled white vinegar tastes sharper and brighter. If your blue cheese is especially salty or bold, the milder vinegar usually keeps things better balanced.
Use a neutral salad oil if you want the blue cheese to stay front and center. Vegetable oil keeps the flavor clean, while olive oil adds more bite and can compete a little with the cheese. If you switch oils, taste before serving and add a splash more vinegar if it feels heavy.
You can make the vinaigrette base without them, but it won’t be blue cheese vinaigrette anymore, just seasoned oil and vinegar. If you need a substitute, crumbled feta gives you a similar salty texture, though the flavor is tangier and less earthy. Use the same 1/4 cup amount so the dressing still has body.
Because oil and vinegar are doing exactly what oil and vinegar do when left alone. A hard shake right before serving brings it back together, and letting the blue cheese sit in the mixture for 30 minutes helps the dressing look a little less split and a little more cohesive.
Keep moisture out and the mix stays loose. Use a completely dry jar, close it tightly, and store it away from the stove where steam loves to sneak in and ruin pantry mixes. If it does clump, break it up with a spoon before using as long as it still smells fresh.
Absolutely. The easiest way is to keep the same ratios and mix a larger batch in a jar, then use about 2 teaspoons of dry mix per 1/4 cup blue cheese, 1/4 cup vinegar, and 1 cup oil. Shake the dry mix first before measuring so the spices stay evenly distributed instead of settling in layers.
Anything with sweet fruit or earthy vegetables tends to shine here. Try it on greens with pears, grapes, apples, beets, walnuts, or pecans because that salty blue cheese flavor plays very nicely with sweet and crisp ingredients. It also works on a wedge salad when you want something lighter than a creamy dressing.
Yes, but do it when you mix the dressing, not in the dry packet. Whisk in 1 to 2 tablespoons mayonnaise or sour cream after the oil, vinegar, and blue cheese are combined. That softens the vinaigrette edge and gives you a thicker dressing that clings better to lettuce.
It is, because the dry mix stores easily and the fresh ingredients get added later. Pack the mix in a small jar or bag with a clear tag that lists the 1/4 cup blue cheese, 1/4 cup vinegar, and 1 cup oil needed to finish it. That way the recipient gets the convenience without wondering what on earth to do with a mystery spice packet.
Plan on about 1 1/2 cups finished dressing once everything is combined. That’s usually enough for about 12 servings if you use 2 tablespoons per salad, which is a sensible portion unless you’re pouring with the confidence of a restaurant line cook.
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🖨️ Print-Friendly Blue Cheese Vinaigrette Dressing Mix
Blue Cheese Vinaigrette Dressing Mix
Ingredients
Equipment
Instructions
- Combine the salt, sugar, dry mustard, ground red pepper, and pepper in a small zip-top bag or airtight jar.
- Seal and shake to mix evenly.
- To prepare the dressing, add 1 package mix, 1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese, 1/4 cup vinegar, and 1 cup salad oil to a small cruet bottle or jar.
- Shake until combined.
- Let stand at least 30 minutes before serving.
- Shake again just before serving.
Recipe Size Alteration
💡 If you altered the ingredients above by doubling or tripling the recipe, you may also need to change the pan/dish size and adjust the cook time.
Notes
Prepared dressing yield is approximately 1 1/2 cups, or 12 servings at 2 tablespoons each.
Prep time is an estimate based on measuring the mix and shaking the finished dressing.
Dry mix shelf life is an estimated 6 months in an airtight container in a cool, dry place.
Prepared dressing should be refrigerated and used within 3 to 4 days.
my family and i have fallen in love with a store brand of the blue cheese vinaigrette — it’s so stinkin’ expensive, though! will be trying this recipe this week!:lets-eat: