The best Vegan Blue Cheese Dressing (or dip) that’s chunky, creamy and full of tang! Perfect for a vegan wedge salad or dipping cauliflower buffalo wings in!
This dressing/dip is easy to make and delicious to eat! Best of all, it’s made without any store bought vegan mayo, oil or cheese of course.
Similar to my Vegan Ranch Dressing, I use raw cashews to create a creamy texture, along with a few other simple ingredients that give this a real “blue cheese” feel. I think you are going to love it!
How to make it
Start out by soaking a cup and a half of raw cashews, or cashew pieces. Often the cashew pieces are less expensive, so I usually buy them instead of the whole ones. To soften, pour boiling hot water over the cashews (I use my tea kettle) and let them soak for 5-10 minutes.
This post contains affiliate links. Read my full disclosure here.
Drain the cashews, then add to a high powered blender, along with 3/4 cup water, 2 tablespoons white vinegar, 3 tablespoons lemon juice, 1/2 teaspoon onion powder and dried dill and 1 teaspoon of salt. Blend until very smooth and creamy.
Pour the creamy mixture into a large bowl or container, and then crumble 1/4th of a block of firm tofu into the dressing. Stir, then refrigerate for at least 20 minutes, to let the flavors mingle. The little tofu chunks won’t taste like tofu at all, but rather will taste like little chunks of blue cheese!
Possible Substitutions
Tofu: If you want a smooth dressing, simply leave out the tofu.
Cashews: If you have a nut allergy, you could replace the cashews and water with vegan mayo. Of course, it won’t be oil free then, but it will work. Replace the cashews and water with 1 cup of vegan mayo. Whisk in the other ingredients, then crumble in the tofu.
How to make a Wedge Salad
Wash and cut a head of iceberg lettuce into wedges. Make a batch of Baked Tempeh Bacon and crumble it on top, along with diced tomatoes, chives, perhaps avocado chunks and then drizzle blue cheese on top. Delicious!
It’s also perfect for dipping Vegan Cauliflower Buffalo Wings in. However you use it, I hope you enjoy!
Want more Creamy Vegan Salad Dressings?
Vegan Blue Cheese Dressing
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups raw cashews
- 3/4 cup water
- 2 tablespoons white vinegar
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (from 1 large lemon)
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon dried dill
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 block firm tofu
Instructions
- Soak the raw cashew pieces in hot water for 5-10 minutes. I heat up water in my electric kettle and pour it over the cashews to soak.
- Drain the cashews and add to a high powered blender. Now add 3/4 cup fresh water, the white vinegar, lemon juice, onion powder, dill and salt, and blend until very smooth and creamy.
- Pour the creamy mixture from the blender into a bowl (or a covered container for the refrigerator). Pat the tofu dry with paper towels, and then crumble into the dressing. Stir gently to mix, and place in the refrigerator to chill for at least 20 minutes before serving, so the flavors can mingle together.
- Serve as a dressing for salads, or a dip for vegetables or buffalo cauliflower wings. It will thicken in the refrigerator, so simply thin it with a few tablespoons of water before using if desired. It will stay good for 5-6 days, and it is freezable. Enjoy!
Notes
- You really need a high powered blender such as a Vitamix to make this dressing taste good. If you don't have one, I would substitute 1 cup of vegan mayo for the cashews and water. Then you can simply whisk the ingredients together in a bowl, then add in the crumbled tofu.
- To make a wedge salad, slice a head of iceberg lettuce into wedges. Make a batch of Tempeh Bacon, then crumble it on top of the lettuce along with diced tomatoes, chives, avocados and drizzle blue cheese on top.
Wow! I read the comments and thought, if these are true, I hit the jackpot! I made a batch on Tuesday, and went through it in two days and had to make another batch today because I can’t get enough. The reviews were right! This is insanely good! I used it on a buffalo chickpea salad and it’s so satisfying! Thank you for being a food genius!
Hi Kristen. I am so excited you loved the dressing! Thank YOU for your stellar feedback! Wishing you lots of happy cooking!
Hi Nora,
I am going to try to make the blue cheese dressing, thank you for the recipe.
On the nutrition, you don’t say what the serving size is. For example 1 tablespoon etc,
Please let me know.
Thanks!
bob
This was shockingly amazing! I’m so impressed with the taste and texture! I also used the Follow your heart blue cheese crumbles. Really awesome, thank you Nora!!
You are welcome! Thanks so much for sharing your wonderful feedback!
Oh my gosh, I usually never comment but this is so amazing. Perfect level of tang, and is so versatile. Thank you!!!
I’m so glad you love the dressing! Thanks for using my recipe, and for sharing your review and feedback!
Hello Nora! Do you have to use cashews??
You could probably use raw slivered almonds or even sunflower seeds if needed, but it won’t quite be the same.
Just wow! Insanely delicious, Nora. Tastes so much like what I remember Blue Cheese Dressing to taste like. Like a previous reviewer, I subbed Follow Your Heart Blue Cheese Crumbles (which are 100% on point) for the tofu. Can’t wait to have this drizzled over big wedges of iceberg lettuce and liberally covering all my fresh veggies. Thank you for yet another amazing recipe, Nora.
This is soooo good! I never thought I’d find a blue cheese substitute in his delicious. Even my non vegan friends liked it
I’m glad you loved the dressing! Thank you for sharing!
AMAZING! Thank you for creating this! I used everything except I subbed the tofu for Follow Your Heart bleu cheese and oh my goodness you couldn’t even tell it wasn’t the real thing. So good!
Hi Stephanie. Your substitution sounds delicious! I’m thrilled you loved the dressing! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review!
I can eat this by the spoon full 🙂 Serving it with a Apple, Candied Walnut, and Bitter Lettuces Salad, for Thanksgiving. I also love it as a dip for crudites. Thank you for sharing!
Hi Shelly. Mmmm, your salad sounds so delicious! The dressing will be great with it! I appreciate you taking time to share your fantastic review and comments. Happy holiday cooking!
This is such a wonderful blue cheese dressing recipe. I thought I’d never find a good vegan substitute and I can’t believe it’s made from such healthy the ingredients! Thank you!
I’m thrilled you love the dressing! Thank you so much or sharing your wonderful review and comments!
What’s the maximum shelf life for this? If put in freezer
Probably a few months, I haven’t tried freezing it myself but it should work okay. It lasts for 5-7 days in the refrigerator.
I love this recipe except I love blue cheese to have a tangy flavor. And for me blue cheese should NOT be subtle. So….I added 2x more dill, 1 tablespoon of vinegar from some pickled jalapeno chips, more than a tablespoon of horseradish and the tang is back!!!
Sounds good! Thanks for sharing your review and comments!
This was so good. Made the best wedge salad with it. I used Follow Your Heart blue cheese crumbles instead of tofu. So good.
Hi Lori. Oh I really love wedge salad! I’m so glad that you love the dressing! Thank you for sharing your great feedback!
Nice! The texture was spot on. I tried this because I love your ranch dressing and that one’s a big hit with non-vegan family members.
The flavor has a mild sweetness that I wasn’t able to mask. I tried adding some ground black pepper and a little garlic powder but I still taste it. Thoughts? More lemon juice? My last tablespoon was pretty scant.
Either way, thank you for the recipe!
Glad you enjoyed it! Maybe add a bit more lemon juice, I’m not sure what that sweetness is your tasting.
This is awesome! I love it! I’ve tried several recipes as others have mentioned doing- and this one is the only one that fills that blue cheese void. I didn’t have the tofu so mine was not chunky – but I didn’t miss that part.
I used to be the girl who chose restaurants solely based on the quality of their blue cheese dressing……. and I gotta say, this stuff is surprisingly convincing and definitely better than some of the “real” versions!
Bravo Nora!
Thank you so much for sharing your fantastic review! I am thrilled that you love the dressing!
This is the third week in a row I have made this dressing, and it was unintentionally become a fridge staple. Simple, easy, amazing – thank you!
I”m so glad to read you love the dressing, Lauren, and that it has become a staple! Thank you for sharing your review!
Do you think a Ninja blender will work?
Thank you for taking the time to answer this.
I don’t have a ninja, so I’m not super familiar. If it can usually blend nuts into creamy sauces, it should work.
Yum!! This is fantastic! The best blue cheese I’ve made (and I’ve tried many recipes!) Blue Cheese dressing is one of the thing I’ve not yet been able to replicate in the vegan world -so thank you for this. Next time I might add a bit more vinegar or lemon to make it even tangier. Now I have to go look at see if you have a Caesar dressing recipe, as that is the other item that eludes me!
I’m so glad you like it! And yes, I do have a Caesar dressing, which I think is delicious. Here it is: https://www.noracooks.com/vegan-caesar-dressing/
Hi,
How long would this dressing keep in the fridge after making?☺️
It stays fresh for 3-4 days.
You don’t cook the tofu first, correct?
That is correct.
Awesome !!!! Excellent!!! Ditto on Karen’s comment. I have tried many versions of bleu cheese dressing, as it is what I miss most about not being able to eat dairy. ( Allergy) The MOST AUTHENTIC recipe I have tried. I look forward to trying your cauliflower buffalo wings!
So glad you liked it!
Totally blown away at how delicious this is! Thank you for a wonderful alternative to the thing I have missed most!
You’re welcome!
How much mayo would you use in place of the cashews and water?
Nevermind! I’m sorry, I found where you said how much. I can’t wait to try the recipe!
I wanted to doubt you. I thought, it could never ever taste like blue cheese and buffalo wing sauce. But it does. Unbelievable. Thank you so much…
You’re welcome!
My non-vegan boyfriend loves this dressing! He finished off the first batch and asked for more! That says a lot!
Wow, that’s fantastic! I’m so glad to hear that!
I can’t believe how delicious this is!! Blue cheese is one of the things I miss the most. It’s so great to have a delicious vegan option!