Standard blue cheese dressing is not low FODMAP. While blue cheese itself is considered low FODMAP in moderate amounts, the dressing combines it with several high FODMAP ingredients, most commonly garlic, onion, and buttermilk. If you’re following a low FODMAP diet, you’ll need to either find a carefully screened commercial option or make your own version at home.
Why Blue Cheese Is Fine but the Dressing Isn’t
Blue cheese is an aged cheese, and aging breaks down lactose, the milk sugar that causes problems for many people on a low FODMAP diet. A 40-gram serving (roughly two tablespoons crumbled) is rated low FODMAP by Monash University, the research group that developed the diet. So the cheese itself isn’t the issue.
The problem is everything else in the dressing. A typical blue cheese dressing recipe calls for buttermilk, sour cream, mayonnaise, garlic, and onion. Garlic and onion are among the highest FODMAP foods that exist, and even small amounts can trigger symptoms in sensitive individuals. Buttermilk and regular sour cream contain lactose. Commercial mayonnaise can contain additives and sometimes high FODMAP ingredients like high fructose corn syrup or onion powder. When you combine all of these in a single dressing, the FODMAP load adds up quickly.
Spotting Hidden FODMAPs in Store-Bought Brands
If you’re scanning labels at the grocery store, the most common culprits in commercial blue cheese dressing are garlic powder, onion powder, natural flavors (which frequently contain garlic or onion extracts), and high fructose corn syrup. Some brands also use buttermilk solids or whey protein concentrate, both of which contain lactose.
“Natural flavors” is the trickiest ingredient because manufacturers aren’t required to specify what’s in them. In savory dressings, garlic and onion are almost always part of that blend. If the label lists natural flavors without further detail, it’s safest to assume it’s not low FODMAP. Even brands marketed as “simple ingredient” dressings typically include garlic or onion in some form.
Making a Low FODMAP Version at Home
A homemade blue cheese dressing is the most reliable option, and it’s straightforward once you swap out a few ingredients. The basic structure is a creamy base, an acid for tang, blue cheese crumbles, and seasonings for depth.
The Creamy Base
Replace buttermilk and regular sour cream with lactose-free alternatives. You can buy lactose-free sour cream in many grocery stores, or make your own by adding lactase drops to full-fat cream and letting it process for 24 to 48 hours. The lactase enzyme breaks down the lactose during that time. Then add a splash of vinegar or lemon juice and let the cream sit at room temperature to ferment into sour cream.
For the mayonnaise component, choose a brand without high FODMAP ingredients. Check for garlic, onion, honey, and high fructose corn syrup on the label. Many basic mayonnaise brands (those with just oil, eggs, vinegar, and mustard) are safe. You can also make your own with an egg yolk, oil, lemon juice, and a pinch of salt.
Replacing Garlic and Onion
Garlic-infused oil is the classic low FODMAP workaround. FODMAPs are water-soluble, not fat-soluble, so infusing garlic cloves in oil transfers the flavor without the problematic sugars. Use a teaspoon or two of garlic-infused olive oil to get that savory depth back. For onion flavor, the green tops of spring onions (scallions) are low FODMAP and add a mild onion taste. Chives work similarly.
A half teaspoon to one teaspoon of Dijon mustard also helps build flavor complexity, but check the label to make sure it doesn’t contain added garlic or onion. Most plain Dijon mustards are safe.
Putting It Together
A simple ratio to start with: combine equal parts lactose-free sour cream and low FODMAP mayonnaise, add a squeeze of lemon juice, a drizzle of garlic-infused oil, salt, pepper, and fold in crumbled blue cheese. Thin with a splash of water if you want a pourable dressing rather than a dip consistency. Taste and adjust the acid and salt. The dressing keeps in the fridge for about a week.
Serving Size Still Matters
Even with a fully low FODMAP recipe, portion control matters. Blue cheese is low FODMAP at around 40 grams per serving, but larger amounts push the lactose content higher. A typical dressing serving of one to two tablespoons keeps you well within the safe range for the cheese component. If you’re heavy-handed with dressing, the cumulative lactose from the cheese and cream base could become an issue, so stick to a reasonable portion, especially during the elimination phase of the diet.
FODMAPs also stack across your entire meal. A low FODMAP dressing on a salad with other moderate FODMAP ingredients (like a borderline serving of avocado or cherry tomatoes) can push your total intake past your threshold. Keep the rest of the meal simple when you’re testing how well you tolerate the dressing.
Restaurant and Takeout Tips
Ordering blue cheese dressing at a restaurant is risky. Most kitchens use commercial dressings or house recipes with garlic and onion as standard ingredients. Asking for the ingredient list is reasonable, but servers often don’t have access to that information for premade dressings. Your safest bet is to bring a small container of your own dressing, ask for olive oil and vinegar as a backup, or request crumbled blue cheese on the side and dress the salad yourself with oil. That way you get the blue cheese flavor without the FODMAP-heavy dressing base.