Creamy Pesto Dressing
This Creamy Pesto Dressing recipe makes a rich and tangy dressing that can be used in a variety of ways. Reach for it when you want to add pizzazz to salads or your favorite sandwich.
Even better, this pesto dressing is super simple. It takes only 5 minutes and 5 ingredients: pesto, sour cream, mayonnaise, buttermilk, and vinegar.
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Ingredients
The inspiration for this creamy pesto salad dressing is my basil pistachio pesto, which is a variation on classic basil pesto made with fresh basil, garlic, pistachios, and Parmesan. If you love pesto, check out other recipes using homemade pesto including this orzo pesto salad or tuna pesto pasta with arugula spinach pesto.
In addition to the basil pesto, this creamy pesto salad dressing includes sour cream, mayonnaise, buttermilk, and white wine vinegar. In a pinch, you can always use store-bought pesto to replace the homemade.
Please see the recipe card below for complete information on ingredients and quantities.
Variations and substitutions
- You can substitute lemon juice for the vinegar.
- Substitute Greek yogurt for the sour cream. You can substitute regular yogurt, but it is thinner than either sour cream or Greek yogurt, and so you will want to adjust the amount of buttermilk to get your desired consistency.
- Make a smaller volume to have the dressing only as you need it. Use two teaspoons of pesto for one of the rest of the ingredients.
- Make it healthier. Occasionally, life deserves creamy. But if you want to make a pesto vinaigrette, try 1 tablespoon of pesto, 1 tablespoon of freshly squeezed lemon juice, 1 tablespoon of white wine vinegar, and a quarter cup of olive oil. My pesto vinaigrette needs a pinch of sugar to balance out the acid, but taste yours and see what you think.
Recipe tips and tricks
Step by step
There’s nothing complicated about making this creamy pesto dressing. Simply combine all of the ingredients in a clean jar and shake to emulsify.
You can adjust the thickness of the dressing to your preference. If you prefer a thinner consistency, add a little more buttermilk or vinegar, perhaps a teaspoon at a time. To make it thicker, add more mayonnaise or sour cream.
What to serve with a creamy pesto dressing
- A green salad or perhaps this rainbow salad bowl, arugula and spinach salad, or raw carrot salad.
- Use it as a dip for carrots, celery, and bell peppers or some kale waffle chips.
- Spread it on your favorite deli sandwich. That bread, by the way, is my sweet brown molasses bread, and it is AMAZING.
- Serve it over roast chicken breasts or as a marinade for meats.
- Use it as the sauce in a meatball wrap with these veggie quinoa balls.
- Stuff roast vegetables into a homemade pita pocket and drizzle on the pesto dressing.
Recipe FAQs
No. While green goddess dressing is a also creamy and herb-based like this pesto dressing, green goddess dressing includes anchovies, lemon juice, and different greens like chervil, chives, and tarragon.
Absolutely!
With the sour cream, mayonnaise, and buttermilk, this dressing needs to stay in the fridge. Make a mayo-free coleslaw to a family picnic when it’s hot outside! But this pesto dressing will be good in the fridge for 3 to 5 days.
No, it will completely change the consistency and is not recommended. However, pesto itself freezes quite well!
Related salad and salad dressing recipes
For more salads, pick a salad or salad dressing from among Ugly Duckling Bakery side dishes:
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Recipe
Creamy Pesto Dressing
Ingredients
- ¼ cup basil pesto
- 2 tablespoons sour cream
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons buttermilk
- 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
Instructions
- Combine all of the ingredients in a clean jar and shake to emulsify.¼ cup basil pesto, 2 tablespoons sour cream, 2 tablespoons mayonnaise, 2 tablespoons buttermilk, 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
- Adjust the thickness of the pesto dressing to your desired preference. For a thinner consistency, add more buttermilk or vinegar, perhaps a teaspoon at a time. To make it thicker, add more mayonnaise or sour cream.
- This dressing should be stored in the refrigerator and is best within the first 3 to 5 days.
Notes
Nutrition
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