Buttermilk Pesto Dressing

A recipe for Buttermilk Pesto Dressing! Buttermilk is blended with mayonnaise, sour cream, basil pesto, and parmesan for a quick and easy salad dressing.

I was inspired to make this Buttermilk Pesto Dressing recipe after coming across Cooking Classy’s Creamy Pesto Salad Dressing! Hers is a copycat version based on the dressing from The Old Spaghetti Factory.

I have never been to The Old Spaghetti Factory so I cannot vouch for any similarities, but it is a great dressing nonetheless.

This salad dressing comes together with simply a medium bowl and a whisk in as little as 5 minutes. It just needs about 30 minutes in the refrigerator to give the flavors a chance to blend.

Just whisk together buttermilk, mayonnaise, and sour cream until smooth, then add basil pesto, freshly grated Parmesan, black pepper, salt, and a pinch of sugar to taste.

Allow to chill for at least 30 minutes before serving with your favorite green leafy salad.

A Few Tips

I paired the Buttermilk Pesto Dressing with a basic salad filled with lettuce, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, and croutons.

Adjust the ratio of ingredients as desired depending on personal taste. After blending together, add more pesto, salt, or pepper if desired.

Refrigerate the dressing in an airtight container for up to three days.

Whisk back together to make sure the ingredients are well-combined before lightly drizzling over the salad.

I used a store-bought basil pesto for the recipe. For a homemade version, The Pasta Project has a guide on how to make basil pesto.

If avoiding nuts, Pistou (Provençal Basil Paste) would also work well.

Looking for more salad recipes?

Try my:

• Maple Walnut Vinaigrette
• Cantaloupe Arugula Salad
• Blood Orange Vinaigrette

This recipe was originally posted in April 2013 and updated in April 2023.

Buttermilk Pesto Dressing Recipe

Adapted from Cooking Classy

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5 from 2 votes

Buttermilk Pesto Dressing

A recipe for Buttermilk Pesto Dressing! Buttermilk is blended with mayonnaise, sour cream, basil pesto, and parmesan for a quick and easy salad dressing.

Course Salad

Cuisine N/A

Keyword buttermilk, dressing, mayonnaise, pesto, salad

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 0 minutes minutes

Resting Time: 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 35 minutes minutes

Servings 1 1/2 Cups

Ingredients

• 2/3 cup (158 milliliters) buttermilk
• 1/4 cup (60 grams) mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup (60 grams) sour cream
• 3 tablespoons (44 milliliters) basil pesto store-bought or homemade
• 1/2 ounce (14 grams) freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• Pinch granulated sugar

Instructions

• In a medium bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, mayonnaise, and sour cream until smooth.
• Whisk in the pesto, grated Parmesan, pepper, salt, and sugar.
• Adjust seasonings to taste.
• Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes to 1 hour to allow the flavors to blend.
• Whisk immediately before serving with desired salad.
• Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to three days.