In the spirit of the upcoming Super Bowl (I’m Australian and have no idea what Super Bowl spirit is) I’m sharing this low FODMAP blue cheese dip recipe. Is is quick and easy to make (with caveats) and absolutely delicious. I’m talking eat it with a spoon delicious. Let’s get straight into it.
Low FODMAP blue cheese dip
This dip is made with a handful of simple ingredients (again, with caveats). First, we’re using full fat lactose free sour cream. If full fat lactose free sour cream doesn’t exist where you live, fear not! We have a solution for that.
Next, we’re using a lesser amount of mayonnaise. A lot of store bought mayonnaise brands contain high FODMAP ingredients, so we’ll go into what to look out for there, as well.
Seasoning, white wine vinegar or lemon juice and a hint of maple syrup or sweetener round everything out nicely to create a bright and balanced flavour.
Finally, the star ingredient: blue cheese. Blue cheese is, unbeknownst to many, a low FODMAP cheese. It adds funky flavour, depth and deliciousness to this simple dip recipe. Because this is a homemade dip, you can control the amount of blue cheese and the funkiness of said blue cheese to create your perfect dip.
A note on the sour cream
In Australia where I live, lactose free sour cream is available at supermarkets. However, the version they offer is light sour cream which is watery and loses it’s creamy, thick consistency. My solution? I make my own.
Making your own full fat lactose free sour cream is easy but it takes time. First, you need to get your hands on some full fat lactose free cream. If you can buy lactose free full fat cream where you live, great. If not, you’ll need to add lactase to cream and allow it to process for 24-48 hours. In this time, the lactase enzyme works to break down the lactose in the cream.
Note: you cannot add lactase to sour cream, only cream. This is because sour cream is already soured and the lactase enzyme cannot stand up to the acidity level. Adding lactase to cream that is already soured will do nothing for the lactose content.
Next, you’ll need to ferment the sour cream! An acid is added (vinegar or lemon juice) and the cream is left to ferment on the bench. You can find all the information and science in my recipe for lactose free sour cream.
FODMAP notes
Blue cheese is low FODMAP in serves of up to 500g per person.
Monash can be a bit confusing in terms of their listings for mayonnaise. At the moment, regular mayonnaise has a low FODMAP threshold of 40g. Monash doesn’t specify an upper limit, nor what FODMAP it may contain.
Japanese Mayonnaise is a low FODMAP ingredient and remains so in serves of up to 500g per person.
Mayonnaise is made from oil, eggs and generally mustard along with an acid like lemon juice – all low FODMAP ingredients. I can only assume that they have tested store bought, which can sometimes include fructose and other weird ingredients.
For the purposes of this recipe, I am assuming that regular mayonnaise where there are no high FODMAP ingredients added are low FODMAP. In case you can’t find any of those, I have also developed this recipe for low FODMAP mayonnaise.
Lactose free sour cream isn’t on the Monash FODMAP app, but it assumed to be very low FODMAP. Lactose free milk is low FODMAP in serves of up to 500g, which is what I base this assumption on. The FODMAP in regular sour cream is lactose.
And if you can only buy regular sour cream and don’t want to make your own lactose free sour cream (as above)? Regular sour cream is low FODMAP in 40g (2 tablespoon) serves. It contains moderate amounts of lactose when it exceeds servings of 80g (1/4 cup). This recipe uses 250g sour cream. Of course, if lactose is not an issue for you FODMAP wise then this recipe is a home run.
A dietary note separate to FODMAPS
Let’s be real: blue cheese dip is not a low fat food. In fact, each element of this dip (sour cream, mayonnaise and blue cheese) is a high fat ingredient.
Fat can have an impact on your digestion and gut motility. Some people find that really high fat foods cause them digestive distress. When you’re doing the low FODMAP diet, you might assume that a FODMAP has caused the issue. However, fat content can also cause digestive distress.
If you have followed this recipe, eaten it with abandon and then felt unwell, consider that fat could be a gut trigger for you. You can still eat blue cheese dip, but maybe in more moderated portions (sad, I’m sorry).
Adjusting the flavour of your Low FODMAP blue cheese dip
We really have one main mechanism for adjusting the strength and taste of your dip: blue cheese. You can buy incredibly strong, bold flavoured blue cheese or much more mild blue cheese. The strength of the cheese you choose and your preferences will determine how much you add.
I chose a mild, inexpensive blue cheese for my tests because I’m not made of money! As a general rule, the stronger your blue cheese, the less you’ll need to add. I recommend starting conservatively if you’re using a strong blue. You can always add more, but it’s a bit trickier to correct an overbearing blue cheese flavour.
Seasoning, maple syrup, lemon juice and low FODMAP dijon mustard are all your best friends here. Add them to your own tastes to add flavour complexity and interest to your dip.
Tips for your low FODMAP blue cheese dip
- I highly recommend making this the night before at least. This allows the blue cheese flavour to really permeate the dip.
- If you want a really firm, cream cheese consistency dip, you MUST use full fat sour cream. Light sour cream won’t set up nearly as firm and the result will be more of a dressing consistency.
- With that said, time in the fridge will firm the dip up either way. Make sure you don’t skip that step.
- If you pick a bad tasting blue cheese, you’ll have a bad tasting dip. Simple! Choose one you like and that you would eat if it weren’t in a dip.
- Similarly, a cheap or bad tasting mayonnaise won’t bring anything good to your dip. Choose a brand you really like or make your own to your preferences.
- A squeeze of lemon juice, a bit of maple syrup and seasoning go a long way in adding flavour. You could also add a small amount of Low FODMAP dijon mustard to your taste.
- I personally don’t add the blue cheese rind because I want my dip to be smooth. I save it to eat on toast, on roast vegetables or in a pasta.
More low FODMAP dip and sauce recipes
- Low FODMAP garlic dip
- Low FODMAP pizza sauce
- Low FODMAP pickle dip from my Substack
- Low FODMAP gochujang from my Substack
- Low FODMAP bread dipping oil
Low FODMAP blue cheese dip
Ingredients
- 250g (1 cup)* full fat lactose free sour cream (see notes)
- 125g (1/2 cup)* mayonnaise without any high FODMAP ingredients (see notes)
- 100-200 g blue cheese (depending on the strength of the cheese, see notes)
- 1-2 teaspoons white wine vinegar or lemon juice, to your tastes
- 1-2 teaspoons maple syrup, to your tastes (optional but balances everything out)
- 1/2 – 1 teaspoon dijon mustard without onion or garlic (optional, but creates some depth of flavour)
- Salt and pepper, to your tastes
Instructions
- Start this dip the day before to allow all the flavours to meld and the blue cheese flavour to permeate.
- Combine the sour cream and mayonnaise in a mixing bowl, then crumble in the blue cheese in small pieces.
- Stir to combine then add the seasonings to taste. If in doubt, pop the dip in the fridge for a few hours and then come back to add the seasoning. The blue cheese flavour should have more depth at this point, making it easier to tell what tastes need adjusting.
- Store in the fridge in an airtight container and use within a few days. I haven't frozen this dip and there are mixed reviews online as to whether freezing dip is advisable (the texture changes).
Notes
- Making the dip a day before is the absolute best way to get the most flavour out of it.
- Read the body of the post or my lactose free sour cream recipe in regards to making your own lactose free full fat sour cream.
- If you prefer a thin, runnier dip, you can use light lactose free sour cream. it might thicken a little in the fridge, but it won’t thicken to the same extent as full fat sour cream.
- Choose a mayonnaise without any high FODMAP ingredients or make your own. I have a recipe here.
- Add the blue cheese according to the strength of the brand you have chosen and your preferences. You can use less of a very sharp blue cheese and still get a very bold blue cheese flavour, for example. If you use a very mild blue cheese, you can add more.
- Keep in mind that you can always reserve some blue cheese and add it the next day if you feel the dip needs it.
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