I adore The Old Spaghetti Factory, it’s my favorite restaurant! Unfortunately there isn’t a restaurant very close to me so it’s been relegated as one of those places we only visit every few years. What do I do when I need a big plate of spaghetti mizithra or a salad with their delicious creamy pesto dressing? Well, I do the next best thing to going out to eat…I make it myself at home! The Spaghetti Factory’s Creamy Pesto Salad Dressing will make you crave a big plate of greens.
I made several jars of this dressing for my birthday party last weekend. I created a salad bar with lots of different toppings. This dressing was by far the hit of the evening and we were scraping the bottom of the jar by the end of the night! Fortunately the container of buttermilk I bought was enough for me to make this recipe three times.
Everyone at my party was requesting the recipe, so here it is for your dining pleasure!
Gather your ingredients!
DIY Creamy Pesto Salad Dressing
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1 1/4 cups low-fat buttermilk
- 1 1/2 Tbsp dried basil (I rub it between my palms to break up and release the aroma)
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder (or one 1/2 tsp of chopped garlic for a stronger garlic flavor)
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
Combine all ingredients in a bowl with a whisk until smooth and creamy. I put mine into a shaker cup with a wire ball to mix and it was perfect (it even has a pouring spout in the lid!). For making multiple batches try mixing the ingredients in your blender.
Refrigerate for one hour to help the flavors blend. Dressing thickens overnight. Serve over salad or as a dip. The recipe made slightly more than what fit in this mason jar.
I totally forgot how much I loved the dressing at the Old Spaghetti Factory! This is perfect since I’m always making my own dressings!
It goes together so quickly and tastes SO good! Thanks for stopping by 🙂