In my early twenties I used to wait tables at the Old Spaghetti Factory across the street from Pier 70 in downtown Seattle. It’s the type of family friendly restaurant where the energy is always high, flipping tables is a must, and the smell of spaghetti never washes out of your clothes. Most of the entrees are served as a budget-friendly three course meal. Free bread with garlic or plain butter, milk (tea, or coffee), side salad with your choice of dressing, entree, and a scoop of spumoni or vanilla ice cream for dessert. Back when I used to work there, all of this could be yours for under $10.
The most popular salad dressing choice was their creamy pesto dressing. Served on a bed of chopped iceberg lettuce and seasoned croutons, this salad dressing developed a cult-like following. People would come into the restaurant just to buy pints of this stuff! I used to spread it on bread, so good!
Discovering a jar of pesto in the refrigerator today inspired me to make a copycat version of the salad dressing at home. I’m very happy how my version turned out… just like I remember from when I worked there!
The recipe itself is very easy to make and tastes like you would expect; like a creamy ranch dressing except with a distinct pesto flavor. Mix some buttermilk, sour cream, mayonnaise, pesto, and parmesan cheese. That’s it.
Hope you enjoy this dressing as much as I do!
- ⅓ cup low-fat buttermilk
- ⅓ cup mayonaise
- ⅓ cup sour cream
- 2 tablespoons pesto
- 1 tablespoon grated parmesan cheese
- Whisk all the ingredients in a bowl until well combined.
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{ 36 comments… read them below or add one }
AH!! I’ve been dying for the recipe to that dressing, The Olde Spaghetti Factory has been a family favorite and tradition forever and we are in LOVE with creamy pesto. Thank you so much for posting this! I am trying it ASAP.
I love the Spaghetti Factory! Thanks so much for posting this recipe – I can’t wait to try it!
Oh, this is perfect. I was in search of dressing recipes this past weekend because I have to detox from the holidays. Thanks for posting this! It looks amazing
Looks absolutely delicious! Just in time, tonight is pizza & salad at my house.
This is getting made tonight for sure! I have some cubes of pesto in the freezer from my summer harvest. I am taking them out right now to thaw! Thanks for the delicious sounding recipe.
I could just pour this dressing all over my FACE, freaking yeah.
Bahahahaha! That’s awesome. Ditto!
YOu just totally made me crave salad!
I made a big batch of oregano pesto recently and froze it into ice cube shapes. It has been delicious on everything and I think it would be great whipped up into a simple salad dressing, too.
Great salad dressings from restaurants always seem to develop cult followings! Around my town, it’s the house dressing from Pat & Oscar’s.
So glad you were able to replicate this! Your tastebuds must be darn accurate!
P&O house dressing is the BEST! Do you have the copycat recipe for that?? Since Costco stopped selling it I’ve been stressing, and now that the restaurants are (temporarily??) closed, I’m dying for it!
HELP!
This looks wonderful. May have to try soon!
I love creamy dressings and I love pesto…this is a must try for me. Thanks, Alice!
I live in Spokane, WA and we have a Spaghetti Factory – I haven’t been there in forever! You’ve brought back wonderful memories. Thanks!
I have to laugh…my husband waited tables at the Spaghetti Factory here in Utah for years, and you are RIGHT, the spaghetti smell never washes out! Great recipe, I love their pesto, and never thought to try to make it at home!
Fantastic Recipe! Always looking for new ways to use Pesto and this is a keeper. Thanks for putting this up!
I’ve moved away from bottled and packet mix type dressings for a while now, and this is exactly the type of dressing I like to prepare for my family– simple, easy and good tasting. I’m sure the kids will love to dipping pieces of bread in this!
Hi Alice! Love your site.
I remember that salad dressing from a family trip to seattle a thousand years ago. I really want to make this but I am currently living in Spain & there seems to be no buttermilk available, what could be a good substitute?
Sarah, you can make butter milk with milk and lemon juice/vinegar, not sure of the exact portions but you could find it online.
This looks and sounds wonderful! We love pesto at my house, so this will be a nice addition to our salads! Thanks!
I love that dressing! Thanks for sharing the secret, I will try it this weekend!!!
That salad looks amazing.. I LOVE making my own dressing.. it’s so much better than store bought.
Jenetta
First thought when I saw the recipe title was – Old Spaghetti Factory! Yum! Thanks for posting this recipe! We will surely try it. When we get a chance to go to there, we get the pesto on the side so we can enjoy with our salad and bread. Yum. Yum.
Isn’t it amazing when trying to recreate something from taste-bud-memory actually works?!
Oh I am making this tonight and I know exactly what I’ll be drizzling it over! Yum
If you change the mayo and sour cream to reduced fat, I think I would be able to eat it. LOL!
I love the old Spaghetti Factory’s pesto dressing. Thanks for the recipe. I’ll be at the market today to fix me up some of that !
Molly
Alice, I whipped up some of this dressing over the weekend and I cannot stop thinking of reasons to open the container and have a taste. It is sublime.
This looks SO good to me. I am a salad lover and adore homemade dressing. I will definitely try this- love that it’s so simple!
Your dressing recipe sounds wonderful. I do not tolerate mayo well, can you recommend any substitutions that wouldn’t alter the flavor?
Thanks!
I made this dressing tonight and it was delicious. Thank you for the recipe
Tried it out yesterday and it was delicious. Everyone really appreciated it. Thank you so much for the recipe. Making it again today
I love their salads!! I am swapping my original plan for dinner tonight with this!
I used to work at Spag. factory in downtown Fullerton,CA. And yes that meant for about 4 years I always smelled like spaghetti!!! I Used to sneak this dressing home all of the time. And eat it with crackers on my break!!! Just made this and it’s in my fridge (but not for long.) Thank you so much recipe!!!
Mine was a bit too think so I suggest adding more milk until desired consistency. I also like a more prominent pesto flavor and didnt taste it much, so if you are like me you will need an extra tablespoon of pesto (maybe a little less).
Overall a yummy dressing though!
Thank you very much I just loved that dressing!! I really did want to buy a pint of that good stuf!
They served its in Honolulu Hawaii!!
Thanks again MAHALO!!