What is it?

“Blue cheese” refers to cheeses inoculated with mold during the cheesemaking process, which results in the characteristic blue veining throughout the cheese and a distinctively strong flavor.Maytag,Roquefort,Gorgonzola, andStiltonare among the more famous examples of blue cheese.

Delicious as part of a cheese plate, blue cheeses complement a surprisingly broad range of foods. They’re pungent and assertive, so they combine really well with starchy, rather bland foods like potatoes, pasta, and polenta. They also pair beautifully with beef and star in all kinds of salads, including the classic Cobb.

Kitchen math:

8 oz. = about 2 cups crumbled

Don’t have it?

A strong goat cheese may work in some recipes but the flavor will lack that unmistakable “blueness.”

How to choose:

Your better blue cheeses (those not mass produced) are usually sold in chunks and wedges and not already crumbled. Since your finished dish is only as good as the cheese you make it with, try to avoid mass-produced ones in favor of artisan cheeses, which are more likely to be found at a specialty food store, although selection at supermarkets is improving.

How to prep:

Some blue cheese come with an inedible rind that needs to be removed.

How to store:

Keep blue cheese well-wrapped in the refrigerator. Cut off only as much as you plan to use and rewrap the rest immediately. Some styles will soften as they age, which is usually fine but when the rind has become slimy, it’s past its prime.

Cross Reference

Gorgonzola; Roquefort, Maytag ; Cabrales; Stilton

Recipes

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  Recipe

  Black & Blue Cheese Dressing

  Freshly cracked black peppercorns add depth and complexity to this creamy dressing. Use a spice grinder or adjustable pepper mill on the largest setting to crack whole ones. Store them…

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  Recipe

  Roasted Radicchio with Balsamic and Blue Cheese

  This simple but festive side pairs beautifully with roast beef, making it a perfect element of a holiday meal.

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  Recipe

  Potato Chestnut Gnocchi with Gorgonzola Cream Sauce

  Chestnut flour gives these dumplings a texture that's denser than Potato and Ricotta Gnocchi, yet comforting. Cooked peas and chard are a nice addition to the creamy sauce. Because it's…

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  Recipe

  Cobb-Style Salad with Roast Beef and Fresh Herb Dressing

  There’s nothing wrong with a cold supper when it’s bursting with as much color and flavor as this composed salad. While the ingredient list may look long, the prep is…

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  Recipe

  Lamb Burgers with Blue Cheese and Basil Mayonnaise

  The deep flavor in these burgers comes from mixing a little onion powder, garlic powder, and smoked paprika into the ground lamb before grilling.

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  Recipe

  Tomato, Melted Leek, and Blue Cheese Galette

  Peak-of-the-season tomatoes are the key to making this galette outstanding. I like to cut them in different ways—some sliced, some quartered—both for looks and texture. Delicious for lunch, it’s also…

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  Recipe

  BLT Grilled Potato Salad

  If you like a BLT, you’ll love this salad, which includes all those components plus grilled potatoes and a tangy blue cheese dressing. Try it alongside a grilled steak or…

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  Recipe

  Broiled Steak & Brussels Sprouts with Blue Cheese Sauce

  In this one-sheet-pan supper, beefy New York strip steaks lend their flavorful drippings to sliced Brussels sprouts sizzling below. To speedily prep the sprouts, use the slicing disk on your…

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  Recipe

  Chopped Roasted Beet and Blue Cheese Salad

  Fresh dill, bright scallions, and a tangy vinaigrette breathe new life into the classic combination of beets and blue cheese. Dill sprouts, available at some specialty markets, add an extra…

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  Recipe

  Roasted Cabbage Wedge Salad

  Crisp pieces of salty, smoky pastrami make a perfect counterpoint to sweet roasted cabbage. Topped with a tangy blue cheese dressing, this wedge salad makes the standard iceberg-bacon version pale…