Explore these funky blue cheese dishes, which showcase its unique flavours in every bite.
It’s like anchovies, olives or oysters. Not flavour-wise but blue cheese is one of those food groups that generates strong and often opposing opinions. You love it or hate it.
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Blues embody an elegance that makes them a go-to ingredient in indulgent party dishes but they have a depth of flavour that also means many of the most successful blue cheese recipes err on the simpler side.
From elaborate pasta to unembellished bruschetta dishes. The 20 recipes make the best of the divisive dairy and prove that blue cheese is the variety that really can do it all.
You could use a mellow creamy blue in these indulgent baked egg pillows, but recipe developer Angela Casley urges you to counteract the richness with a stronger varietal – “the more pungent, the better.”
A more approachable entry into the realm of eggy, cheesy deliciousness, these crustless quiches won’t see you fretting over whether your whipped concoction will rise. A simple dressed salad on the side transforms them into an easy meal.
Love the crunchy, fruity harmony of a Waldorf salad? You’ll like this treacly-tart alternative too. A little sweet and a little tart, generous wedges of blue cheese and walnuts are always a great combination.
Cooked until bubbly and oozing with salinity, this is an effortless pizza that plays on flavours of polarity. Melting into a tangle of red onions sizzled down to their jammy best, the pairing is a more peppery and elevated version of the sweet and savoury profile people turn to a slice of Hawaiian for.
Named after an Arabic word meaning “to pound”, dukkah is a pummelled mix comprising dry-roasted nuts, herbs and spices often used as a dip for bread to accompany fresh vegetables or as here – to crust and season proteins. You can make your own blend and tweak the ingredients to your liking- acidic herbs like parsley would stand up nicely against a pungent blue cheese – or leave the mixology to others. In the words of Ina Garten “shop bought is fine”.
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Similar to the way a generous slather of salty butter peps up a slab of gingerbread, a smear of soft blue cheese tastes divine spread across this tender and rich date bake. There’s a hint of warming spice too, thanks to a grating of fresh ginger.
If you’re hesitant about fully diving into the world of blue cheese starting with a mixed dairy blend is a tempered introduction. These tarts, that bake in only 20 minutes, have something for everyone: parmesan, blue, cheddar and cottage cheese. A sweet, garlic-flecked basil dressing spooned on top adds a spirited finishing note.
Want to impress someone, but not seem to be trying too hard? These homemade gnocchi can be made by anyone, but are real restaurant quality showstoppes in terms of presentation and taste. There are only eight ingredients in this recipe that will have you pulling off kitchen alchemy.
A great solution to catering on scale, or a mouthwatering snack for a solo laidback supper- these tiny toasts get a quick blast in the oven, making them almost akin to miniature grilled cheese sandwiches. A finishing drizzle of amber honeycomb is an elevated chef-y touch.
Like a giant turnover, a jalousie is a puff pastry pie topped with a lattice of slats that creates maximum crispiness. The French patisserie can skew sweet or savoury, with pear, cinnamon, thyme and blue cheese this version has a foot in both camps.
For a really special meal, look no further than the king of French cheeses. Distinctly sharp and a touch salty, Roquefort is made from raw ewe’s milk and characterised by its white, crumbly and velvety moist flesh. A creaminess underpins the initial tang, making it an alluring addition to savoury sauces. It adds cutting depth to this lavish brandy and condiment.
This refreshing balanced salad is like summer in a bowl. Seek out a saltier blue to add a bracing bite not unlike a cold plunge on a scorching day. When produce is at its peak, a full-on dressing would be gilding the lily – instead juicy hunks of watermelon, cucumber and crunchy slivers of red onion are doused in zippy citrus juice.
Dairy and fish isn’t an often leant-on pairing, but don’t write it off. In this light pasta dish, anchovies and gorgonzola melt together to form a surprising, but pleasing, sauce that coats a comforting bowl of noodles in a silky umami hug.
When you have beautiful ingredients it’s best not to fuss with them too much – let the flavours speak for themself. These tasty bruschetta marry the simply superb flavours of fig, bacon and blue cheese. Turn it into a more substantial meal by swapping the small rounds of sourdough for bigger hunks of baguette. Should figs be out of season try slices of pear or apple instead.
These party-perfect morsels capitalise on one of blue cheese’s most bankable qualities – an ability to add instant oomph to any culinary creation. Folded through cream cheese and apricot preserves encased in filo that shutters in your mouth, you’ll want to make a double batch of these dainty darlings – they’re guaranteed to get gobbled up.
There’s plenty to love in this large-format pastry. Mustard is a longstanding favourite ingredient in chicken and leek pie recipes for the lacerating pucker it adds to a creamy filling – a crumble of blue cheese adds a similar dimension to this hearty hero.
Blue cheese isn’t squarely indulgent. Welcome warmer weather and lighter eating with this salad that Netherlands-based recipe writer and food stylist Janneke Philippi often serves as a meal, with crispy toasted nut bread on the side. The base is peppery mizuna (also known as Japanese mustard lettuce), but feel free to substitute it for rocket.
Dunked in a creamy cup of shroomy soup, a milder cheese toasty might get lost in the rich forest flavours. Blue cheese holds it own, imparting a pleasing sharpness to each mouthful.
An Italian veined blue made from cows’ milk, gorgonzola comes in two main varieties: the firmer and more powerful piccante and a paler, creamy and sweeter dolce version. Both have a faint yeastiness that will build really beautifully on the earth flavour profile of truffles.
Here, a handful of ingredients simply prepared transforms into a multifaceted symphony of bitter leaves, sweet citrusy segments, sharp silky dairy hunks and crunchy nutty gems.
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