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What Is Gorgonzola? How Does Gorgonzola Taste?

What Is Gorgonzola?

Gorgonzola

Gorgonzola cheese is a variety of blue cheese made in the Gorgonzola area of Northern Italy and has been there since 879 A.D. Every type of blue cheese has distinct qualities.

Much of its flavor and texture depends on the kind of milk the cheese is made from and how it is made.

Gorgonzola is no different and is imbued with the bouquets of the land where it was discovered and continues to be made 12 centuries later.

Made exclusively from cows’ milk, Gorgonzola tends to be softer with a milder flavor than other blue cheese varieties when it is young. 

However, as it ages, the flavor takes on different qualities, and it can become more intense and have a crumbly texture. 

The process used to make cheese is also a factor in the result, giving each type of blue cheese a unique appearance and taste. The same is true when making Gorgonzola. 

An interesting technique is used to give Gorgonzola cheese its deep blue veins. 

Types Of Blue Cheese, Including Gorgonzola

One thing that all blue cheese has in common is the mold used to grow the lovely shade of blue that runs through it. The mold was added to the cheese to make it a blue type of cheese Penicillium. 

Penicillium is used to give all blue cheeses their particular color mold. Ranging from bright blue to goldish yellow, the result of marrying Penicillium with cheese is an ancient tradition.

Metal rods are covered with Penicillium and inserted into a block of cheese to get the particular striations in Gorgonzola. The bacterium is added after the cheese has been formed into blocks and aged for a bit.

The result is long, vividly blue veins in the block of cheese. Penicillium is a non-toxic mold; blue cheeses would be much less than they are without the flavor it imparts to the various varieties.

Blue Auvergne

As a suitable choice to substitute for Gorgonzola, Blue Auvergne has a strong and intense taste. Like Gorgonzola, Blue Auvergne is made from cows’ milk. 

However, the goat milk used in this cheese must come exclusively from the small mountain region of Spain called Asturias. Only then can the resulting cheese claim the title of Spanish Cabrales blue cheese.

It has a crumbly texture that can be almost granular, with heavy blue veining and a spicy flavor that has a strong aroma.

It is made from pasteurized cow’s milk mixed with vegetable rennet. Shropshire blue cheese has an orange color that comes from annatto, the same type of natural food coloring used to give cheddar cheese its color.

The orange hue gives what would be bluish-green veins in gorgonzola cheese a very green hue. It is an odd-looking cheese. However, I could see where it could be very visually appealing on a cheese tray.

Spanish Cabrales

The most unusual of the blue cheese varieties, Spanish Cabrales is made with cow, goat, and sheep milk.

However, Stilton is a sweet blue cheese and might work if you use gorgonzola dolce. However, some recipes will not do well with the sweetness of Stilton.

Stilton tends to be more common than other blue cheeses and, like Roquefort, will be the most accessible cheese to find for your recipes. However, its sweetness may not be what your recipe needs. 

If so, one of these other cheeses will make an acceptable substitute.

Shropshire Blue Cheese

Another blue cheese made from cows’ milk; Shropshire Blue cheese is a creation from the United Kingdom. 

Gorgonzola Dolce can be used as a substitute for Gorgonzola or in recipes that set better against its sweetness. Fruit, nuts, and certain wines make lovely pairings for either variety of Gorgonzola. 

To find what suits you best, experiment with the various flavors you see in food. For example, cheese is a versatile food that enhances recipes in a way that nothing else can. 

Sometimes you won’t be able to find the exact cheese you want at the grocery store. However, armed with the knowledge of blue cheese varieties, you can find a viable substitute.

Stilton Blue Cheese: Stilton cheese is very similar to Gorgonzola. If you can’t find the latter, Stilton will work in a pinch.

Various flavors of goat cheese can be used in place of Gorgonzola. For example, the blue cheese made from goat’s milk includes Bleu du Bocage. 

Bleu du Bocage is a goat cheese from the Vendee in the Loire, in the Loire region of France. A rarity, Bleu du Bocage has an entirely different appearance than other blue cheese varieties. 

It is lightly veined, and the pockets of blue, green, and goldish yellow have a different appearance than other blue cheese.

Bleu du Bocage has a creamy, buttery quality and is aged in caves, where the temperature can be easily maintained. In addition, bleu du Bocage has a spicy, fruity, minerally nutty flavor. 

Like every cheese in this list of ‘blue’s,’ you need to experience Bleu du Bocage to appreciate its flavor. 

Gorgonzola Dolce

The best substitute for Gorgonzola is gorgonzola dolce, another variety of this delicious cheese. A sweeter variety of cheese than its peer, gorgonzola dolce has a softer, creamier texture and a milder flavor.

Gorgonzola as a pizza topping is a change from the typical cheeses used for this dish. Its flavors are salty, earthy, and full-bodied. If you’ve been brave enough to try a white pizza made with Feta cheese, this is the pie for you. 

The flavor of Gorgonzola can depend on several different things. The younger it is, the softer and creamier this cheese will be. As it ages, it can reach a semi-soft state and become crumbly, like Roquefort and other blue cheeses.

Compared to other types of blue cheese, the softer texture of gorgonzola cheese makes it perfect for dips, spreads, and sauces. 

Goat Cheese

For the creaminess of Gorgonzola without the intense flavor, goat cheese is a perfect substitute. However, if you would like a bleu goat cheese with a full flavor, then try this.

It gets its blue veins from the same bacterium used in Gorgonzola, Roquefort, and Stilton cheese. After introducing the mold, the cheese is aged for a minimum of 28 days.

Gorgonzola Blue Cheese

Made from cow’s milk in the Gorgonzola region of Northern Italy, gorgonzola blue cheese can be incorporated into the risotto and served with pasta.

It can accompany a glass of wine, fruit, and other snacks. However, it has other culinary uses as well.

Therefore, Danish Blue cheese is a suitable substitute in recipes that call for Gorgonzola blue cheese as an ingredient.

Fourme D’Ambert

Changing countries or origin, Fourme d’Ambert is a product of France. It is a blue cheese made with raw cow’s milk and is formed into a unique, slim cylinder shape.

Danish Blue Cheese

AKA Danablu, Danish Blue cheese, like Gorgonzola, is made from cow’s milk. The use of cow’s milk gives the Danish Blue cheese a few of the same qualities as Gorgonzola. 

RELATED: 35 Cottage Cheese Recipes Surprisingly Delicious & Easy To Cook

What Does Gorgonzola Blue Cheese Taste Like?

Gorgonzola

Gorgonzola is pungent and creamy when it is still young. However, as it ages, it becomes drier, and the flavors are more intense.

Because even though the moisture evaporates from the cheese, the flavors become more profound as the cheese grows older.

What Texture Does Gorgonzola Cheese Have?

Gorgonzola

The texture of gorgonzola cheese depends on its age, and the cheese’s younger, creamier and smooth. Conversely, as gorgonzola ages, it becomes drier and crumblier. 

The flavor also favors due to the age of a block of cheese. As gorgonzola ages, it develops a sharper taste, becomes saltier, and has a firmer texture than a young block of Gorgonzola. 

Where Does Gorgonzola Blue Cheese Come From?

Gorgonzola blue cheese is made in Northern Italy in the Gorgonzola region. Blue cheese, of all varieties, is made from various types of milk

Some are made from cows’ milk, while others are made from cow, goat, or sheep’s milk. Gorgonzola, however, is made exclusively from cow’s milk. 

Gorgonzola is also exclusive to the particular area of Italy after which it is named. 

Is Gorgonzola Cheese A Healthy Food?

Gorgonzola

Like any food, when eaten in moderation, blue cheese is as healthy as any other cheese. However, Gorgonzola is rich in B2, B6, and B12 vitamins. It is also high in calcium and protein, which benefit bone and heart health.

How Do You Eat Gorgonzola Cheese?

Gorgonzola

You would use your fingers if you were dipping a strawberry Gorgonzola dip or a toothpick if you were treating a crowd. No one there but you? Enjoy! 

Seriously though, Gorgonzola goes well with strawberries, kiwi fruit, pears, apples, figs, or even dry fruit. It also goes well with jams, marmalades, vegetable sauces, chestnuts, and fig mustard.

How To Find Gorgonzola In The Grocery Store

You won’t find gorgonzola cheese with the convenience-packed, pre-sliced cheese selections in the grocery store. Instead, if your grocer has gorgonzola cheese, it will be in the deli department, like other higher-end and unique cheeses

Gorgonzola may also be near the bakery, where specialty bread and cheese fits right in. 

A good wine store will often have cheese; if you are lucky enough to live near one, pairing cheese and wine. You may be surprised by what you like and what goes together.

Every kind has a different culinary use. However, some cheeses are more versatile than others.  If you make a recipe that calls for Gorgonzola, you can substitute it with a cheese similar to it in consistency and flavor.

Delicatessens often have a variety of cheeses in their coolers, too. So, if they don’t have Gorgonzola, you may be able to get them to get it for you, suggest another cheese, or send you to another store. 

Or, you can use another of the blue cheese varieties unless its profile is entirely different. For example, sweet vs. salty.

RELATED: 6 Best And Yummy Substitutes For Burrata Cheese

How Can I Store Gorgonzola Cheese?

Gorgonzola can be wrapped tightly in aluminum foil or plastic wrap. However, wrap it in plastic for the best results, then tightly in foil. 

Even better, though, is to wrap your Gorgonzola in wax or parchment paper and then plastic wrap. Either method keeps air from the cheese, eventually drying it out.

Can You Freeze Gorgonzola Cheese?

Yes, you can and, for the best results, wrap it in parchment or wax paper first, then tightly in plastic film wrap.

If you want to go the extra mile, put a layer of foil around your Gorgonzola, and it should maintain its fresh quality for about six months. 

However, if wrapped properly, it can be frozen for a long time before it loses its flavor. Your gorgonzola will lose some quality after six months and should be used before, if possible. 

How Can I Tell If Gorgonzola Cheese Is Bad?

Even though blue cheese has an appearance that some find unappealing, its natural cream to orange color, striated with blue lines, or dots, is expected.

However, if it begins to grow fuzz or develops pink, green, or grey spots on the surface of the cheese, toss it. 

The adage, when in doubt, throw it out is appropriate for foods that may be bad. Because if they are the least bit toxic, they can make you very ill.

The mold that makes blue cheese blue is one thing, but other molds that hijack food are the wrong kind of mold. 

Stilton Blue Cheese Vs. Gorgonzola Blue Cheese?

While both blue kinds of cheese are made from cows’ milk, stilton cheese has a flavor more akin to gorgonzola dolce than plain Gorgonzola. In addition, Stilton is sweet and often considered a dessert cheese that pairs well with fruit and wine.

You can, however, substitute Stilton for Gorgonzola. That will work if its slight sweetness doesn’t work against your recipe. 

Other cheeses are better substitutes than Stilton for Gorgonzola. However, some of the best recipes are born from using the ingredients you have on hand.

Nutritional Value Of Gorgonzola Cheese

  • 1 ounce (28 g) of gorgonzola contains
  • 100 calories
  • 9g of fat
  • 375mg of sodium
  • 1g of carbohydrate
  • 6g of protein
  • 5.3g saturated fat

Gorgonzola Recipes: Quick Table

RecipesCaloriesPreparation Time
Gorgonzola Garlic Bread49010 Minutes
Pear, Prosciutto, And Gorgonzola Pizza25735 Minutes
Pan-Seared New York Strip With Gorgonzola Cream Sauce90410 Minutes

1. Gorgonzola Garlic Bread

An excellent bread recipe is perfect to have in your file of recipes. This version of quick garlic bread will go well with pasta or other meals. 

Easy to make, great by itself or with a meal, this will be a recipe you reach for time and again. But, for a change, use different cheese blends to give your garlic bread a unique and distinct flavor.

Calories: 490

Preparation Time: 10 minutes

2. Pear, Prosciutto, And Gorgonzola Pizza

A sweet and savory pizza made with Gorgonzola and gouda cheeses take pears to the next level. The creamy richness of Gorgonzola, paired with gouda and mozzarella, gives this pizza a flavor you’ve never had. 

This is an excellent recipe if you want to impress your guests. It takes little time and makes a beautiful presentation. 

Pear, Prosciutto, and Gorgonzola Pizza are adult flavors. So, if you want something for the younger ones, roll out another crust and make a simple cheese or pepperoni pizza

Calories: 257

Preparation Time: 35 minutes

RELATED: Best Substitutes For Swiss Cheese – The Rusty Spoon

3. Pan-Seared New York Strip With Gorgonzola Cream Sauce

A New York strip steak can be eaten alone, with nothing added, and will be a fine addition to a meal. However, sauces can bring out the depth of flavor in a steak and add a nice change of pace from a typical steak or horseradish sauce.

Calories: 904

Preparation Time: 10 minutes

Frequently Asked Questions

What Is The Blue Mold In Blue Cheese?

The blue color of blue cheese comes from adding penicillium to the cheese after it is formed into a block. 

What Kind Of Milk Is Used To Make Gorgonzola Cheese?

Gorgonzola cheese and several other blue cheese varieties are made with cow’s milk. 

Blue cheeses may be made with cow, goat, or sheep milk. Other types of blue cheeses are made from a combination of milk.

Can Gorgonzola Cheese Go Bad?

Gorgonzola can get moldy if left in the refrigerator for too long. Unfortunately, the mold growing at this stage is not a non-toxic variety. 

So, if you have a Gorgonzola that is turning pink and grey with white fur, throw it out.

How Does Gorgonzola Taste? 3 Easy Gorgonzola Recipe

Gorgonzola cheese is a variety of blue cheese made in the Gorgonzola area of Northern Italy. Explore 3 easy gorgonzola recipe.

Directions

  • Pick a recipe from the list above
  • Click the recipe name and visit the website
  • Collect the ingredients and cook the food
  • Enjoy – don’t forget to leave a review

Recipe Video

Jess Smith
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