Gorgonzola is a typical Italian cheese with a strong, earthy flavour. It's similar to blue cheese but with a creamier texture and less salty taste. It's a great option for salad dressings, and there are a variety of recipes to choose from. You can make a simple creamy gorgonzola dressing with mayonnaise, buttermilk, sour cream, gorgonzola, garlic, lemon juice, and pepper. For a thinner consistency, you can add more buttermilk. You can also add ingredients like apple cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, horseradish, or Dijon mustard to give it a kick. This dressing pairs well with sturdy greens like romaine or little gems, and it can also be used as a dip for veggies or wings.
Characteristics | Values |
---|---|
Main ingredients | Gorgonzola cheese, mayonnaise, sour cream, milk, vinegar, lemon juice, garlic |
Additional ingredients | Olive oil, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, horseradish, herbs, honey, salt, pepper |
Consistency | Thick and creamy |
Taste | Tangy, salty, spicy |
Preparation | Mix ingredients in a bowl or blend in a food processor |
Serving suggestions | Salad dressing, dip for chips, veggies, or wings |
What You'll Learn
How to make gorgonzola dressing
Gorgonzola cheese is a mild Italian blue cheese with a creamier texture and less sharp flavour than other blue cheeses. It is a versatile ingredient that can be used in salad dressings, dips, and sauces. Here is a guide on how to make a delicious and creamy gorgonzola dressing:
Ingredients:
- Gorgonzola cheese (crumbled or wedge)
- Mayonnaise
- Buttermilk
- Sour cream
- Lemon juice
- Garlic (cloves or powder)
- Salt
- Pepper
- Optional: chives, Worcestershire sauce, horseradish, dijon mustard, lemon zest, brown sugar sweetener, avocado oil, coconut oil, white wine vinegar, champagne vinegar, apple cider vinegar, red wine vinegar, or olive oil
Method:
- Combine most of the crumbled gorgonzola with the rest of the ingredients in a medium bowl. Keep some cheese aside to stir in at the end if you want a chunkier texture.
- Use a hand blender, blender, or food processor to blend the ingredients until smooth.
- Season with salt to taste.
- Stir in the remaining gorgonzola crumbles by hand for a chunkier texture.
- Refrigerate the dressing for up to an hour before serving.
- The dressing will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.
This creamy and tangy gorgonzola dressing is perfect for salads, dips, or as a sauce for wings, burgers, or grilled meats. Enjoy experimenting with this delicious and versatile recipe!
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What to serve with gorgonzola dressing
Gorgonzola dressing is a delicious, creamy, and tangy dressing that can be served with a variety of dishes. Here are some ideas on what to serve with gorgonzola dressing:
Salads
Gorgonzola dressing goes well with sturdy greens like romaine lettuce, little gems, or iceberg lettuce. You can make a simple salad by tossing the lettuce with the dressing, or get creative and add other ingredients such as walnuts, apples, or cranberries. Some specific salad suggestions include a Mediterranean tuna salad, an everyday Mediterranean salad, or an Italian-style chef salad.
Dips and Veggies
The creamy texture and tangy flavour of gorgonzola dressing make it an excellent dip for raw or cooked vegetables. Try dipping carrots, celery, cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, or gherkins into the dressing. You can also use it as a dip for pita chips or wings.
Proteins
Gorgonzola dressing can also be used as a sauce or topping for proteins. Drizzle it over grilled chicken, steak, or burgers, or use it as a white pizza base.
Other Ideas
In addition to the above suggestions, you can also get creative and use gorgonzola dressing in other ways. Try adding it to a pasta salad, using it as a dip for ravioli, or even drizzling it over a deep-dish pizza. The possibilities are endless!
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What is gorgonzola cheese?
Gorgonzola is a veined Italian blue cheese, made from unskimmed or pasteurized cow's milk. It is mainly produced in the northern Italian regions of Piedmont and Lombardy, and it is named after the town of Gorgonzola in Lombardy, near Milan. Gorgonzola is considered to be an ancient cheese, with a tradition that dates back to the 11th century and perhaps even further. It is one of the world's oldest blue-veined cheeses.
Gorgonzola has a soft, crumbly texture and a flavour that ranges from buttery and creamy to nutty and sharp, depending on how long it's aged. Its colour ranges from white to pale yellow, and it is marbled with blue to blue-green mould, which is its unique signature. Gorgonzola is typically aged for two to six months, and the length of the ageing process determines the consistency of the cheese, which gets firmer as it ripens.
There are two varieties of Gorgonzola, which differ mainly in their age: the less aged Gorgonzola Dolce (also called Sweet Gorgonzola), which can have a less salty taste and a slightly sweet finish, and the more aged Gorgonzola Piccante (also called Gorgonzola Naturale, Gorgonzola Montagna, or Mountain Gorgonzola). Gorgonzola Dolce is aged for two months and has a sweet, buttery flavour, a mild and milky aroma, and a soft, creamy, spreadable texture. The colour of the mould streaks is blue. Gorgonzola Piccante is aged for three months or longer, and has a strong, sharp flavour, a pungent and spicy aroma, and a compact, crumbly texture. The colour of the mould streaks in this variety is blue-green.
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How is gorgonzola different from blue cheese?
Gorgonzola is a type of blue cheese, but not all blue cheese is Gorgonzola. Blue cheese is a category of cheeses that contain spots or stripes of the mold Penicillium. Gorgonzola is a specific type of blue cheese produced in Northern Italy.
Blue cheese can be made with milk from sheep, goats, or cows. It is inoculated with a Penicillium mold, air pockets are introduced for the mold to grow, and then the cheese is aged—generally for one to six months. As it ages, veins of blue, gray, black, purple, or green mold branch throughout the body of the cheese. While flavors and textures vary based on the type of milk used and other variables, most blue cheeses have a pronounced, sharp, salty flavor and a pungent and minerally aroma that is often stronger than the actual flavor of the cheese.
Gorgonzola, on the other hand, is an Italian unskimmed cow's-milk cheese that's named after the town of Gorgonzola in the Lombardy region. It is aged for about three to six months under similar conditions as any blue cheese. However, Gorgonzola has a much creamier texture and appearance than most other blue cheeses, and is often only lightly marbled with blue-green veining. It has a creamy, rich flavor and tends to have a milder aroma and taste than other blue cheeses, making it a good introduction to blue cheeses for novices.
Gorgonzola comes in two varieties: dolce (sweet) and piccante (spicy). Dolce is soft, buttery, and creamy, while piccante is firmer, more crumbly, and has a stronger flavor. If your recipe calls for crumbles or chunks of blue cheese, piccante Gorgonzola should work well. If you are looking for a meltable, creamy variety, go for dolce.
A standard blue cheese will typically be more intense-tasting, saltier, and less creamy than Gorgonzola. However, you can usually substitute one for the other in most recipes, and they both work well on cheese boards. Blue cheese is more often eaten on its own, but both can be melted down or crumbled over food to add a delicious punch of flavor. As an Italian cheese, Gorgonzola is a popular choice for pizzas, risottos, pasta dishes, and more.
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What ingredients can be added to gorgonzola dressing?
Gorgonzola dressing is a delicious, creamy, and tangy dressing that can be used on salads or as a dip for veggies, chips, or wings. Here are some ingredients that can be added to a basic gorgonzola dressing:
Base Ingredients
- Gorgonzola cheese
- Sour cream
- Mayonnaise
- Milk (almond, buttermilk, or any other type)
- Vinegar (champagne, white wine, apple cider, or white wine balsamic)
- Lemon juice
- Garlic (freshly crushed or powder)
Additional Ingredients
- Olive oil (extra virgin or avocado)
- Salt and pepper
- Chives
- Worcestershire sauce
- Honey
- Mustard (dijon)
- Shallots or onions
- Parsley
- Sage
- Basil
- Horseradish
Some recipes also include yoghurt, cream cheese, mascarpone, cottage cheese, or avocado oil mayonnaise.
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Frequently asked questions
Gorgonzola is a typical Italian cheese made from cow's milk, rennet, and a type of mold called Penicillium Glaucum. It is named after the town of Gorgonzola in northern Italy and has a creamier texture and less salty taste than blue cheese.
Gorgonzola has a strong, earthy, and cheesy flavor, similar to blue cheese but creamier and less salty. It is a rustic cheese with dry pieces of blue moldy cheese mixed into a creamy white, melt-in-your-mouth cheese paste.
Blue cheese is a group of blue-veined cheeses made from any milk, including cow, goat, and sheep milk. Gorgonzola is a type of blue cheese always made with cow's milk, resulting in an ultra-creamy texture, less salt, and a milkier flavor. Gorgonzola is a better choice for sauces, dressings, and pasta.
Gorgonzola cheese itself is a popular ingredient in salad dressings, adding a strong, tangy flavor. A basic Gorgonzola dressing can be made by blending Gorgonzola with extra-virgin olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice, garlic, and black pepper. You can also add ingredients like mayonnaise, sour cream, buttermilk, Worcestershire sauce, and various herbs and spices.