Frederic Melton
Blue cheese is a pungent, tangy and creamy ingredient that can add depth to a variety of dishes. If you have leftover bits of blue cheese, there are numerous ways to use it up. You can incorporate it into a main course, such as roasted red onion, walnut and blue cheese pasta, ham and blue cheese croquettes, or a leek, potato and gorgonzola tart. It can also be used as a topping for pizza, burgers, salads, soups, or even as a dip for raw vegetables or crisps. For a quick snack, you can spread it on toast with honey, or use it as a filling for savoury shortbread or walnut bread.
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What You'll Learn
Blue cheese sauce for steak
Blue cheese and steak are a match made in heaven. A rich and creamy blue cheese sauce is the perfect topping for a grilled steak. It is easy to make, packed with flavour, and a little goes a long way.
Ingredients:
- Butter
- Shallot
- Blue cheese
- Worcestershire sauce
- Heavy cream
Steps:
- Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat.
- Add the shallot with a pinch of salt and gently cook for about 5 minutes until soft and just starting to colour.
- Warm 1/2 cup of heavy cream in a 1 1/4-quart saucepan by bringing it to a gentle simmer over a medium-low flame.
- Cook for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring as the cream thickens. Stir constantly to prevent the cream from burning or curdling.
- Add half of the blue cheese. Using a fork, mash and stir the cheese into the cream until a few lumps are visible.
- Once the cheese has completely melted, add 1 teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce, stirring constantly to prevent burning.
- Continue to simmer for 3 to 5 minutes more, until the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of the spoon.
- Slowly stir in the remaining blue cheese to incorporate it into the sauce.
If you have leftovers, you can store them covered in the fridge for three to five days. You can use it straight from the fridge or gently warm it on the stove over low heat. If it gets too runny, add a few more crumbles of blue cheese to help thicken it.
You can also use leftover blue cheese in other recipes, such as roasted red onion, walnut, and blue cheese pasta; ham and blue cheese croquettes; stilton and spinach pancakes; and broccoli and blue cheese soufflé.
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Blue cheese pasta
Ingredients:
- Your choice of pasta (fusilli, penne, spaghetti, or any short or long pasta)
- Blue cheese (such as Saint Agur, Gorgonzola, Roquefort, or Stilton)
- Butter
- Shallot
- Full-fat Creme Fraiche or heavy cream
- Spinach (baby spinach or wild rocket)
- Walnuts
- Parmesan cheese (optional)
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Fresh thyme (optional)
Instructions:
Start by bringing a large pot of water to a boil and generously salting it. Cook the pasta according to the package instructions. Remember to reserve a cup of pasta water before draining it.
In a separate pan, melt some butter and fry the shallot over medium heat until softened. Add the creme fraiche or heavy cream and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 2 minutes until it starts to bubble.
Stir in a bit of the reserved pasta water to thin out the sauce, then add the spinach. Cook for about a minute until the spinach wilts slightly.
Now, it's time to add the star ingredient—crumbled blue cheese. Stir it into the sauce until well combined. If you want a more intense blue cheese flavor, feel free to add more than 80 grams or 3/4 cup.
Once the sauce starts bubbling, add the cooked pasta to the pan and toss it to coat evenly in the sauce. If the sauce becomes too thick, you can adjust the consistency by adding a little more pasta water.
Finally, stir in the toasted walnuts and parmesan cheese, if using. Season the pasta with salt and pepper to taste, and serve immediately.
Tips and Variations:
- Toasting the walnuts before adding them to the pasta is essential for that extra crunch.
- If you want to add some protein, grilled chicken strips or cooked bacon/pancetta go well with this dish.
- For a zesty twist, try adding lemon zest to the sauce or serving it with a squeeze of lemon juice.
- Fresh thyme or parsley can be added for extra flavor and a touch of greenery.
- If you're feeling adventurous, you can experiment with different types of blue cheese to find your favorite.
The Great Hill Blue Cheese of Marion, MA
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Blue cheese potato dishes
Herb Roasted Potatoes with Blue Cheese
This is a quick and easy side dish that goes great with almost any meal. You can use baby potatoes or fingerling potatoes, which you don't need to peel or cut. Wash and scrub the potatoes clean, then preheat the oven to 425° F. Drizzle olive oil, dried dill, salt, and pepper on the potatoes and toss them until they're coated. Place the potatoes on a rimmed sheet pan and bake for about an hour or until they are brown and crispy. While the potatoes are still warm, put them in a serving bowl and toss them with blue cheese, chives, and parsley. Season with salt and pepper as needed.
Twice-Baked Stuffed Bacon and Blue Cheese Potatoes
These potatoes make an elegant side dish for any meal. First, preheat the oven to 400° F. Wash and dry the potatoes, then rub them lightly with shortening or vegetable oil. Place the potatoes directly on an oven rack or a cookie sheet and bake for about an hour or until they are done. Remove the potatoes and let them cool, then cut an opening on the top and hollow them out. You can also cut each potato in half. Next, fill the potato skins with the blue cheese and bacon mixture and store them, covered, in the refrigerator until ready to bake. When ready to serve, bake the potatoes until they are nice and hot, then top them with cheese and bacon.
Blue Cheese Potato Gratin
This dish is a tasty alternative to scalloped potatoes. It is made with thinly sliced potatoes, blue cheese, parmesan cheese, cream, thyme, salt, and pepper. To make the gratin, grease a 9x13 glass baking dish or 3-quart casserole with olive oil. Layer a third of the potatoes in the dish and sprinkle with salt, pepper, thyme, parmesan, and blue cheese. Repeat this step twice more until you have three layers of seasoned potatoes and cheese. Finally, pour the cream evenly over the potatoes and cheese, cover tightly with foil, and bake in the oven at 375 degrees.
Leek, Potato, and Gorgonzola Tart
This vegetarian lattice tart is a delicious option for those looking for a meat-free dish. It combines the flavours of leek, potato, and gorgonzola cheese to create a tasty and elegant dish.
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Blue cheese in salads
Blue cheese is a versatile ingredient that can add a punch of flavour to any salad. Here are some ideas for using leftover blue cheese in salads:
Classic Combination: Blue Cheese, Bacon, and Tomato Salad
This classic combination is a popular choice for a reason. The salty, crispy bacon and juicy tomatoes complement the creamy, salty blue cheese perfectly. You can use iceberg or romaine lettuce as the base, or get creative with other types of lettuce such as little gem, curly lettuce, radicchio, or rocket lettuce for added crunch and peppery flavour. Don't forget to top it off with a generous helping of creamy blue cheese dressing!
Fruit and Nut: Apple, Pecan, and Blue Cheese Salad
For a sweet and crunchy twist, add some thinly sliced apples and pecans to your blue cheese salad. The sweetness of the apples balances out the saltiness of the cheese, while pecans add a satisfying crunch. You can also experiment with other fruits and nuts, such as walnuts or pickled walnuts.
Veggie Delight: Celery, Carrot, and Blue Cheese Salad
If you're looking for a healthier option, celery is a great addition to your blue cheese salad. It adds an extra crunch without the calories. Grated carrot is another excellent, colourful option that packs a nutritional punch. You can also include other vegetables like cucumber, roasted peppers, artichokes, sun-dried tomatoes, broccoli, or avocado.
Hearty Option: Grain-Based Blue Cheese Salad
To make your blue cheese salad more filling, consider adding some grains like pasta, quinoa, rice, orzo, or bulgur wheat. Chickpeas or butter beans are also excellent plant-based protein options to bulk up your salad. Don't forget to top it off with your favourite blue cheese dressing!
Summer Refreshment: Romaine, Red Onion, and Blue Cheese Salad
For a refreshing summer salad, thinly slice some ribbons of sweet romaine lettuce and combine them with crisp red onions, nutty toasted sesame seeds, and a generous helping of blue cheese crumble. This salad is light and crunchy, perfect for a warm summer day.
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Blue cheese on toast
Stilton and Walnut Welsh Rarebit
This recipe is perfect for using up leftover blue cheese and can be served as a light supper dish or pre-dinner nibbles.
- Start by preheating your grill to the highest setting and lining a grill pan with kitchen foil.
- Cut two thick slices of your chosen bread. Granary bread and walnut bread go particularly well with blue cheese.
- Toast the slices very lightly on both sides.
- Spread butter on the untoasted side of the bread.
- Mix crumbled blue cheese, cream or creme fraiche, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, black pepper, salt (optional), and walnut pieces.
- Spread the cheese mixture over the toasted sides of the bread, ensuring it goes to the edges so they don't burn.
- Sprinkle with cayenne pepper.
- Place under the grill for about 2-4 minutes, until the cheese is melted, bubbling, and tinged with brown.
- Serve with a seasonal salad and a glass of red wine.
Honeyed Blue Cheese Toast
This recipe is a simple yet tasty combination of honey and blue cheese.
- Spread honey and blue cheese on sesame wheat crackers or your chosen bread.
- For an extra indulgent twist, mix the honey and cheese together before spreading on the bread.
- You can also add walnuts to the mixture for some extra crunch.
- Grill until the cheese begins to melt.
This recipe adds a festive twist to the classic blue cheese on toast.
- Cut two thick slices of your chosen bread.
- Toast the slices lightly on both sides.
- Spread one side of each slice with about 1 tablespoon of cranberry sauce.
- Crumble blue cheese and sprinkle on top of the cranberry sauce.
Other Blue Cheese Toast Ideas
If you're looking for more ways to enjoy blue cheese on toast, here are some additional ideas:
- Crumble blue cheese over toasted bread and drizzle with honey. Grill until the cheese begins to melt. This works well with gorgonzola, roquefort, cambozola, stilton, and dolcelatte.
- For a savoury option, try making a leek, potato, and gorgonzola tart, or a broccoli and blue cheese soufflé.
- If you're in the mood for something heartier, ragù and blue cheese baked pasta, or ham and blue cheese croquettes are delicious options.
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Frequently asked questions
Here are some quick and easy recipes to use up leftover blue cheese:
- Roasted red onion, walnut and blue cheese pasta
- Leek, potato and gorgonzola tart
- Ham and blue cheese croquettes
- Ragù and blue cheese baked pasta
- Stilton and spinach pancakes with soft egg
- Mini phyllo cups filled with fig jam, topped with blue cheese and baked
- Blue cheese sauce for steak
- Mushroom pizza with blue cheese
If you're feeling creative, you could try the following:
- Broccoli and blue cheese soufflé
- Sage and blue cheese shortbreads
- Cauliflower, leek and blue cheese gratin
- Sweet potato and parsnip gnocchi with blue cheese and pine nuts
- Rosemary flatbread with blue cheese
- Blue cheese ball
- Blue cheese dressing for a salad
Yes, you can freeze leftover blue cheese. It will taste just as delicious once defrosted.
