What is it?

A cow’s milk blue cheese from Italy, Gorgonzola comes in two varieties.Gorgonzola Dolce(sweet) is mild with a rich, creamy interior that makes it an excellent choice for cooking. It has an ivory-colored interior that can be lightly or thickly streaked with bluish-green veins in layers.Mountain Gorgonzola(also called naturale) has a crumbly, dry texture and a potent blue flavor that’s best if left unheated and served with fruits like pears and apples or with nuts and sweet wine to offset its intensity.

Kitchen math:

8 oz. = about 2 cups crumbled

Don’t have it?

You can substitute Maytag, Roquefort, Stilton, or any other crumbly blue.

How to choose:

When aged more than six months, the flavor and aroma of Gorgonzola can be quite strong—sometimes downright stinky because of its brine-washed rind. Because of this tendency, pay particular attention to the quality of any Gorgonzola you buy (an interior that’s more yellow than ivory is another sign of excessive aging).

How to prep:

Trim away the rind before slicing or crumbling.

How to store:

Store well wrapped in the refrigerator.

Recipes

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  Recipe

  Steak Salad with Plums and Gorgonzola

  This simple but elegant main-dish salad features grilled skirt steak, ripe juicy plums, fresh greens, and Gorgonzola. What’s not to like?

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  Recipe

  Sear-Roasted Skirt Steak with Endive and Blue Cheese

  Cooked until tender, peppery endive is great alongside beefy skirt steak slathered with blue cheese butter.

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  Recipe

  Grilled Endive with Gorgonzola and Pecans

  This appetizer hits all the right notes: charred yet fresh, with a hint of bitter tempered by sweet, and creamy with just the right amount of crunch. Make sure your…

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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

  Endive and Radicchio Salad with Hazelnuts and Gorgonzola

  Bitter endive and radicchio are beautifully balanced by pungent gorgonzola nad sweet-tart cranberries in this quick and easy side dish. Serve with braised beef or seared steak.

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  Recipe

  Cider-Glazed Pork Belly and Brussels Sprouts

  This dish uses a classic flavor combination—pork, Brussels sprouts, and apples—in new ways. The pork is braised and glazed with cider for deep apple flavor and served over a Brussels…

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  Recipe

  Beet and Blue Cheese Ravioli with Butter Sauce

  Pungent blue cheese and creamy mascarpone provide a counterpoint to the sweet roasted beets in these delicate ravioli. See the How to Make Ravioli article for step-by-step photos of how…

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  Recipe

  Grape Clusters with Brie, Gorgonzola, and Honey

  This messy-to-eat-but-totally-worth-it appetizer is a fabulous combination of sweet, salty, herby, and nutty flavors. Use scissors to cut the clusters into individual portions, and serve with plenty of napkins.

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  Recipe

  Gorgonzola and Fontina Nachos with Fennel and Mint

  This sophisticated take on nachos may sound unusual, but the salty-tangy Gorgonzola and creamy fontina meld beautifully, fennel seeds add a subtle anise note, and fresh mint brightens the mix.…

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  Recipe

  Grilled Onion and Gorgonzola Dip

  This tangy dip is just as tasty with potato chips or crudités. Leftovers are great on sandwiches or baked potatoes.