Sharp, robust and slightly salty taste with unique strong smell from the specialized mold, blue cheese is notorious for being a difficult cheese to pair with other flavors. It can be eaten by itself or used as spread, crumbled or melted into over wide range of dishes.
What to eat with blue cheese? Blue cheese tastes fabulous with apples, celery, honey, chestnuts, mustard or dijon, walnut bread and pears. From fresh to dried fruits, crackers, bread and nuts, blue cheese is a perfect addition to cheese platters for an easy appetizer.
Furthermore, blue cheese pairs well with red, sparkling, and sweet wines.
You may have heard that blue cheese goes well with nuts, but did you know it also pairs with a variety of other foods? Proper food pairing is an art, but don’t worry because it’s not as hard as you think.
This article goes into depth about what exactly forms the perfect duo with blue cheese. Answered below are frequently asked questions to help you understand exactly what to eat with blue cheese to give the perfect flavor combination every time.
What flavor goes well with blue cheese?
The briny, salty and sourness of blue cheese is an excellent match for some flavors. The tartness of many fruits, such as apples and cranberries, cuts through the tang of blue cheese with crispness.
Adding sweetness brings out the fruity notes in blue cheeses, and makes the earthy notes more prominent without becoming overwhelming. Balsamic vinegar is also an excellent companion for blue cheese because it gives hints of sweetness while cutting the tartness.
Here are the best flavor combination that go well with blue cheese:
- blue cheese + nut bread + honey + apples
- blue cheese + dried cranberries + pecans
- blue cheese + butter + black pepper
- blue cheese + steak + mushroom + olive
- blue cheese + salmon + pumpkin seeds + potato
What goes well with blue cheese?
By far the best food to eat with blue cheese is vegetables because they add a savory note that makes it taste even better. The most popular way to appreciate blue cheese is in a salad.
However, it pairs well with fruits, bread, nuts, meats and even some beverages. Whether you are making a healthy salad or fulfilling sandwich, here are the best ingredient that goes well with blue cheese:
- Fruits: apples, figs, pears, dried cranberries
- Vegetables: celery, garlic, potatoes, watercress, carrots, cucumbers
- Nuts: almonds, roasted chestnuts, hazelnuts, walnuts, pecans
- Meat: beef, steaks, fish, ham, poultry, shellfish, chicken, bacon
- Cheese: cream cheese, sour cream, cheddar
- Herb: dill, chervil, sorrel
- Bread: with nuts and or raisins bread, walnut bread, whole grain crackers, crusty bread, baguette
- Condiments: honey, white wine vinegar
- Jam: black currant, peach, red onion
- Wine: Cabernet Sauvignon, Madeira, Merlot, Muscat, Port, Sauternes, dry sherry, sweet wine, Zinfandel
- Beverages: apple juice, coffee, gin, lambic, pear nectar, stout
What food goes well with blue cheese?
Blue cheese blends perfectly with meat, burgers, dips, desserts, and salads. Add some blue cheese to chicken, bread, pork, crusty baguette, macaroni, candied pecans, meatballs, steak, pepperoni, deli ham, and radishes.
Three of the most classic and popular salads that combine blue cheese with vegetables are potato, celery, and wedge salad. All are salty and creamy, with different flavors used to complement the strong taste of the blue cheese.
- Potato Salad: When making potato salad, use a favorite recipe or create one specific for blue cheese. A simple recipe of boiled potatoes with some mayonnaise, dijon, olive oil, and lemon juice is all it takes to make this classic side dish. The addition of blue cheese crumbles makes it extra special. For an even more delicious potato salad, add diced bell peppers, celery and onion to the mix. For a spicy touch, add diced jalapeño.
- Celery Salad: Celery is a perfect match for blue cheese because it adds a sweet yet savory note to the salad. If celery is the main salad ingredient, consider using it in place of lettuce or cabbage. It can also be used as a garnish and drizzle with vinegar and olive oil to serve as a dressing, then covered with a layer of blue cheese and served on a platter.
- Wedge Salad: Crispy iceberg lettuce drizzled over the blue cheese dressing, bacon bits, chives, and tomato. When making the dressing at home, ensure to mash up the chunks to get smooth texture to pour over the salad, and finish with crumble because it gives an extra burst of flavor in each bite.
Other than these classic salads, there are other dishes that are delicious with blue cheese.
- Pasta: Mix with parmesan cheese or crumbled blue cheese is great to make creamy and cheesy pasta. Adding heavy cream or blend with tomato sauce makes the color and texture exquisite.
- Burger: Blue cheese on a burger gently melt when topped on the hot patty. The creamy taste blends well with dijon mustard and mayonnaise, and adding drops of red wine vinegar or Worcestershire sauce can give a hint of excitement.
- Pizza or flatbread: It is perfect to garnish with blue cheese right before serving. Drizzle balsamic vinegar or caramelized onions can enhance the flavor even more.
- Dessert: Whether it is baked tart or cake, blue cheese also complements roasted fruit in desserts, especially with pears. Additionally, it can be made into mousse or pie with toasted nuts for mild and light sweetness.
- Dip: Using blue cheese in a dip makes a great sauce for potato chips, veggies, chicken wings, and anything else you name. With a help of cream cheese or sour cream, it makes it creamy and fun to dip your favorite appetizers.
When hosting a party for family and close friends, it is common to find yourself looking for ways to creatively incorporate cheese in meals. Besides being versatile, many people will fall in love with the rich flavors and you can never go wrong with a blue cheese option.
What goes with blue cheese in a sandwich?
In an attempt to go light on the heat, use sweet paprika to spice up the sandwich. Better yet, try combining thinly sliced red onion with some mild mayo and blue cheese for an interesting twist to the classic sub style.
In a sandwich, blue cheese also goes well with fresh tomatoes, avocado, walnuts and bacon. Other options for an accompanying condiment include aioli, mayonnaise, mustard, and dijon mustard.
If you plan on making quick lunch or midday snack to resolve a sandwich craving, use blue cheese in combination with these food pairing ideas:
- grilled ham and blue cheese sandwich
- blue cheese with smashed avocado and roasted tomatoes sandwich
- rotisserie chicken and blue cheese sandwich
- bacon and blue cheese sandwich with sweet onion jam in sourdough bread
- turkey and blue cheese grilled sandwich
- blue cheese chicken salad sandwich
Adding blue cheese to a sandwich is a great way to enjoy this pungent cheese. It can be used as the basis for a sandwich or combined with other flavors to bring out the best qualities of the curds.
Eat With Blue Cheese: Conclusion
The most classic pairings with blue cheese include apples, celery, honey, walnut, bread, and pears. There are also wide range of fruit, vegetables, nuts, cheese, alcohol, and beverages that taste good with blue cheese.
This type of cheese can be eaten fresh or slightly melted depending on the dish, but generally taste good in a sandwich or on a well balanced cheese plate. Ensure to add the right condiments that blend the cheese with other ingredients in between the buns.
From sweet to salty and savory, blue cheese offers a variety of flavor combinations. As a result, it is used in salads, pasta, burgers, pizza, dessert, and dipping sauce to garnish the main dish.
Blue cheese is versatile and easy ingredient to pair with many diverse foods, as long as the flavors complement and not counteract. Use this pairing guide and suggestions to enjoy blue cheese in your next meal plan.