What Does Blue Cheese Taste Like? A Detailed Answer

What does blue cheese taste like, and will it be distinctive from other cheeses I’ve had? When I was first introduced to this cheese kind, I had a lot of questions in my head. However, as soon as I tried this cheese, I realized it wasn’t like the others.

Blue cheese has an extremely bright flavor character. Blue cheese tastes a little acidic and salty. It is spicy and creamy in nature. In short, we can say that blue cheese tastes like mushrooms with a nutty, salty hint of flavor.

We have access to many different kinds of cheese. Even then, only a few taste well and look fascinating. Unquestionably one of them is blue mold cheese.

Many people are intrigued when they hear the word mold and cheese. But molds are something blue cheese is made of. Doesn’t blue cheese sound interesting to you? 

If yes. Then this article is something you do not want to miss reading. In this article, we will get to know everything you want to know about blue cheese. We will discuss its taste, uses, varieties, and much more.

What Is Blue Cheese?

Blue cheese looks lovely, but many people are a little hesitant to try this variety of cheese. It’s always good to know more about a food before eating it. So what exactly is blue cheese?

Blue cheese is a generic term for several blue mold kinds of cheese made from different kinds of milk. It is made by infusing edible mold called Penicillium into the cheese mixture.

These are responsible for the blue or greenish veins seen throughout the cheese. This cheese was invented in a small town called Roquefort in France and is often referred to as Roquefort cheese.

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What Does Blue Cheese Taste Like?

Have you ever said no to blue cheese because you were unsure about its taste? Well, I have. Blue cheese looks so different from the other cheese varieties, making me wonder what blue cheese tastes like.

Blue cheese has a bold flavor. It is salty and tangy in nature. It also has a light nuttiness depending upon the variety you are using. The blue mold parts of the cheese carry a bit of acidic taste, and the white portions are milky.

Blue cheese has a dense texture. However, it is a form of semi-soft cheese that is quite creamy. When it comes to smell, blue mold cheese has a very pungent smell which some people find disgusting.

Does Blue Cheese Taste Like Mold?

Many people stop themselves from trying blue cheese, thinking it tastes like mold. Yes, blue mold cheese indeed has mold in them, but does that mean they taste like it?

No! Good quality blue cheese doesn’t taste like mold at all. Blue cheese has a salty flavor, and the blue/ green veins will be slightly acidic. However, if your blue cheese tastes anything like mold, it shows that it’s getting spoilt and should be discarded.

What Tastes Similar To Blue Cheese?

If you are not someone who loves experimenting with new food items, you might be a little reluctant to try new food items. So if you are confused regarding whether you want to try blue cheese, I have found some similar-tasting cheese for you.

You can try the blue cheese without a second option if you like any of these. (Even if you don’t like any of these, still go for blue cheese because there is no other cheese that tastes exactly like that of blue cheese)

Feta Cheese: It has a salty, tangy flavor similar to blue cheese. Feta cheese is a bit saltier than that blue cheese. However, when used in the right cheese, it tastes exactly like that blue cheese.

Queso Fresco: This Mexican cheese has a salty, bitter, tangy flavor and is an ideal substitute for blue cheese. But when comparing the flavor profile, queso fresco cheese is milder than that blue cheese in flavor.

Is Blue Cheese Bitter?

This is an unpopular opinion about blue cheese. Can cheese be bitter and loved by too many people? Blue cheese doesn’t have any bitter taste to it. Blue cheese is indeed a little salty and spicy.

But not bitter. Bitter taste or the taste of ammonia is something we can associate with the taste of spoiled blue cheese. Hence if you find any of these tastes in your blue cheese, make sure to taste test it again before eating it.

Does Blue Cheese Taste Like Soap?

No. Blue cheese has a pleasant taste. It is a little spicy and salty and sometimes a little sweet. However, if you find your cheese to have a little soapy taste, it might be because it has started to spoil.

Does Blue Cheese Taste Like Ranch?

Most of us who haven’t tried blue cheese yet must have at least tried ranch so far. We all love ranch, don’t we? With its little sourness and herbaceous flavor, the ranch is a food dressing we all love to have on our plates.

Blue cheese dressing has a similar flavor profile to the ranch. Not only are they similar in flavor, but they also share a similar consistency and texture. Both blue cheese dressing and ranch have a tangy, salty flavor which is the perfect sidekick to all our salads.

Is Blue Cheese An Acquired Taste?

If you are eating blue cheese for the first time, chances are high that you won’t like it much at first. You must have heard people describing blue cheese with adjectives of Ewww, salty and bad. Does that mean you will never like blue cheese? 

Blue cheese is an acquired taste. Most people who try in the first place never really like it. But the more you eat it, the more you start liking it. Every time you eat a piece of blue cheese, you’ll find a new flavor in it.

This is one of the many reasons for blue cheese’s popularity! People who hate it at first eventually become its advocates. Hence if you hate it at first, do try it again.

What Does Creamy Blue Cheese Taste Like?

Blue cheese, in general, has a creamy consistency. However, their creaminess increases when they are made into cheese spreads. Blue cheese is semi-soft in nature; hence making them into a spread is an easy task.

Creamy blue cheese has a salty, spicy, mushroom-like flavor like blue cheese. They are great to use as a bread spread or a garnish on salads. 

Sauteed apples covered with creamy blue cheese and honey is my go-to recipe using creamy blue cheese. They are easy to spread and work wonders when combined with little sweet dishes.

Why Does Blue Cheese Taste Like Ammonia?

Blue cheese generally has a strong smell; whenever it smells unpleasant, many think it to be the smell of blue cheese. However, that is not true. Blue cheese does have a pungent smell, but not of ammonia.

Ammonia smells like that rotten protein. If your cheese starts to smell like ammonia, it shows that it is not fit to eat. The ammonia smell in blue cheese is an indication of its spoiling.

Along with this smell, your cheese might have changed its color and might also have a brown liquid coming out of it. None of these are normal for regular edible cheese, and make sure to discard them as soon as you find this smell in your cheese.

Does Blue Cheese Taste Like Goat Cheese?

Blue cheese is one of those strong-tasting cheeses. One cheese that has a similar flavor to that of blue cheese is goat cheese. So if you have tried and loved goat cheese, chances are high that you will love goat cheese too!

Goat cheese, as you can assume, is made from goat milk. It has a bold flavor profile similar to that of blue cheese. Young goat cheese has a salty, tangy taste. As it ages, its taste becomes a little nuttier.

But when compared to that blue cheese, goat cheese is saltier in nature. Moreover, goat cheese has myriads of flavor. But the plain goat cheese is the only one that does taste similar to that blue cheese.

Why Does Blue Cheese Taste So Bad?

Blue cheese doesn’t have a bad taste. They are salty, spicy, and a little acidic. Sometimes, depending on the variety, they can be a little sweet too. But many people assume blue cheese has a bad taste.

First of all, blue cheese is an acquired taste. If you are not used to blue cheese in general, you might not like it on the first go. But with time, you will start loving blue cheese and start to appreciate its flavor.

Secondly, even though blue cheese is good, only good quality blue cheese does justice to its flavor. Therefore always make sure to get your hands on the best quality blue cheese available in the market.

Finally, you could be having spoiled blue cheese. Spoilt blue cheese does have a very bad taste to it. People often compare it to a bitter ammonia-like flavor. It’s too strong to eat.

Therefore, if you find it too difficult to eat blue cheese, make sure they aren’t spoiled before trying it again.

What Does Blue Cheese Taste Like When It Goes Bad?

Blue cheese has a very piquant taste, so it often becomes hard to tell when it goes bad. If you are new to blue cheese, you might find it difficult to differentiate between an aged blue cheese and a ruined one.

That is why I curated some tips for you. If you have an unused piece of blue cheese in your fridge, read this section and ensure it is not spoiled before eating it.

1. Check the smell: Blue cheese does have a strong smell. However, the spoilt blue cheese will have an even more bad smell. The spoilt blue cheese will smell like ammonia. 
2. If you are not accustomed to using blue cheese, make sure to smell it fresh when it is freshly brought. This will help you to understand the odor change when it goes bad.
3. Look for the color change: Blue cheese has blue/ green veins all over them. The white part of the cheese naturally is white, cream, or beige in color. However, when the cheese starts to spoil, these white portions begin to have a pinkish, brown, or green hue. The green color is an indication to throw it away!
4. Do a taste test: Sometimes, blue cheese gets spoilt without changing its color. In that case, check its taste. Blue cheese generally has a strong flavor. However, when it starts spoiling, it gains a biting taste. In short, if you can’t stand its taste, ist time to remove it from your refrigerator. 
5. Check its expiry date: If you have properly kept the blue cheese, you can use it up to a couple more days from the actual expiry date. However, if it’s way more than that, it will be best to leave them in the bin.

What Does Blue Cheese Sauce Taste Like?

A lot of dishes aren’t good by themselves but become great when combined with the right sauces and dip. Blue cheese sauce is one of those sauces that can make all your food taste more delicious.

Unlike many other kinds of cheese dips, blue cheese isn’t a mild-tasting one. Blue cheese sauce has a salty flavor along with a garlicky kick. The blue cheese sauce is slightly acidic in nature, making it a perfect sauce for your burgers and pasta.

So next time you feel like your food lacks the perfect taste, try combining it with some blue cheese sauce. I’m sure it won’t let you down.

4 Different Types Of Blue Cheese And Their Different Flavor

As we have discussed, wide varieties of blue cheese are available to us. But which one we must choose is a big question. This section will introduce you to different blue cheese varieties and their flavor profile.

Even though this cheese looks similar, there are taste differences. Hence if you plan to get a piece of blue cheese, make sure to go through the box and pick the right one.

 This is a popular Italian cheese variety. They are made by mixing curd with cultured blue molds. They have an intense, salty flavor. Depending on its age, it is again divided into three: Bianco, dolce, and Picante. Among these, Picante is slightly spicy.

1. British Stilton: It is one of the most loved blue cheese varieties. It has a very dense and spicy flavor profile. They are rich and creamy and widely used to make pasta and sauces.
2. Roquefort: Roquefort is the oldest among all blue cheeses. It uses sheep milk and has a light sweetness to it.
3. Danish Blue Cheese: This one has a very mild flavor. It is made from cow’s milk and has a very delicate flavor profile. It has a very mild salt taste and is less stingy when compared to other blue cheese varieties. ( If you are new to blue cheese, start with Danish Blue cheese).
4. Bleuchâtel: This has a very strong flavor profile and is considered one of the oldest blue cheeses. It has a salty mushroomy taste to it and is soft. Other than that, it has a creamy texture and a very strong smell.

How To Pick The Best Blue Cheese?

Selecting good blue cheese is important as it is very difficult to understand the bad from good ones, especially in blue cheese. So how should we select the best cheese?

• Smell the cheese: The fresh blue cheese will have a funky smell. It will be similar to that of wet grass. However, it isn’t fresh if the smell is anything like ammonia or socks.
• Look at its color: Fresh blue cheese will have a beige or cream color with green/black/ blue veins all over them. However, if there is any color change in the white section, then that means the blue cheese is not fresh.

How To Store Blue Cheese Properly?

Blue cheese, like all other cheeses, needs to be stored properly. Even though blue cheese has molded them, it does not mean it won’t go bad. Hence here are some tips to keep your blue cheese safe.

1. Cut and Freeze: If you have a big piece of blue cheese, make sure to cut them into small pieces before freezing them. This way, you do not have to defrost and put back blue cheese whenever you need it.
2. Double wrap: Nobody loves a dry piece of cheese. Therefore always double wrap your cheese before keeping it in the fridge. You can wrap them with foil paper and follow it with a plastic cover. This ensures that your blue cheese will stay fresh and moist for a long time.
3. Keep it cold: Blue cheese will remain fresh in the coldest part of the fridge. Hence if you have a part of this fridge which you won’t have a temperature change every time you open the fridge, save that space for blue cheese.

How To Use Blue Cheese | Blue Cheese Recipes

Blue cheese is very convenient to use. Like most cheeses, they are delicious and can be used in multiple ways. The best way to use blue cheese is to have it as it is. 

• As a dish of its own: It can be a little bit salty at first, but once you get the hang of it, it will be hard for you to stop eating it. 
• Pair it with wine: You can pair the blue cheese with your favorite white. Even though we can pair it with all kinds of wine, I suggest you try it out with some sparkling red wines.
• As a salad dressing: Blue cheese is semi-soft in nature and has a salty, tangy flavor. Hence they can be used to grate above a plate of your favorite salads. You can include blue cheese in either fruit or vegetable salad.
• As a dipping sauce: Blue cheese is easy to melt. Hence when combined with garlic and sour cream, they become great as a side dip. Whether it’s a packet of nachos or chicken wings, a blue cheese sauce dip is something you can completely trust!
• As a garnish: Blue cheese is an excellent ingredient to add to savory items. With its salty and tangy flavor profile, blue cheese complements the dish’s overall flavor.
• Cheese spread: Blue cheese is easy to melt. Hence they can be melted over to bread sandwiches and burgers.

Health Benefits Of Blue Cheese

Blue cheese is very healthy in nature. Just like much other cheese, blue cheese does have little calories in it. However, keeping this one downside, blue cheese has many positive health benefits.

1. Helps to maintain body weight: Are you someone who is into dieting? If you are, then you might know that people often get the urge to eat something. Eating blue cheese will make us feel filled and stops us from eating further!
2. Aids in heart health: The bacteria present in blue cheese are extremely healthy for our heart’s health. Hence including a small piece of blue cheese in your diet will be extremely good.
3. Promote bone health: Blue cheese, like all other cheese, is a great source of calcium. Hence eating blue cheese will help you to maintain healthy bones and teeth.
4. Improves immunity: Blue cheese contains many vitamins and minerals which aid in improving our immune system.

Nutritional Content Of Blue Cheese

Now that we have seen many health benefits of blue cheese, it’s time for us to analyze its nutritional contents. Given below is a chart that explains the nutritional content of blue cheese.

Conclusion

Blue cheese is very versatile in nature. It has a tangy acidic taste and semi-soft texture. It can be eaten on its own or can be paired along with fruits or vegetables. The first taste to hit your tongue will be salt, and at first, you might be bothered by its strong smell as well.

But trust me, once you get the hang of blue cheese, there is no going back to any other kind of cheese. It’s tasty, bold, and beautiful! If you try it out anytime soon, let us know your thoughts in the comment section below!

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