What Does Gorgonzola Cheese Taste Like? A Chef Weighs In!


Are you thinking of hosting a cheese tasting night with your friends and want to impress them? Maybe you were looking for the most delicious cheese to your homemade pasta or pizza and spotted Gorgonzola at your supermarket? Even if you are just curious about the taste of Gorgonzola cheese because of its exotic Italian name, we are here to help you out and break down its sophisticated flavor. We promise your taste buds will not be disappointed!

What does Gorgonzola cheese taste like? Gorgonzola is a soft blue cheese made of cow milk. It distinguishes itself with a softer taste than other blue cheeses. Gorgonzola’s taste is strong with earthy and salty elements. Gorgonzola cheese taste ranges from mild and creamy to sharp and crumbly depending on its aging period.

Gorgonzola Cheese Taste – All You Need to Know

Gorgonzola’s taste shares the same famous taste as other blue-veined cheeses due to the addition of a Penicillium glaucum mold, which gives it a strong salty and even earthy flavor. When you are trying it for the first time, your imagination will bring up the lush pastures of Gorgonzola province in the North of Italy full of cows, thanks to its high fat content. Its combination with mold brings the unique Gorgonzola cheese flavor to life and your table.

Is Gorgonzola tasty? Gorgonzola is delicious! A piece of this Italian blue cheese unfolds in your mouth into a mild creamy or salty taste depending on its aging period. Some gourmets describe the Gorgonzola cheese taste as slightly sweet and buttery. Gorgonzola is one of the best ways to try blue cheese for the first time. 

When looking for the perfect Gorgonzola cheese to meet your taste preferences, you should consider how long the cheese has aged. Gorgonzola Dolce, also sometimes called Dolcelatte, matures for  3 months and features a creamy texture and milder taste. It is a good choice if you prefer not to bear strong tangy tones of sharp flavor. Connoisseurs of Gorgonzola Dolce appreciate its mild and even sweet shades of spice and rich Gorgonzola cheese flavor.

Piccante Gorgonzola is aged for 4 months or more and features a somewhat crumbly texture, and its taste is more pungent and saltier. The earthy and nutty side of Gorgonzola taste shows is more pronounced in Gorgonzola Piccante cheese. Both types are delicious, and we recommend you and your friends try out both Gorgonzola Dolce and Gorgonzola Piccante for comparison.

Is Gorgonzola cheese stinky? Being a blue-veined cheese, Gorgonzola indeed has a strong smell. It is caused by the mold Penicillium glaucum used in the cheesemaking process. That is why the best match for Gorgonzola on a cheese plate is honey or jam to calm its smell and smoothen the strong taste.

Gorgonzola Cheese Substitutes

Here are the most common Gorgonzola cheese alternatives:

  • Roquefort
  • Stilton
  • Bleu d’Auvergne
  • Shropshire Blue
  • Goat cheese

Gorgonzola cheese belongs to a big family of blue cheeses. While Gorgonzola has a less intense flavor compared to other blue cheeses, there is a wide variety of choices for you in case you want to improvise and try something else instead of Gorgonzola cheese. For example, we suggest you substitute Gorgonzola with blue and non-blue cheeses like Roquefort, Stilton cheese, Danish Blue, Bleu d’Auvergne, Fourme d’Ambert, Shropshire Blue, or even Goat cheese. Some cheeses are better replacements for younger Gorgonzola Dolce with its softer and creamier taste, and some cheeses will remind you more of older Gorgonzola Piccante with a saltier and more robust flavor.

See also: Blue Cheese Taste – Does It Taste Good? All You Need to Know

You can add the listed types of cheese to your preferred recipes with Gorgonzola, be it a salad, pasta, or pizza. You can even expand your cooking boundaries and prepare a finger-licking polenta in Italian style. Alternatively, replace Gorgonzola taste with some Roquefort, Stilton Cheese, or Bleu d’Auvergne on a cheese plate, and your guests will undoubtedly enjoy it. Keep in mind that some cheeses will differ not only in the intensity and sub-tones of smell and taste but also in the color shades and texture. Finally, don’t worry when you don’t have Gorgonzola at your hand, be courageous and discover new matches!

Now, before you head over to the shop to find Gorgonzola cheese alternatives, let us answer some questions:

Is Roquefort similar to Gorgonzola? Roquefort, a French blue cheese made from sheep’s milk, can serve as a great alternative to the Italian Gorgonzola Piccante. Its texture is also quite crumbly, and the flavor is aromatic and tangy. Also, Roquefort’s blue marbling resembles unique patterns of Gorgonzola cheese.

Is Stilton cheese similar to Gorgonzola? Stilton Cheese or Blue Stilton has a similar taste to Gorgonzola, especially its Piccante version. It is also sharp-flavored and has a pungent smell like Gorgonzola. Coming from England, Stilton cheese is rich in taste, with nutty and salty sub-tones just like Gorgonzola cheese.

Is Danish Blue similar to Gorgonzola? Another great alternative for Gorgonzola cheese is Danish blue, known as Danablu. This cheese is also a member of the blue cheese family and, thus, is packed full of flavor. Danablu has a high salt level, and its taste can be described as salty and sharp. It can substitute Gorgonzola Dolce in salads.

Is Bleu D’Auvergne similar to Gorgonzola? Bleu d’Auvergne d’Auvergne to Gorgonzola cheese with its intense and spicy taste. However, its flavor is a bit spicier than Gorgonzola. Like Gorgonzola, young Bleu d’Auvergne d’Auvergneand creamier and perfectly replaces Gorgonzola Dolce, while a longer-aged version is a great replacement for Piccante.

Is Fourme D’Ambert Similar to Gorgonzola? Fourme d’Ambert red’AmbertGorgonzola cheese because of the same Penicillium glaucum used in the production process. Its aging period is only about a month, hence, its texture is creamy and smooth. With its balanced taste, Fourme d’Ambert is a good replacement for Gorgonzola Dolce.

Is Shropshire Blue Similar to Gorgonzola? Another alternative to Gorgonzola cheese is Shropshire Blue. It has a similar tangy smell and a rich taste with sour notes like Piccante, but its texture is soft and closer to Dolce Gorgonzola. However, Shropshire Blue is orange like Cheddar, so you can easily distinguish it from Gorgonzola.

Is goat cheese similar to Gorgonzola? A surprising but delicious choice is to replace Gorgonzola with Goat cheese! Goat cheese is not as aromatic as Gorgonzola, but it has a nice creamy and buttery texture like Gorgonzola Dolce. Since it is salty, it’s it’sect for salads and sandwiches.

Gorgonzola Cheese Taste FAQ

Is Gorgonzola like Feta? Gorgonzola is not like Feta as it does not have a strong flavor. BUT! Feta can be a great non-blue choice to substitute Gorgonzola cheese. You can crumble it into a salad and enjoy this more affordable but still delicious food.

Why does Gorgonzola taste bad? Being a blue-veined cheese, Gorgonzola can have a robust and spicy taste. If you prefer milder and creamier cheeses, you might not like it; however, you still should give a try to Gorgonzola Dolce. It is much less pungent and is sweeter than other cheeses from the blue family.

Is Gorgonzola Milder Than Blue Cheese? While Gorgonzola is a blue cheese, not all blue cheese is Gorgonzola. Gorgonzola is milder than other popular blue cheeses such as Roquefort or Bleu d’Auvd’Auvergneing it an excellent blue cheese to try for the first time.

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