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22 Great Ways with Blue Cheese

You know blue cheese is great on salads—now savor it on sandwiches, steak, and more

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1 /22 Photo by Iain Bagwell; written by Amy Machnak

Endive "Chips" with Blue Cheese Dip and Bacon Dust

In this modern twist on a retro appetizer, endive leaves, being naturally scooped and crunchy, make a refreshing alternative to potato chips.

Recipe: Endive “Chips” with Blue Cheese Dip and Bacon Dust

2 /22 Photo by Annabelle Breakey; styling by Karen Shinto

Blue Cheese and Pear Tart

We cut this tart up into small pieces for an elegant appetizer, but you could also slice it into large wedges and serve it with a green salad for a light meal.

Recipe: Blue Cheese and Pear Tart

3 /22 Alex Farnum

Warm Dates with Soft Blue Cheese and Prosciutto

This is a great appetizer combo of sweet, creamy, and salty. You can assemble the dates ahead and heat them when ready to serve.

Recipe: Warm Dates with Soft Blue Cheese and Prosciutto

4 /22 Leo Gong

Red Onion and Gorgonzola Flatbread

Pick your party: Easygoing or swanky?

If your style is easygoing, think of these as mini-pizzas, irresistibly topped with blue cheese. For a swank affair, casually mention to guests that you made the yeasted semolina dough by hand, and serve these rich rounds at cocktail hour. (Nobody needs to know how easy it was.)

Either way, serve with a slightly off-dry Riesling for a festive pairing made in pizza heaven.

Recipe: Red Onion and Gorgonzola Flatbread

5 /22 Leigh Beisch

Caramelized Pear and Sage Crostini

Sweet, caramel-tinged pears and sharp blue cheese make a perfect salty-sweet combo in this delicious appetizer.

Recipe: Caramelized Pear and Sage Crostini

6 /22 Alex Farnum

Broccoli Soup with Blue Cheese

We especially like this creamy soup with Point Reyes Original Blue. For an added bit of indulgence, sprinkle with crumbled bacon.

Recipe: Broccoli Soup with Blue Cheese

7 /22 Photo by Jennifer Martine; Styling: Karen Shinto

Celery Soup with Apples and Blue Cheese

The simple addition of caramelized apples and salty blue cheese gives this tasty soup a sophisticated feel.

Recipe: Celery Soup with Apples and Blue Cheese

8 /22 Photo by Annabelle Breakey

Blue Cheese, Mustard, and Beer Noodles

Reader Margee Berry, of White Salmon, WA, combined the best flavors of pub fare in this recipe for hearty blue cheese noodles. We prefer it with a beer that’s a little bitter, such as an IPA, but feel free to use whatever you have in the fridge. You could also omit the beer and use a little of the pasta water if you like.

Recipe: Blue Cheese, Mustard, and Beer Noodles

9 /22 James Carrier

Cobb Salad

You want delicious? You want easy? You want a Cobb salad. Store-bought chicken finds a friend in pungent blue cheese and applewood-smoked bacon, tied together with crispy-licious lettuce and surprisingly sophisticated watercress. This classic has everything, plus a little extra.

Recipe: Cobb Salad

10 /22 Annabelle Breakey; Styling: Randy Mon

Marionberry, Blue Cheese, and Arugula Salad

Perk up a green salad with juicy-sweet berries and flavorful blue cheese crumbles. A dish this peppery and refreshing needs only a simple vinaigrette to finish.

Recipe: Marionberry, Blue Cheese, and Arugula Salad

11 /22 Annabelle Breakey

Endive Salad with Bacon, Gorgonzola, and Avocado

Tasty, gorgeous, easy: Savory bacon, creamy avocado, crispy endive, and sharp gorgonzola tossed with a simple sherry vinaigrette. May I have some more?

Recipe: Endive Salad with Bacon, Gorgonzola, and Avocado

12 /22 Leo Gong, Randy Mon

Chicken, Bacon, and Blue-cheese Sandwiches

Wimpy lunch? Not this knockout sandwich. Crunchy bread gets a creamy kick from blue cheese and mayo; top it with chicken and avocado. It's an extra-special midday pick-me-up, or an all-in-one weeknight dinner.

Recipe: Chicken, Bacon, and Blue-Cheese Sandwiches

13 /22 James Carrier

Sliced Filet Mignon Wrap with Pear-Onion Relish and Blue-Cheese Dressing

Play with the classic beef-and-blue combo. Rich steak matched with a sweet-tart pear-onion relish gets a flavor boost from tangy blue cheese and a healthy dose of spinach greens.

Recipe: Sliced Filet Mignon Wrap with Pear-Onion Relish and Blue-Cheese Dressing

14 /22 Photo by Iain Bagwell

Chicken Burgers with Caramelized Shallots and Blue Cheese

Cheeseburgers get a makeover with ground chicken and gourmet toppings. They're even better served with a cold beer.

Recipe: Chicken Burgers with Caramelized Shallots and Blue Cheese

15 /22 Leo Gong

Linguine with Gorgonzola, Potatoes, Green Beans, and Sage

Your new Italian weeknight staple: The elegant sauce practically creates itself in the time it takes to toss the pasta. Potatoes, pasta, green beans, and blue cheese are a riff on a Ligurian favorite.

Recipe: Linguine with Gorgonzola, Potatoes, Green Beans, and Sage

16 /22 Photo by Leo Gong; Styling: Dan Becker

Green Bean and Whole-grain Penne Salad

Flavor and texture contrasts give this salad extra appeal: Nutty pasta mingles with crisp green beans, strewn with bits of crunchy bacon and creamy Roquefort.

Recipe: Green Bean and Whole-grain Penne Salad

17 /22 Alex Farnum; Styling: Randy Mon

Gorgonzola and Radicchio Risotto

Creamy chunks of gorgonzola cheese melt into creamy risotto, perked up by slightly crisp radicchio in this soul-satisfying dish.

Recipe: Gorgonzola and Radicchio Risotto

18 /22 Leigh Beisch; Merilee Bordin

Smoky Beef Stew with Blue Cheese and Chives

Rich and dazzling flavor comes from bacon, smoked paprika, and chipotle chile powder. A crumble of blue cheese adds the perfect final touch.

Recipe: Smoky Beef Stew with Blue Cheese and Chives

19 /22 James Carrier

Tenderloin Steaks with Gorgonzola Butter

Who needs a steakhouse when you've got your house? Picture it: The finest filet mignon, smeared with decadent blue-cheese butter, grilled in your own backyard. A ritzy night out, for the price of the ingredients. We'll take two.

Recipe: Tenderloin Steaks with Gorgonzola Butter

20 /22 Iain Bagwell

Gorgonzola-Stuffed Pork Chops with Pears

Here's a recipe to add to your go-to list: easy enough to pull off for a Tuesday night dinner but special enough to serve to guests.

Recipe: Gorgonzola-Stuffed Pork Chops with Pears

21 /22 James Carrier

Gorgonzola Broccoli Casserole

Broccoli-and-cheese have never had it so good: Everybody's favorite green veggie gets the royal treatment with a creamy blue cheese-spiked sauce. Make it up to a day ahead, then bring it to a potluck ― everybody will feel lucky.

Recipe: Gorgonzola Broccoli Casserole

22 /22 Aya Brackett

Belgian Endive Salad with Blue Cheese

At the end of a holiday dinner, cookbook author Deborah Madison likes to serve a big refreshing salad, passed around at the table. This one is based on a recipe in her her book Vegetable Literacy (Ten Speed Press, 2013).

Recipe: Belgian Endive Salad with Blue Cheese