This year for the holidays I hosted the whole family at my house. I didn’t want to have the traditional turkey dinner, so instead, we made a grazing table with a variety of cheeses, meats, vegetables, fruits, crackers, and jams. It was a huge success.
Luckily a shop in my town has a wide variety of cheeses and deli meats. Even if they had not had exactly what I was looking for, I could have found a good substitute for some of the options I was looking for like Stilton cheese.
If you need to find a substitute for Stilton cheese, on the milder end of the flavor scale, try Feta Gorgonzola Dulce, Danablu, or Dorblu. Fourme d’Ambert and Gorgonzola have a similar strength of flavor to Stilton, while Maytag, Blue d’Auvergne, and Roquefort are considerably more powerful. Monte Enebro is an unusual substitution since the “blue” mold is in the rind of the cheese rather than mottled throughout it.
You may have only had blue cheese crumbles on your salad or in salad dressing, but take advantage of its unique flavors and try it in some new ways. Gorgonzola, Fourme d’Ambert, Dorblu, and Monte Enebro are good choices for eating with crackers, fruit, honey, and dessert wines. Gorgonzola Dulce and Blue d’Auvergne make a great addition to pasta sauces.
For a mild salad topping try Feta, or for a more powerful taste, try the original blue, Roquefort. Finally, you can top a steak or pork chop with a creamy blue cheese sauce. Give Danablu a try for this delicious application.
Continue reading to find some substitutions for Stilton with both milder and bolder flavors as well as ideas for using blue cheese in your recipes.
Stilton Cheese Substitutes
1. Gorgonzola
Gorgonzola is a blue unskimmed cow’s milk cheese made in Italy. Aged gorgonzola is crumbly and has a sharp, salty flavor that is stronger than Stilton. Younger gorgonzola has a milder taste and is soft and creamy. Both aged and young gorgonzola have a nutty fragrance.
Gorgonzola is a flexible cheese that you can use in a variety of dishes from lasagne to salad toppings. You can substitute gorgonzola for Stilton in a cheese course or a dessert course. Serve it combined with mascarpone and hazelnuts in a creamy sauce, or with honey and sliced apples, and jams.
2. Fourme d’Ambert
Fourme d’Ambert is a French blue-veined cheese that is made from raw cow’s milk. It is a semi-hard cheese that crumbles easily. This cheese has a tangy, buttery flavor that is milder than Stilton cheese. If want a creamy, milder flavor than Stilton, this cheese is a good option.
The creamy texture of this cheese works well with sweet wines and grapes. When you serve it in a cheese course, try serving it with honey, bread, and sliced apples and pears. Sauterne wines compliment Fourme d’Ambert nicely.
3. Dorblu
Another flexible substitution for Stilton is Dorblu. This pale yellow German cheese is made from pasteurized cow’s milk. It has a soft, creamy consistency and a spicy, salty aftertaste. Try using this cheese as a substitute for Stilton with fresh vegetables, sliced fruits, and crackers.
You may also enjoy it with honey and pears or as a salad topping.
Dorblu has an unforgettable flavor that you can enjoy in a wide variety of dishes.
4. Monte Enebro
Monte Enebro is an unusual kind of blue cheese in that the rind is made of the blue mold rather than having the mold spores injected into the body of the cheese. This unusual process makes the inner part of the cheese have a sweet creaminess while the rind has a cellar-like aroma.
Younger cheeses are tangy with elements of citrus while older cheeses are more pungent and assertive. Monte Enebro is a good replacement for Stilton’s creaminess and pungent scent. Pair it with Sauternes, Spanish dessert wine, or some fruit to offset the saltiness of this cheese. Eat this cheese in moderation as the strong flavor can linger on your palate.
5. Gorgonzola Dolce
Blue cheeses, like Stilton, add creaminess and depth to pasta sauces, though they can be overpowering if there is too much. If you want to use blue cheese in a pasta sauce and you don’t have Stilton, try using Gorgonzola Dolce. It is a milder flavored gorgonzola, with even a sweet taste.
If you are making sauces or pasta dishes, Gorgonzola Dolce is a phenomenal choice. It melts well and compliments all kinds of pasta dishes and risotto, but doesn’t have an overpowering flavor. It also goes well with both red and white wines, so you can base your wine choice on the meat in your dish.
6. Bleu d’Auvergne
Bleu d’Auvergne is a milder-tasting blue mold cheese from in the Auvergne region in France. It is made from either pasteurized or raw cow’s milk and is similar to Roquefort. The cheese has a creamy, buttery texture with a salty, peppery, taste that is on the milder side of pungent.
The mold culture in this variety of cheese has a similar taste to roasted hazelnuts. Due to the creamy texture, you can use this cheese as a substitution for Stilton in pasta sauces and on sandwiches. If you prefer it on a cheese board, serve it with a riesling or sauvignon blanc wine or a dark beer.
7. Roquefort
A little crumble of blue cheese on the top of a salad adds a delicious tang and saltiness to the fresh vegetables and leafy greens. If you like a stronger flavor in your blue cheese, try adding Roquefort crumbles to your cobb salad instead of Stilton.
Roquefort is a French cheese traditionally made with unpasteurized sheep’s milk and is one of the strongest blue cheeses. It has a rich, tangy, salty flavor and a creamy texture. Use it sparingly until you are sure you like the powerful flavor, then pile it on! Try Roquefort on roasted potatoes and as a soup topping as well.
8. Feta
It may seem that Feta is an unusual addition to our list because it is not a blue cheese. Feta is a semi-hard Greek cheese with a creamy texture. It is made of a combination of goat’s and sheep’s milk. It has a milder flavor than Stilton, but can still add a surprising bite to a dish.
Top your salad with feta crumbles to add a mild saltiness and vinegar flavor. It works especially well with cucumbers and olives. You can also serve it as a table cheese or add it to a quiche, a taco (yes, really!), or a pizza.
9. Maytag Blue
Maytag is an American Blue cheese with a stronger flavor than Stilton, but not as pungent as Roquefort. A team at Iowa State University developed Maytag Blye and only produces it in small batches. It has a crumbly texture, a pungent, semi-sharp flavor, and a hint of citrus.
You can substitute Maytag for Stilton as a salad topping, but it can really shine in a coleslaw at a barbeque served with a nice ale or lager. Try crumbling it over your cobb salad for a kick of flavor.
10. Danish Blue / Danablu
Danablu is produced in Denmark with cow’s milk. It uses the same mold cultures (Penicillium Roqforti) as Roquefort cheese although the flavor of the cheese is milder than its French cousin. This cheese is semi-soft, crumbly, and has a sharp, salty taste. Due to its milder flavor and ability to melt, it works well in soups, sauces, and salad dressings.
Danablu is a versatile blue cheese that you can serve on almost anything from a cheese board to a pizza. However, its salty tanginess makes an excellent finishing topping for steaks, pork chops, and veal.
11. Follow Your Heart Dairy-Free Bleu Cheese Crumbles
If you follow a vegan diet, but still crave the pungent tanginess of good blue cheese, you can find it in the Follow Your Heart Dairy-Free Bleu Cheese Crumbles. These coconut oil-based crumbles are a delicious topping for a green salad, a powerful flavor enhancement for a creamy pasta sauce, or a topping for your quinoa and sweet potato salad.
These non-dairy crumbles are made from coconut oil and potato starch. They are non-GMO, gluten-free, and soy-free. A one-ounce serving has 70 calories, 6 grams of saturated fats, and 350 mg of sodium.
This food is not a significant source of sugars or other vitamins or minerals. If you have concerns about increased sodium, you should watch your intake of this topping. One serving has 15% of the DV for sodium.
12. Sheese Blue English Style Vegan Cheese
This English-style cheese is made with coconut oil as the primary ingredient. It is created in Scotland and is available throughout the UK. This product has the mushroom flavor of other English cheeses. It makes a nice grilled cheese sandwich, a complement to your homemade coleslaw, or a nice contrast to walnuts and pears on a charcuterie board.
Cheese is dairy and soy-free. A 100-gram serving has 17.6 grams of saturated fats, 21.3 carbohydrates, 4 grams of fiber, and 1.85 grams of sodium.
13. Nuts for Cheese Super Blue
Super Blue Nuts for Cheese is a delicious addition to a Waldorf salad or as a dipping sauce for Buffalo Cauliflower Steaks. Nuts for Cheese is made with cashews, coconut oil, quinoa, and chickpeas with spirulina cultures for the blue cheese flavor.
One serving has 140 calories, 12 grams of saturated fats, 6 carbohydrates, 3 grams of protein thanks to the cashews, 200 mg of Sodium, 125 mg of potassium, and 7% of the DV of iron.
Homemade Blue Cheese
If you are the independent and adventurous sort, you can make blue cheese at home. It is a time-intensive process taking 2 – 6 months depending on the strength of the flavor. The cheese begins with milk, so you will need to find a source for milk that is not ultra-pasteurized or that is raw.
You may also prefer goat’s or sheep’s milk for a stronger blue cheese flavor. You will need to purchase some cheese-making supplies cheese culture, powdered rennet, and mold spores for blue cheeses. You’ll also need some calcium chloride.
You can purchase these supplies from The Cheesemaker, The New England Cheesemaking Supply Co., or the Country Brewer. Of course, there are other sources for your cheese-making supplies.
You can find multiple recipes for your blue cheese-making adventures. The Mission Food Adventure website has a more in-depth recipe with photos that demonstrate the process along the way. Another recipe with step-by-step instructions and lots of photos is on The New England Cheesemaking Supply Co. website.
If you are more of a video tutorial learner, you can follow along with these instructions for making Stilton-style cheese at home.
Blue Cheese Salad Dressing
You can make Blue Cheese Dressing at home with your favorite blue cheese so it is as pungent or as mild as you like it. Serve it on your favorite salad or dip buffalo chicken wings in it when you are tailgating or watching the big game.
Combine 1/4 cup sour cream, 1/4 cup mayonnaise, 1 tablespoon minced parsley, 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste, buttermilk to thin out the dressing, and 2 ounces crumbled blue cheese.
Choose Stilton or Gorgonzola for a milder blue cheese dressing, or go for Roquefort if you like a stronger flavor.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is So Unique about Stilton Cheese?
Stilton Cheese is produced in England and is named for the city in which it has historically been made. It is made as blue cheese and also as a milder white variety. The production of Stilton is protected.
Only specific certified cheesemakers in three counties in England are allowed to make Stilton Cheese, and they must adhere to specific traditional methods to ensure accurate production. The 9-week process has remained the same since the mid-1700s.
Stilton Blue Cheese has veins of Penicillium roqueforti throughout creating its signature flavor. White Stilton is a creamy, crumbly cheddar-like milder version of the famous blue cheese. It is an excellent dessert cheese and pairs well with fruits.
Overall, Stilton blue cheese is in the middle range of blue cheese flavors. It is a versatile ingredient, good for eating with bread, crackers, and fruit, used in a sauce for pasta or steak, or crumbled on top of a salad.
Which Blue Cheese Has the Mildest or the Strongest Flavor?
In this article, we’ve suggested several uses for a variety of blue cheeses. However, trying to choose a strong flavor from a written list can be difficult.
Whether you like blue cheese already and are ready to jump into some stronger flavors, or you are only beginning to venture into the world of strong cheeses, this list of blue cheeses from mild to strong should help you make the best choice. This is an approximation because each cheese can have a range of flavors based on age, dairy, and other factors.
We Thought You Would Like
Sorted from mild to strong flavors
- Feta (Ok, not a blue cheese, but choose this if you don’t like blue cheese and still want a salty, tangy cheese.)
- Gorgonzola Dulce
- Danablu
- Dorblu
- Fourme d’Ambert
- Stilton
- Gorgonzola
- Maytag
- Monte Enebro
- Blue d’Auvergne
- Roquefort
What Exactly is Blue Cheese?
Blue cheese is made by introducing cultures of the penicillium mold into the cheese curds after the wheels have been formed. The cheese ages for 2-3 months allowing blue-green veins or spots of mold spores to form. The mold gives the cheese its distinctive flavor and appearance.
Can Blue Cheese Go Bad?
Yes. Like other kinds of cheese, it can grow dangerous molds and become unsafe to eat. If your blue cheese has fuzzy growths of white gray or pink mold growing on it, you should discard it right away.
Is Blue Cheese Safe to Eat? (Penicillin allergy)
Some people who are allergic to penicillin may wonder if it is safe to eat blue cheese since it has penicillium cultures in it. The antibiotic penicillin comes from an extract from Penicillium chrysogenum. The strain used in blue cheese is Penicillium roquforti.
Due to the different compositions of the antibiotic and the kind of penicillium in the blue cheese, some people with a penicillin allergy can eat blue cheese. As with any medical concern, you should check with your doctor to see if it is safe for your to eat the cultures in blue cheese.
Nutritional Information About Blue Cheese
A 1 ounce serving of blue cheese has about 100 calories. Like other cheeses, it has about 6 grams of proteins per ounce and about 10% of the DV of calcium. However, you need vitamin D to absorb calcium, so pair cheeses with something rich in D like mushrooms, tuna, or eggs.
Blue cheese is also an excellent source of nutrients like phosphorous, potassium, sodium, and vitamin A. It is also a good source of unsaturated fats.
One thing to watch out for is that blue cheeses tend to be high in sodium with one ounce of cheese having as much as 300 mg. If you have concerns about eating a low sodium diet, look for a low sodium version of blue cheese, or limit the amount you eat.
Final Thoughts
Whether you already love blue cheese or you are just trying out a new flavor adventure, you should be able to find a flavor that appeals to you.
If your recipe calls for Stilton and you can’t find it, or you just want a different flavor, you can easily substitute a milder cheese like Gorgonzola Dulce or go all the way to a Roquefort. Whatever you choose, blue cheese adds a new flavor profile to your menu.
My name is Keren Tayler. I am a stay-at-home mama to three lovely girls, Sarah + Rachel + Hannah. Prior to becoming a mom, I had a successful career in the accounting field, steps away from becoming a CPA. I decided to give up on my career in order to raise my own kids (as opposed to letting a nanny do it, no judgment here :)) I learned a lot and I love sharing it with other moms. Along the way, I also became a Certified Food Handler.