Blue Cheese Pasta for The Skeptics

I know some of you would rather be struck by lightning than eat blue cheese. And that’s because you’ve never tried the right recipe.

I know this because I used to be one of you. Back when chicken tenders and fries were the greatest meal on Earth, I thought blue cheese was one of those foods people pretended to like. It was too strong, too funky, and frankly, a little suspicious. It wasn’t until much later that I realized the problem wasn’t blue cheese itself. I simply hadn’t found the right way to eat it.

The Canary Islands Wine That Changed My Mind

Back when I was working at a Spanish market in SoHo, I bought one of the strangest bottles of wine I’ve ever tasted. It was a red wine from the Canary Islands, and apparently the volcanic soil of the region influences the minerals absorbed by the vines. The result was a wine with a savory character that reminded me of adobo. Maybe the Bloody Mary crowd would love that sort of thing for Sunday brunch, but at the time I found it completely undrinkable.

Then something unexpected happened.

I paired it with a cheese from the same region and suddenly the wine changed. The flavors softened, new notes emerged, and the whole experience finally made sense. What had felt harsh and unbalanced on its own suddenly became enjoyable.

That experience taught me something important about food.

Every Flavor Has Its Ecosystem

Every condiment, meal, and beverage exists within an ecosystem of flavors. Some pairings are so natural that we rarely question them. Cereal and milk. Pepperoni and pizza. Ketchup and fries, although I’ll admit I’m not the biggest fan of that one.

Blue cheese works the same way.

On its own it can be overwhelming, which is why so many people dismiss it after a single bite. But pair it with the right ingredients and it becomes something entirely different. Rich instead of aggressive. Creamy instead of sharp. Comforting instead of intimidating.

One of my favorite examples of this is blue cheese pasta.

Blue Cheese Pasta

This recipe requires only a handful of ingredients, but the results are far greater than the effort involved.

Ingredients

• A handful of blue cheese

• Your favorite pasta

• Your favorite protein (I recommend sausage or bacon)

• A handful of walnuts

• About 1½ tablespoons of butter

• Olive oil

• Reserved pasta water

Directions

Start by setting your oven to broil and toasting the walnuts for a few minutes. Once they’re fragrant, remove them from the oven and roughly chop them.

While the walnuts cool, crumble the blue cheese into small pieces.

Cook your pasta until al dente according to the package instructions. Before draining, reserve some of the hot pasta water.

Return the pasta to the pot or a large bowl and add the olive oil, butter, blue cheese, and a splash of the reserved pasta water. Stir continuously until the cheese and butter melt into a creamy sauce. Add more pasta water as needed until you reach your preferred consistency.

Transfer the pasta to a plate and top with the walnuts and your choice of protein. Finish with black pepper, chili flakes, or both.

Final Thoughts

As I mentioned before, some of you would still rather be struck by lightning than eat blue cheese. I understand. I was there once myself.

But if you’re willing to give it one honest chance, make this pasta.

You might discover that blue cheese was never the problem. You just hadn’t met the right pairing yet.

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