Gorgonzola – All You Need to Know | Instacart’s Guide to Groceries

What is gorgonzola?

Gorgonzola is a hard, ripe cheese from northern Italy. Depending on how it’s aged, it can either be solid and crumbly or creamy, with a melt-in-your-mouth buttery texture. It tastes (and smells) relatively pungent, nutty, earthy, and salty—a combination that makes gorgonzola the star of so many cheese platters, risottos, and decadent pizzas.

Perhaps the most memorable thing about gorgonzola is its deep blue veining that runs through the wheel of cheese. This signature is left by a special (good) mold, without which gorgonzola couldn’t exist. It not only changes how the cheese looks but also intensifies the flavor. It’s because of this mold that gorgonzola is considered a blue cheese.

Where did gorgonzola originate?

Gorgonzola is as mysterious as it is delicious. Many local legends have tried to explain how the first wheels of gorgonzola cheese were made.

One of the most popular (and most charming) says it was all an accident. A young cheesemaker was in a hurry to end his workday so he could meet with his lover. Distractedly, he left the freshly formed cheese curds to drain in a warm area of his shop, the perfect environment for mold spores to thrive. To hide his mistake, he shaped the cheese into a wheel the following morning and, after aging, noticed the striking blue veins so characteristic of gorgonzola.

Whether that’s true or not, no one can say. But there’s one thing we do know: gorgonzola was probably invented in the Italian region of Lombardy around the 9th century. At first, the moldy cheese didn’t garner too much attention. While it slowly spread to neighboring regions, gorgonzola was never as popular as, say, mozzarella.

But all that changed in the 20th century when foodies outside of Italy finally tried this dairy cheese. In just a few decades, gorgonzola became a highly sought-after delicacy. Cheese factories specializing in gorgonzola started popping up worldwide, but Italy still produces most of the pungent blue cheese we know and love.

How is gorgonzola made?

Gorgonzola is made from whole, unskimmed, pasteurized milk. First, cheesemakers add starter bacteria and Penicillium glaucum, the mold that creates those blue veins in gorgonzola.

Then, the milk is curdled using rennet, a mixture of enzymes found in cows’ stomachs. Some manufacturers use other coagulants, such as Miehei (which does not come from an animal), to make their cheeses suitable for vegetarians.

Next, the cheese curds are mashed together into a wheel shape and left in a cool environment to age. This step takes at least 50 days, but it can last up to 5 months. The longer the gorgonzola is aged for, the more intense its flavor and aroma become.

What is the nutritional value of gorgonzola?

100g (or 3.52oz) of gorgonzola packs:

• 314 calories
• 27g of fat
• 19g of saturated fat
• 18g of protein
• 1.6g of salt
• 66% of your daily value (DV) of calcium
• 40% DV of phosphorus

How do you pick gorgonzola at the grocery store?

There are two types of gorgonzola. Gorgonzola dolce (or sweet) is aged for at least 50 days and thus tastes creamier and milder. Gorgonzola piccante (or spicy) is aged for a minimum of 80 days and has a much more intense and crumblier bite. Which one you should get depends on what you will use it for. Make sure to look for one of those words on the packaging to make sure you’re getting the flavors you want.

If you are looking to have your groceries delivered, you can easily shop for gorgonzola via Instacart. After adding a product to your cart, use the “Instructions” option to notify your Instacart shopper about any preferences or specific directions on how to choose the best products. Shop for gorgonzola.

How to store gorgonzola

Gorgonzola is a perishable food item. Thus, you should always store it in the fridge, even if you haven’t cut into it yet. If your refrigerator has a cheese drawer, all the better—store it there.

You should also cover the gorgonzola after cutting from a wheel or wedge of cheese. Do this with the original packaging the cheese came with, cling wrap or tin foil. This way, the exposed surface won’t get hard or turn yellow because of oxidation.

What is the shelf life of gorgonzola?

List most hard cheeses, gorgonzola has a relatively long shelf life. The piccante variety, in particular, is the longest-lasting.

An unopened gorgonzola container will keep in the fridge for up to 3-4 weeks. During this time, it will continue to mature, so don’t let it go past that 4-week mark. Once open, you should use up all the gorgonzola within a week.

How to tell if gorgonzola is bad

You’ll notice mold growing on gorgonzola that has gone bad. Usually, it’s fuzzy and a different color from the blue veins. On top of that, the gorgonzola will have a very strong foul smell (even more intense than usual) that will make you wince. If the gorgonzola in your fridge shows any of these signs, it’s best to toss it.

What can I substitute for gorgonzola?

You can use other blue cheeses instead of gorgonzola. Danish Blue (or Danablu), Roquefort, Stilton, and Cabrales are all good swaps. While most of them are more intense in flavor, you’ll still enjoy the nutty, earthy notes and blue veining that make gorgonzola so memorable.

Where to find gorgonzola

No, you don’t have to drive to a specialty cheese shop to find gorgonzola. Why spend your precious time browsing the dairy aisles when you could be setting up a beautiful cheese platter or making the perfect risotto? With Instacart and just a few clicks, you can get this memorable cheese delivered to your doorstep. And thanks to same-day delivery, you don’t have to wait more than 2 hours to gorge on gorgonzola!

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Instacart is the leading grocery technology company in North America, partnering with more than 1,400 national, regional, and local retail banners to deliver from more than 80,000 stores across more than 14,000 cities in North America. To read more Instacart posts, you can browse the company blog or search by keyword using the search bar at the top of the page.