As I was returning from my older son’s cross country meet just in time to run my younger son to swim practice, there was not a whole lot of time for cooking and no leftovers to speak of. As I reached for the eggs–a favorite quick dinner in our house–I spotted a jar of leftover Greeked-Out Gorgonzola.
This dressing is my lighter-but-equally-delicious take on the classic, thick, blue cheese dressing. As I stared at the jar, I wondered how it might do as a pasta sauce.
As it turned out, this was a happy experiment that is now one more delicious use for a recipe that was an experiment from the start. As you stir the sauce into the warm noodles, the blue cheese melts and provides a most delicious flavor. The overall dish is kept in check thanks to the base of Greek yogurt. Peas are a great add-in. Sautéed mushrooms would pair perfectly, too. Add a protein of your choose to make the meal heartier. I just love it when desperation breeds deliciousness!
Gorgonzola Noodles
Ingredients
- 8 ounces fusilli, gemelli, wide egg noodles or similar pasta of your choice
- 1/2 cup peas, frozen is fine
- 1 cup Greek-Out Gorgonzola dressing (see recipe link below)
For the dressing
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 3/4 cup (a 6-ounce cup) plain Greek yogurt
- 4 ounces blue cheese, crumbled (I often use gorgonzola)
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 garlic cloves, minced (if I’m in a hurry, I sometimes skip this)
- kosher or sea salt and freshly ground pepper
- 2 tablespoons fresh chives plus extra for garnish
- buttermilk for thinning to desired consistency (can use regular milk or even water)
Instructions
For the dressing
- In a large bowl, whisk together the oil, yogurt, Worcestershire, garlic, and salt and pepper, to taste. I use about a half teaspoon of salt and a few grinds of the pepper mill.
- Stir in the blue cheese and chives, then add a little buttermilk to reach your preferred consistency. Three tablespoons of buttermilk creates a a consistency I like for dressing. You may want it just slightly thinner for using as pasta sauce.
- Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving.
- Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Drain and return to pot.
- Pour in the dressing and the peas and cook over low heat until the peas are warmed and the cheese is melted.
- Sprinkle with chopped chives, if desired.
Notes
- Gorgonzola is one variety of blue cheese. You may use Gorgonzola, Roquefort, Stilton, Maytag or any variety you like. Your favorite pre-crumbled, grocery store brand will work just fine in this recipe, too.
For other recipes using Greeked-Out Gorgonzola, simply click on the following links:
Grilled Romaine and Prosciutto Salad
Grilled Flank Steak with Gorgonzola and Tomato Salsa
Leave a Reply