How to Serve It

This is great as a tapas dish to whet your appetite. Serve it with some toasted bread or crackers. You can also serve it as part of a cheese platter or charcuterie board. And for those who order cheese instead of sweets for desserts, then enjoy it as a dessert too.

Ingredients and Substitutions

OK, so you obviously need to have blue cheese and sherry to make this spread. But if you can’t source Cabrales cheese or Jerez sherry, you can easily make it with any strong blue cheese that’s creamy and not too hard, and a sherry of your choice. The key is to be able to mash the cheese into a paste-like consistency and let it sit long enough with the sherry mixed in for the flavors to meld.

Blue Cheese (Cabrales)

Cabrales comes from a northern region of Spain called Asturias. Much of the region is mountainous with plenty of rainfall so it’s a natural grazing hotspot for cows, sheep, and goats. For this reason, Asturias is well-known for producing exceptional dairy products as well as exceptional stews, delicious seafood dishes, and meat recipes. 

One of the most famous cheeses is Cabrales, which boasts a PDO (Protected Designation of Origin). It’s a wonderfully creamy yet semi-hard blue cheese that packs a punch. There are two types, one made with cow’s milk and the other a combination of cow, sheep, and goat milk. The result is always spectacular. Combine this salty, pungent goodness with sweet sherry and you’re in for a treat. 

Where to Buy Cabrales Cheese Outside of Spain

There are quite a few stockists of Cabrales cheese overseas. If you have a local cheese shop, try there because when we were researching where to be Cabrales outside of Spain, many cheese shops stocked it but offer in-store shopping only or local delivery so wouldn’t cover the whole country. 

The links below are to online options. 

US and Canada

• La Tienda

Europe

• Quesos Asturianos 

Australia

• The Iberians

Sherry (Jerez)

Jerez sherry is Spain’s world-class sherry that comes from a wine-growing region called Jerez (surprise!). It’s located in the west of Andalusia, and the area is also known for its incredible food culture. In fact, the whole of Andalusia is something of a foodie’s paradise, with most of the award-winning Spanish olive oil coming from the region, as well as a plethora of seafood from along the coastlines, and a rich and ongoing tradition of tapas. 

Other Spanish Spreads and Sauces

Here are some more tasty Spanish spreads and sauces:

• Canary mojo sauces – Very tasty green, red, and spicy red version, which consists of bell peppers, garlic, vinegar, olive oil, cumin, chilies, breadcrumbs, and the green mojo also has cilantro or parsley. Great for dipping, layering on bread, or marinating.
• Romesco sauce – A game changer. Somehow this sauce is ridiculously healthy and tasty at the same time. It’s super diverse and goes with nearly anything from seafood to pasta.
• Spicy bravas sauce – Most famous for starring in the patatas bravas tapas, you can also throw this on some eggs for breakfast, in stuffed peppers (capsicums), or with meat — like in this chicken in spicy bravas sauce.

FAQs

How long does this tapas recipe take to make?

• Prep time: 1 minute
• Cook time: None
• Resting time: Around 2 hours
• Total time: 2 hours, 1 minute

Can I prepare and serve this recipe without resting time? 

Yes. However, the ingredients meld better when left at room temperature for around an hour or two. 

Can I use any type of blue cheese?

Yes. We opted for Cabrales (an Artisan blue cheese from Asturias in Spain), but you can substitute it for any type of blue cheese.

More Tapas and Party Food Ideas

• Paprika-Infused Chicken Skewers
• Blue cheese and sherry canapes
• Spanish banderillas (the fastest party food)
• Pan-Fried Spicy Shrimp with Romesco Sauce
• Paprika-Infused Pork bites
• Roasted asparagus wrapped in Serrano ham
• Albondigas (Spanish-Style meatballs)
• Sizzling Garlic Shrimp (Gambas al ajillo)