How Long Does Blue Cheese Last?
Opened blue cheese lasts 1–2 weeks in the fridge, and crumbles about 1 week. Unopened wedges keep until the printed date. It freezes for up to 6 months for use in cooking and dressings.
Blue Cheese — opened
shelf life- Opened, crumbled: 1 week in the fridge
- Unopened: 2–4 weeks in the fridge
Fridge at 40°F (4°C) or below · freezer at 0°F (−18°C). Freezer times are for best quality; frozen food stays safe longer.
Blue cheese is ripened with Penicillium roqueforti, the mold that forms its blue-green veins and sharp, salty flavor. That mold is safe to eat, but it does not protect the cheese from other molds, yeasts or bacteria. Because it already looks and smells strong, spoiled blue cheese is harder to spot than most, so storage times matter.
How to store blue cheese
- Wrap blue cheese in wax paper or foil and keep it in its own lidded container, because its mold spores and smell readily move to other cheeses and foods.
- Use a separate knife and board for blue cheese on a cheese plate so the blue mold does not seed itself on your brie or cheddar.
- Freeze crumbles flat in a freezer bag and scatter them frozen onto burgers, steaks or into sauces.
- Return the wedge to the fridge within 2 hours of serving, and rewrap it in fresh paper if the old wrapping is wet.
How to tell if blue cheese has gone bad
- Fuzzy white, gray, black or pink mold sitting on the surface, which is different from the blue-green veins running through the paste.
- The creamy white or ivory part of the cheese turning pink, brown or yellow.
- A slimy, sticky surface or a gritty, wet texture.
- A harsh ammonia or rotten smell that overpowers the usual sharp, tangy aroma.
Bacteria that cause food poisoning usually do not change the look, smell or taste of food. Go by the time limits first, and the signs above second.
Blue Cheese shelf life chart
| State | Fridge | Freezer | Pantry |
|---|---|---|---|
| Opened | 1–2 weeks | 6 months | Not safe |
| Wedge, rewrapped. Firm, drier blues such as Stilton last toward the longer end; creamy Gorgonzola dolce toward the shorter. | |||
| Opened, crumbled | 1 week | 3–4 months | Not safe |
| Unopened | 2–4 weeks | 6 months | Not safe |
| Follow the use-by date on sealed wedges and tubs. | |||
Not safe = perishable: no more than 2 hours at room temperature (1 hour above 90°F / 32°C). Not recommended = possible, but quality suffers or it serves no purpose.
Frequently asked questions
How can you tell if blue cheese has gone bad?
Look at the pale part of the cheese, not the veins. Blue cheese has spoiled when the white or cream-colored paste turns pink, brown or yellow, when fuzzy mold grows on the surface, when it feels slimy, or when it smells strongly of ammonia. The blue-green veins themselves are normal.
Is the mold in blue cheese safe to eat?
Yes. The blue veins are Penicillium roqueforti or a close relative, deliberately added by the cheesemaker, and they are safe for most people. Other molds that appear later in your fridge are not part of the cheese, and a soft or crumbled blue cheese showing them should be thrown away.
How long do blue cheese crumbles last after opening?
Blue cheese crumbles last about 1 week after the tub is opened. Crumbling exposes far more surface to air and to other microbes than a wedge has, so they dry out, discolor and turn slimy sooner. For longer storage, freeze them.
Can you freeze blue cheese?
Yes, for up to about 6 months. Freezing makes it more crumbly and mutes the flavor slightly, which does not matter for salad dressing, wing dip, sauces or melting over steak. Wrap wedges tightly in foil inside a freezer bag and thaw them in the refrigerator.
Can blue cheese be left out overnight?
No. Despite its mold and salt, blue cheese is a moist, perishable cheese and falls under the 2-hour rule. After a night at room temperature it should be discarded, even though it may look and smell no different, since harmful bacteria give no visible sign.
Related foods
| Food | Fridge | Freezer | Pantry |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brie Cut |
1 week | 6 months | Not safe |
| Goat Cheese Opened |
1 week | 6 months | Not safe |
| Feta Cheese Opened |
1 week | 6 months | Not safe |
| Ranch Dressing Opened |
1–2 months | Not recommended | Not safe |
| Chicken Wings Raw |
1–2 days | 9 months | Not safe |
| Walnuts Opened |
6 months | 1 year | 2–3 months |
More fresh & soft cheese: Cottage Cheese, Cream Cheese, Mozzarella, Ricotta.
Reviewed 2026-09-20. Times follow published USDA FoodKeeper / FSIS, FDA and CDC storage guidance; where sources differ we use the shorter time. How we compile this data.