Sliced blue cheese cheesecake with quince glaze, served with prosciutto and walnuts on a marble board.

Savoury Blue Cheese Cheesecake

  • Prep: 20 minutes
  • Cook: 40–45 minutes total
  • Total: 1 hour active, plus overnight chillin
  • Yield: Cuts into 12–14 slim wedges for grazing boards or appetisers

Ok, this one is an absolute show-off piece. We’re talking a buttery, nutty base with a cheeky hint of Parmesan (because why not?), filled with a creamy, punchy filling of blue cheese, ricotta, and herbs. She’s rich but balanced,  salty, tangy & earthy all topped off with glossy quince paste for that sweet little kiss of contrast.

It’s giving decadent savoury tart, it’s giving fancy dinner party energy, but it’s secretly really low-effort. There’s no water bath, no complicated folding, no stress. Just a bit of mixing, baking, and chilling.

Perfect as the centrepiece of a grazing board, sliced into slim wedges next to meat, fruit, and nuts. Best served with a crisp white wine as a pre-dinner bite that says, “Oh this? Just something I whipped up.” You could even do it as a light main with a peppery salad if you’re feeling civilised. Honestly, it’s hard to go wrong with this one.

Preparing a savoury cheesecake base with Parmesan, panko, and herbs, shown being mixed in a bowl and pressed into a springform tin.
Step-by-step of mixing and pressing a savoury cheesecake base made with panko breadcrumbs, Parmesan, and thyme.

Ingredients

BASE

  • 120g panko breadcrumbs, blitzed to fine crumbs

  • 85g butter, melted

  • 50g grated Parmesan

  • Salt & cracked black pepper, to taste

  • 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves (or ½ tsp dried)

FILLING

  • 225g cream cheese, room temp

  • 375g smooth ricotta, room temp

  • 1 egg yolk

  • 100g crumbly blue cheese (e.g. Danish Blue)

  • Salt & cracked pepper, to taste

  • 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves

TO GARNISH

  • 100g quince paste

Freshly baked savoury cheesecake in a springform tin with a golden panko and Parmesan crust, cooling in natural sunlight.
Bake until the filling is just set with a slight wobble in the centre. The top should be lightly golden. Cool in the tin before glazing or slicing.

Method

1. Prep the base

  • Preheat oven to 160°C (fan-forced).

  • Combine blitzed panko, melted butter, Parmesan, thyme, salt, and pepper.

  • Press the mixture into the base of a lined 20cm springform tin. Use the back of a spoon to get it nice and flat.

  • Bake for 10 minutes until golden and set. Let cool slightly.

2. Make the filling

  • In a bowl, beat cream cheese and ricotta until smooth. Add the egg yolk and mix until combined.

  •  Crumble in the blue cheese, thyme, salt, and pepper. Mix until just combined (a few blue cheese chunks are fine).

  • Pour over the base and smooth the top.

3. Bake

  • Bake for 30–35 minutes, or until just set with a gentle wobble in the centre.

  • Cool at room temp, then chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours (overnight = even better).

4. Garnish

  • Gently melt quince paste with a splash of water until spreadable (can be helped along with a burst in the micro-wave-aye).

  • Spoon and swirl over the top of the chilled cheesecake.

  • Garnish with herbs or nuts if you’re feeling extra.

  • Slice and serve!

Daddy Tips

  • Blitz the panko fine: Panko gives a light, crunchy texture, but blitzing it helps it pack firmly into the base and hold together better when sliced.

  • Use room temperature filling ingredients: Ricotta and cream cheese blend more smoothly when not fridge-cold, helping you get a creamy, even filling.

  • Don’t skip pre-baking the base: Baking the crust for 10 minutes helps it firm up and hold its shape — especially important for serving clean slices.

  • Bake until just set: The cheesecake should have a slight wobble in the centre when it comes out of the oven. It will firm up as it cools.

  • Chill overnight: This is a must for texture. Chilling allows the filling to fully set and develop its savoury flavour. It also slices far more cleanly the next day.

  • Glaze just before serving: Warm the quince paste with a splash of water to make it easier to spread. Apply once the cheesecake is fully chilled.

  • Serve at room temp or just cool: Take the cheesecake out of the fridge 20–30 minutes before serving for the best texture and flavour.

  • Great with garnishes: Add prosciutto, nuts, or herbs around the sides for a grazing board wow-factor, or serve wedges with a peppery salad.

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