Patrick Oconnell
Brie is a soft cheese with a creamy texture and a velvety rind. It is usually aged for two to five weeks at around sixty degrees Fahrenheit. Its unique texture and flavour are a result of the mould that is allowed to grow on its surface. Brie is a very popular cheese, but there are many alternatives with similar textures and flavours.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Texture | Soft, creamy, velvety, pasty, or chalky |
| Rind | Velvety, edible, and earthy |
| Flavor | Milky, nutty, brothy, earthy, vegetal, or mushroomy |
| Fat Content | High |
| Calories | Lower than most other cheeses |
| Production | Made with raw milk and traditional techniques |
| Substitutes | Camembert, Brillat-Savarin, Fontina, Goat Cheese, Cream Cheese, Saint-André, Fromager d'Affinois, Coulommiers, Camoscio d'Oro, Hermelin |
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What You'll Learn
- Camembert: a softer, French alternative with a similar taste and texture to Brie
- Fromage d'Affinois: a cow's milk cheese from France with a gooey texture and a crust
- Fontina: a nutty, savoury cheese from Italy with good melting properties
- Goat's cheese: a tangy, tarter alternative to Brie that works well in sandwiches and casseroles
- Saint-André: a super fatty, salty and savoury cheese with a creamy texture
Camembert: a softer, French alternative with a similar taste and texture to Brie
If you're looking for a cheese that's similar to Brie, Camembert is a softer, French alternative with a similar taste and texture. Like Brie, Camembert is a soft-ripened, bloomy rind cheese with a hard crust on the outside and a completely different texture on the inside. It's known for its soft white rind, created by microbes like Penicillium camemberti, which is one of the many bacteria, moulds, and yeasts that work on the cheese to ripen it from the outside in.
Camembert is typically smaller than Brie, usually no larger than eight ounces, often about the size of a hockey puck. Its flavours range from milky and buttery to earthy, mushroomy, or vegetal. As it ages, the exterior of Camembert may develop reddish markings that signal its bolder flavour and softer texture.
While Camembert and Brie are part of the same cheese subfamily, each variety has unique characteristics and identities. Camembert is made in a different region from Brie, and its production process is also slightly different. Brie de Meaux, for example, must be made in the Seine-et-Marne and Ile de France region just east of Paris, while Camembert is made in Normandy.
Both Camembert and Brie are high-quality artisan cheeses with centuries of tradition and craftsmanship behind them. They can be paired with many of the same foods and beverages, including fresh berries, stone fruit, honey, preserves, cured meats, and roasted mushrooms. They also go well with crisp white or fruity red wines, especially sparkling white wines like Champagne or Prosecco.
So, if you're looking for a softer, French alternative to Brie with a similar taste and texture, Camembert is an excellent choice.
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Fromage d'Affinois: a cow's milk cheese from France with a gooey texture and a crust
If you're looking for a cheese that's similar to Brie, you might want to try Fromage d'Affinois. This French cow's milk cheese has a lot in common with Brie. Like Brie, Fromage d'Affinois has a crust and a gooey texture. However, it differs from Brie in its production process. Fromage d'Affinois undergoes an ultra-filtration process in which all the water is removed, making it available in just two weeks, whereas Brie takes eight weeks to make.
Fromage d'Affinois is not the only alternative to Brie, however. If you're looking for a substitute, you could try Camembert, which is also a French cheese made from unpasteurized cow's milk. It's known for its soft white rind, created by microbes like Penicillium camemberti, and its soft yet solid paste that gradually becomes an oozy, liquid cream line as the cheese matures. Its flavours range from milky and buttery to earthy, mushroomy, or vegetal. Like Brie, Camembert can be baked and served with foods to dip, such as apple or pear slices, or drizzled with a sweetener and served with other fruits and nuts. It can also be put in salads and served with pasta or other proteins.
Another alternative to Brie is Fontina, a cow's milk cheese from the Aosta Valley in Italy. As it ages, it takes on a natural crust and gets nuttier in flavour. It has great melting properties and is a good substitute for Brie in sandwiches and cheese boards. It also tastes great with French bread and crackers and can be used in fondue.
If you're looking for a substitute to use in a sandwich or casserole, goat cheese, or Chevre cheese, is a good option when it's young and soft. Its texture is more like Brie's when it's younger; as it ages and hardens, it becomes less like Brie.
Finally, if you're looking for a spreadable cheese, cream cheese has a similar creamy texture to Brie, but is much milder. It can be used in pasta sauces and fillings, or eaten chilled with smoked salmon, crackers, or bagels.
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Fontina: a nutty, savoury cheese from Italy with good melting properties
Fontina is a nutty, savoury cheese from Italy with good melting properties. It is a great substitute for brie in sandwiches and cheese boards, and it goes well with French bread and crackers. Fontina is also an excellent choice for fondue. As fontina ages, it develops a natural crust and an even nuttier flavour.
Fontina is a cow's milk cheese that originates from the Aosta Valley in Italy. However, its texture has evolved as other regions have adopted its production, with variations now existing worldwide.
Brie, on the other hand, is a soft cheese known for its creamy texture and velvety rind. It is typically aged for two to five weeks at sixty degrees Fahrenheit, although some sources suggest a longer aging period of four to five weeks. The unique texture and flavour of brie are a result of the mould that grows on its surface, which partially digests the young cheese. When the cheese is wrapped, the mould is crushed and becomes the rind.
Brie is a versatile cheese that can be enjoyed in a variety of dishes, from salads and sandwiches to baked recipes. It pairs well with fresh berries, stone fruits, honey, preserves, cured meats, and roasted mushrooms. Brie is also a good choice for a cheese plate or platter, and it complements crisp white or fruity red wines, especially sparkling varieties like Champagne or Prosecco.
When substituting fontina for brie, consider the recipe and desired flavour profile. Fontina's nutty and savoury flavour can add a unique twist to recipes that call for melted cheese, such as sandwiches, casseroles, or fondue. Its melting properties and texture make it a suitable alternative to brie in these dishes.
In conclusion, fontina is an excellent choice for those seeking a nutty, savoury cheese with good melting properties. It is a versatile Italian cheese that can enhance the flavour and texture of various dishes, making it a worthy substitute for brie in certain contexts.
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Goat's cheese: a tangy, tarter alternative to Brie that works well in sandwiches and casseroles
Goats' cheese, or Chevre cheese, is a tangy, tarter alternative to Brie. It is made from goat's milk and has a different production process to cow's milk cheese. Chevre cheese is made by allowing raw milk to curdle naturally. The curdled milk is then strained and pressed. As goat cheese ages, its flavour and texture change. It moves from soft to hard and its flavour becomes stronger and its smell more pungent. Chevre cheese is best used as a substitute for Brie when it is young and soft, as its texture more closely mimics that of Brie.
Goats' cheese is a good substitute for Brie in sandwiches and casseroles. Its softer texture means it melts well, making it a good option for grilled cheese sandwiches or paninis. It can also be used in casseroles, where it will melt into a creamy texture. Its tangy, tarter flavour will also stand out in these dishes.
Goats' cheese is a good option for those who are unable to eat Brie. Pregnant women, for example, are advised to avoid raw milk cheeses and cheeses with edible rinds that contain mould. Goats' cheese is often made with raw milk but does not have an edible rind, so it can be a good alternative. It is also a lower-fat option for those who are unable to eat Brie due to its high-fat content.
Goats' cheese can be found in most supermarkets and is a versatile alternative to Brie. It can be used in a range of dishes, from sandwiches to casseroles, and its tangy flavour will add interest to any meal.
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Saint-André: a super fatty, salty and savoury cheese with a creamy texture
Saint-André is a super fatty, salty and savoury cheese with a creamy texture. It is often referred to as "Brie on steroids" due to its intense flavour. Saint-André is a great alternative for those who find Brie too mild and want something with a bolder flavour. It is a good substitute for Brie on a cheese platter or in some recipes. However, it may be too strong for baked Brie, unless your guests are serious cheese lovers. Saint-André pairs well with bread, crackers, and fruits like plums, dried figs and sweet grapes. It is also delicious when paired with wine.
Saint-André is similar to Camembert, a French cheese made from unpasteurized cow's milk. Camembert is a soft-ripened, bloomy rind cheese with a soft white rind and a solid paste that becomes oozy and creamy as it matures. Its flavours range from milky and buttery to earthy, mushroomy or vegetal. Camembert can be baked and served with apples or pears, drizzled with a sweetener, or paired with other fruits and nuts. It can also be served with salads, pasta or proteins. Like Saint-André, Camembert is also a good substitute for Brie.
Other cheeses that are similar to Brie include Fromager d'Affinois, which has a creamy texture without the sharpness in the rind that some find in Brie. Fromager d'Affinois has a similar look to Brie with its crust and gooey texture. Brillat Savarin is another similar cheese, known as a "triple-cream" with at least 72% fat content. It has a crust and can be consumed like Brie. Fontina, a cow's milk cheese from Italy, is another substitute with a nutty and savoury flavour. It has great melting properties and can be used in sandwiches, cheese boards, and fondue.
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Frequently asked questions
Pregnant women are advised against consuming raw milk cheeses or cheeses with edible rinds that contain mold. Some alternatives to Brie that pregnant women can eat include goat cheese, cream cheese, mozzarella, and Camembert.
Some vegan alternatives to Brie include cashew-based and coconut oil-based cheeses.
Some alternatives to Brie include Camembert, Fromager d’Affinois, Fontina, Saint-André, Brillat-Savarin, and Harbison from Jasper Hill Farm.
