Andy Montoya
Gruyere is a firm, yellow Swiss cheese with a rich, creamy, salty, and nutty flavour. It is named after the town of Gruyères in Switzerland and is made from whole cow's milk. Its pleasant yet subtle flavour and high water-to-oil ratio make it a great melting cheese, perfect for baking, fondues, dips, and French dishes. It can be used in a variety of dishes, from savoury to sweet, such as French onion soup, grilled cheese sandwiches, quiches, gratins, and tomato tarts.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Type of Cheese | Firm, yellow Swiss cheese |
| Texture | Creamy |
| Taste | Salty, nutty, sweet |
| Melting Properties | Good melting properties |
| Use Cases | French onion soup, quiche, grilled cheese sandwich, croque-monsieur, croque-madame, fondue, dips, mac and cheese, pizza, mashed potatoes, grits, gratins, dauphinois, casseroles, lasagna, frittata, tomato tarts, charcuterie |
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What You'll Learn
French onion soup
The key to a great French onion soup is in the cooking of the onions—they should be cooked slowly until soft and golden, and then deglazed with wine to create a rich flavour base. The longer the soup simmers, the richer the flavour will be.
When it comes to the cheese, the most traditional choice is Gruyère, a classic Swiss cheese with a nutty, slightly sweet flavour and excellent melting qualities. Its ability to create a classic, gooey topping makes it a popular choice for this soup. When selecting Gruyère, an aged version is worth the extra cost for its flavour and texture.
However, other cheeses can also be used in French onion soup. Some common alternatives include Comté, another French cheese with a similar flavour profile to Gruyère, Fontina, which has a buttery and slightly earthy taste, and Provolone, a mild cheese that makes a decent replacement. Mozzarella, Monterey Jack, Gouda, Jarlsberg, Raclette, and Beaufort are also good substitutes, but they may melt more quickly or have a stronger flavour that could overpower the soup.
To assemble the soup, ladle the hot soup into bowls, add a crouton, and top generously with shredded cheese. Place the bowls under a broiler until the cheese is melted and browned, and serve immediately while the cheese is still bubbling.
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Croque-monsieur
Gruyere cheese is a creamy yet nutty cheese from Switzerland that can be used in a variety of dishes. It is a popular ingredient in French onion soup, grilled cheese sandwiches, and quiches. It can also be used to elevate simple dishes like baked potatoes or asparagus, or to add flavour to a frittata or mac and cheese.
One dish that commonly uses Gruyere cheese is the Croque-monsieur. This is a classic French sandwich that is both moelleux (soft) and croustillant (crispy). It is made by layering slices of country bread with ham and Gruyere cheese, then toasting the sandwiches in a skillet. The Croque-monsieur is then topped with Mornay sauce and more cheese, and broiled until golden and bubbly.
To make a Croque-monsieur, you will need the following ingredients:
- Slices of country bread or pain de mie
- Butter
- Ham
- Gruyere cheese, grated or sliced
- Milk
- Salt and pepper
- Nutmeg
- Optional: cream or crème fraîche
First, butter one side of each slice of bread. Place a slice of cheese on each unbuttered side of the bread. Then, fold a slice of ham in half and place it on top of half of the slices of bread. Cover the ham with the remaining slices of bread, buttered side facing outwards.
In a bowl, mix the grated cheese with milk, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. You can also add a little cream or crème fraîche to this mixture if desired. Spread this mixture on top of the sandwiches.
Finally, place the sandwiches on a baking tray and grill them in the oven for about 10 minutes, or until golden and crispy. For a crispier texture, you can toast the bread slices in a toaster before assembling the sandwiches.
The Croque-monsieur can be served as a special breakfast or brunch dish. If you want to take it to the next level, you can add a fried egg on top, which is called a Croque-madame.
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Fondue
Gruyere is a classic fondue cheese. It is rich and creamy and melts smoothly. It is often combined with other cheeses such as Emmentaler, Swiss cheese, or Gouda. A good fondue cheese should be buttery and creamy and melt smoothly. Gruyere is a great choice for fondue because it has a high melting point and a slightly nutty flavour.
To make a classic fondue, you will need the following ingredients:
- Butter
- Shallots
- Sugar and salt
- Gruyere cheese
- White wine
- Apple brandy
- Spices such as nutmeg, cloves, and black pepper
- Cornstarch or flour
- Caramelize the shallots in butter, sugar, and salt.
- Add the white wine and bring to a simmer.
- Mix in the flour or cornstarch to thicken the mixture.
- Gradually add the grated Gruyere cheese, stirring constantly in a zigzag motion to prevent the cheese from balling up.
- Add the apple brandy and spices and stir until the fondue is creamy and smooth.
- Serve with cubes of bread, baby potatoes, vegetables, or other dipping foods.
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Grilled cheese sandwich
Gruyere cheese is a creamy, nutty cheese from Switzerland. It is a popular ingredient in French onion soup, quiches, and grilled cheese sandwiches.
To make a grilled cheese sandwich with Gruyere, start by spreading butter or mayonnaise on the outside of two slices of bread. The bread should be sourdough, ideally fermented for a day or so before baking. Next, place one slice of bread, butter or mayo-side down, into a dry, hot skillet. Layer Gruyere onto the bread in the skillet, then place the second slice of bread on top, butter or mayo-side up. Flip the sandwich carefully so that the freshly buttered or mayo-ed side is now on the bottom. The first side should be golden brown at this point. Let the sandwich cook for another 2-5 minutes, then flip again. The sandwich is ready when both sides are golden brown and the cheese has melted.
For an extra flavour boost, add mustard, caramelised onions, or portobello mushrooms to your grilled cheese sandwich.
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Quiche
Gruyere is a type of Swiss cheese commonly used in quiche recipes. It has a rich, nutty flavour and is slightly sweet with caramel overtones. Its semi-hard texture makes it ideal for melting, which is why it is often used in quiches, as well as French onion soup.
When making a quiche with Gruyere, it is important to blind bake the pie crust first. This involves baking the crust without the filling to ensure it cooks evenly. Once the crust is baked, the filling is added and the quiche is baked until the custard is set and golden.
- Blind bake a shortcrust pastry pie crust at 325°F until lightly golden.
- Sprinkle bacon and shallots onto the pie crust.
- Whisk together eggs, heavy cream, salt, pepper, and nutmeg.
- Pour the egg mixture over the bacon and shallots.
- Sprinkle grated Gruyere cheese on top.
- Bake the quiche at 325°F for 45-55 minutes, until the custard is set and golden.
There are many variations of quiche that can be made by adding different ingredients. For example, a spinach quiche can be made by adding spinach to the basic quiche recipe. Quiche is a versatile dish that can be served hot, warm, or cold, and it can be made ahead of time and frozen for up to three months.
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Frequently asked questions
Gruyere is a popular cheese for melting and can be used in fondues, gratins, and dauphinoise. It can also be added to pasta dishes, sandwiches, and mashed potatoes.
A popular recipe that uses Gruyere cheese is the croque-monsieur, a French dish that consists of ham and Gruyere cheese layered between thick slices of country bread, toasted in a skillet, and topped with Mornay sauce.
Some other recipes that use Gruyere cheese include French onion soup, grilled cheese sandwiches, quiches, mac and cheese, and tomato tarts.
Gruyere is a firm, yellow Swiss cheese named after the town of Gruyères in Switzerland. It is made from whole cow's milk and typically aged for six months or longer. It has a rich, creamy, salty, and nutty flavor, and a high water-to-oil ratio, which makes it ideal for melting.
