Bushra Griffith
There are many cheeses that melt well, including mozzarella, Taleggio, brie, Gruyère, Emmental, Jack, Asiago, blue cheese, raclette, cheddar, fontina, and American cheese. These cheeses are used in sauces, dips, on top of burgers, in casseroles, and other baked dishes.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Flavour | Sweet, nutty, strong, sharp, creamy |
| Country of origin | Switzerland, Denmark, Italy, France, England, US |
| Texture | Gooey |
| Age | Younger cheeses tend to melt better |
| Moisture | High-moisture cheeses melt better |
| Uses | Fondue, hot sandwiches, cheese soufflés, au gratin potatoes, pasta, pizza, sauces, dressings, dips, casseroles, baked dishes |
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What You'll Learn
- Mozzarella, Taleggio, Gruyère, Emmental, and Jack are reliable melters
- Aged cheeses like Parmesan or Pecorino-Romano don't melt as well
- American cheese is designed to be extremely meltable
- Blue cheese melts easily and is used in sauces and dressings
- Cheddar is a sharp-flavoured English cheese that melts easily
Mozzarella, Taleggio, Gruyère, Emmental, and Jack are reliable melters
Mozzarella is a creamy-flavoured Italian cheese that is well-known for melting. It is used on pizza, in pasta sauces, and melted on top of finished dishes.
Taleggio is a younger, high-moisture cheese that melts well. It is similar to brie, which is also a good melting cheese.
Gruyère is a sweet-flavoured Swiss cheese that is known for its melting quality in dishes like fondue, hot sandwiches, cheese soufflés, and au gratin potatoes.
Emmental is another Swiss cheese that melts well. It is similar to Gruyère in that they are both high-moisture cheeses that are young enough to melt smoothly.
Jack cheeses, such as Monterey, Pepper, and Colby Jack, are also good melting cheeses. They are used in cheese sauces and dips, melted over burgers and sandwiches, and casseroles.
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Aged cheeses like Parmesan or Pecorino-Romano don't melt as well
Cheeses like Parmesan or Pecorino-Romano don't melt as well as other cheeses. This is because they are drier grating cheeses that have already lost much of their moisture to evaporation. As cheese ages, its proteins tend to form tighter and tighter clumps, making them less effective at binding fat and water together in a smooth matrix. This is why even some cheeses aged in a water-tight barrier, like waxed aged cheddar, will have a tough time melting smoothly, despite their high moisture content.
Mozzarella, Taleggio, brie, Gruyère, Emmental, and Jack are all younger, high-moisture cheeses that melt well. These cheeses are used in cheese sauces, on top of burgers, in casseroles, and other baked dishes. They are also used in pasta sauces and melted on top of finished dishes.
Blue cheese, Asiago, and raclette are also good melting cheeses. Blue cheese is commonly used in sauces and dressings or melted over sandwiches. Asiago is grated and served in pasta dishes and over pizza. Raclette is often served as a fondue with toasted baguette dipping pieces.
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American cheese is designed to be extremely meltable
Other cheeses that melt well include younger, high-moisture cheeses such as mozzarella, Taleggio, brie, Gruyère, Emmental, and Jack. These cheeses are reliable melters because they have not yet lost much of their moisture to evaporation. As a result, their proteins have not yet formed tight clumps, which makes them more effective at binding fat and water together in a smooth matrix.
Some aged cheeses, such as gouda and cheddar, can also melt well despite their age. This is because they are aged in a water-tight barrier, such as a wax shell, which helps to prevent moisture loss. However, not all aged cheeses melt well. For example, drier grating cheeses like Parmesan or Pecorino-Romano often separate into clumps or even break when melted. This is because, over time, the proteins in these cheeses form tighter and tighter clumps, making them less effective at binding fat and water together smoothly.
In addition to American cheese, other cheeses that are known for their melting quality include Gruyère, Havarti, and Asiago. Gruyère is a sweet-flavoured Swiss cheese commonly used in fondue, hot sandwiches, cheese soufflés, and au gratin potatoes. Havarti is a buttery-flavoured Danish cheese often melted with dill in sauces and cheese puffs. Asiago is an Italian cheese that melts when it has not aged and is commonly grated and served in pasta dishes and over pizza.
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Blue cheese melts easily and is used in sauces and dressings
Blue cheese melts easily and is commonly used in sauces and dressings. It is also melted over sandwiches. Blue cheese has a strong flavour.
Mozzarella, Taleggio, brie, Gruyère, Emmental, and Jack are also reliable melters. These cheeses are used in cheese sauces and dips, melted over burgers and sandwiches, and casseroles. Mozzarella is used in pasta sauces and melted on top of finished dishes.
Cheddar is another cheese that melts easily and is used in cheese sauces, on top of burgers, in casseroles and other baked dishes.
Havarti is a buttery-flavoured Danish cheese that is commonly melted with dill in sauces and cheese puffs. It is also served in pasta dishes and with chicken.
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Cheddar is a sharp-flavoured English cheese that melts easily
Some other cheeses that melt easily include mozzarella, Taleggio, brie, Gruyère, Emmental, Jack, Asiago, blue cheese, raclette, Havarti, Colby Jack, Monterey Jack, Comte, fontina, Manchego and American cheese. These cheeses are often used in sauces, dips, on pizzas, in pasta dishes, on sandwiches, in cheese soufflés, au gratin potatoes, cheese puffs and casseroles.
The cheeses that don't melt well are drier grating cheeses like Parmesan or Pecorino-Romano, which have already lost much of their moisture to evaporation. As cheese ages, its proteins tend to form tighter and tighter clumps, making them less effective at binding fat and water together in a smooth matrix.
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Frequently asked questions
Younger, high-moisture cheeses like mozzarella, brie, Gruyère, Emmental, Jack, and Asiago melt like a pillow.
Drier grating cheeses like Parmesan or Pecorino-Romano often separate into clumps or break when melted.
When heat is introduced, the protein structure in cheese falls apart and the emulsion breaks. In drier cheeses, the fat globules come together into a greasy pool and the proteins congeal to form a stringy mess. Younger, high-moisture cheeses have a looser protein network that holds together better when heat is introduced, resulting in a smooth, pillow-like melt.
Recipes that use cheeses that melt like a pillow include pizza (mozzarella), fondue (Gruyère), cheese sauces (Jack, blue cheese), casseroles (cheddar), and pasta dishes (asiago, brie).
