What is the best cheese for...

We often eat pizza in restaurants or buy the cheese mix for fondue in the shops. However, if you want to cook your favorite cheese dish at home, you should use the right cheese to give the dish its unmistakable taste. In the following article, we list which cheese you should buy for which dish.

Pizza

The best cheese for pizza is undoubtedly mozzarella. Its mild taste and creamy texture are ideal for dishes with tomato sauce. Mozzarella melts well and provides a level of moisture that prevents the crust from drying out in the oven. Of course, there are well-known pizzas such as the pizza quattro formaggi - the four-cheese pizza - which uses pecorino, ricotta and gorgonzola in addition to mozzarella. You can also try a Swiss version of this pizza - simply use the following cheeses: Sbrinz, cottage cheese and a blue cheese such as Bleu de Combremont. Mozzarella is such a popular cheese with the Swiss that we now have our own mozzarella producers in the country.

Old cheese that you want to use up can also be put to excellent use on a pizza. You can find more clever ideas for your leftover cheese here.

Burger

Many types of cheese are suitable for this popular fast food dish. One common option is cheddar. This has a firm texture that does not fall apart when it melts. This means the cheese stays in place for a long time and provides an ideal contrast to the juicy burger toppings. On top, the cheese gives the burger a characteristic flavor. You can cut the cheese into slices, grate it or add it to the patty (burger bread). 

Cheese spaetzle

Cheese spaetzle has been popular in German-speaking countries for centuries. Here too, the key to the perfect dish lies in choosing the right type of cheese. Emmental cheese has a mild, nutty flavor and excellent melting properties, which means that the cheese coats the spaetzle well. Thanks to its semi-firm consistency, it retains its shape even after cooking and gives your cheese spaetzle a crispy texture.

Fondue

Many Swiss people buy pre-packaged fondue mixes from retailers or local cheese stores. If you want to make your own cheese mixture, it is best to buy Gruyère. Gruyère has excellent melting properties and a characteristic taste. It is slightly salty and melts into a nice liquid sauce without lumps when heated.

For fondue moité-moité, half Gruyère and half Fribourg Vacherin are used. Be brave and add other cheeses to give the fondue a special touch! Extra-hard Sbrinz, Appenzeller, Tilsiter or Glarner Schabziger are also suitable additions.

Here you can find more answers to frequently asked questions about fondue.

Raclette

Raclette cheese has been specially developed for this dish. The cheese melts evenly and retains its shape as it cools. The square or rectangular shape also speaks for its use, as the slices fit perfectly in the raclette oven. There are now countless types of raclette cheese: with lavender, truffle, chili, garlic and so on. There is a delicious flavor for everyone and can be served perfectly with bread or Gschwellti. An ideal meal for large groups with different tastes!

Lasagne

Lasagne is one of the main dishes for many Swiss people. This dish also has "the cream on the cake" - namely the cheese, which is grated onto the pasta layers as a grand finale. The best cheese for lasagne is Parmesan. Parmesan gives the dish a strong flavor component and melts into a wonderful crust. Of course, you can also use the Swiss equivalent, Sbrinz, for lasagne.

Cordon bleu

The best cheese for cordon bleu, as with fondue, is Gruyère cheese. The hard cheese melts perfectly and gives the dish a cheesy sauce without forming lumps. This creates the perfect consistency so that the cheese flows beautifully onto the plate when cut into. Gruyère is therefore the perfect choice for all lovers of traditional cordon bleu!

Nachos

Nachos are a Mexican dish that has become increasingly popular in Switzerland in recent years. One of the best options for nachos is cheddar cheese. Just like the burgers, cheddar gives the nachos a salty flavor and stays compact on the tortilla chips. It is important that you grate the cheddar onto the chips so that the cheese is well distributed!

Conclusion

If you want to cook cheese dishes at home, it is a good idea to stock up on Emmental, Gruyère and Cheddar, as these cheeses are often used in cheese dishes due to their excellent melting properties. If you want to cover larger areas with cheese, make sure you grate the cheese over the dish. With this knowledge in mind, you are now able to easily prepare any of your favorite dishes yourself.

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Simple, convenient and always surprising. Swiss cheese enjoyment at home.