10 Best Cheeses for Melting (2024)

FAQs

10 Best Cheeses for Melting? ›

What is the best melting cheese? Cheeses with more moisture and lower melting points - cheddar is one of the most popular choices, but Swiss and Gruyère are also terrific options. Which melts better, mild or sharp cheddar? Mild cheddar melts more smoothly than sharper (more aged) cheddar.

What is the best melting cheese? Cheeses with more moisture and lower melting points - cheddar is one of the most popular choices, but Swiss and Gruyère are also terrific options. Which melts better, mild or sharp cheddar? Mild cheddar melts more smoothly than sharper (more aged) cheddar.

Melting Factor: Gouda's high fat content ensures rapid melting, making it ideal for fondues. Cheddar, though meltable, is better suited for burgers and casseroles.

Acidity: Some cheeses are also too acidic to melt well, like paneer, feta, and ricotta. These are generally cheeses that were curdled with acid rather than rennet. They're often great cheeses for grilling or frying, because they hold their shape even when heated.

Some of the healthiest cheeses are feta and goat cheese, which are better for lactose intolerance. Cottage cheese and ricotta have more than 11 grams of muscle-building protein in a single serving. Swiss cheese is naturally lower in sodium, so it is a good option for people with hypertension.

Higher moisture cheeses like young Gouda or Mozzarella are pretty good melting cheeses. Drier cheeses like aged Gouda and Parmigiano Reggiano won't melt so well unless there is added moisture around. Similarly, higher fat cheeses like Havarti usually melt better than cheeses like non-fat mozzarella.

There's one type of cheese that no amount of tweaking will melt: Acid-set cheeses, like fresh goat cheese, quick farmers cheese, paneer, queso fresco, and ricotta, just can't do it.

Choose a combination of cheeses for both flavor and meltability. A Monterey Jack cheese will have the oozy-melty quality sought after in the best nachos, while a standard sharp cheddar will offer a little tang.

This is because cheese is a delicate suspension of fat, protein, and moisture. When heated, the fat melts and rises to the surface, the proteins break down, and the moisture is expelled.

Is Velveeta real cheese? ›

Though Velveeta is no longer an FDA-defined genuine cheese, it does have some similarities, namely pasteurized milk and cheese culture.

It's stretchy, it's melty, it's gooey, and it's beautiful. The best cheese for a killer cheese pull is one that's soft and, of course, melts well. The top contenders are cheddar, fontina, and mozzarella.

Real cheeses when heated fall into three categories: flowing, stringy and impervious (or nearly so) to melting.

Cheddar cheese is a popular choice these days, though Monterey Jack and Mozzarella work just as well. Nacho cheese, or cheese sauce, is another delightful interpretation of this key ingredient. To transform your nachos into a heartier snack or even a main meal, consider adding a meat filling.

Shreds of full fat Mozzarella cheese usually melt, fuse, and form light brown blisters, but fat-free or lower fat Mozzarella cheese shreds have limited melt and fusion and become scorched during pizza baking in commercial food service pizza ovens.

A bit of research yields the following list of cheeses with good meltability: cheddar, fontina, Gouda, Jack, mozzarella (both fresh milk and standard), Muenster, provolone, and Swiss raclette (or just regular Swiss cheese).