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Velveeta is a processed cheese that’s highly popular in America. In the early 1900s, Velveeta was advertised as a nutritious food that was recommended to be incorporated into one’s diet.
Due to its popularity, the American Medical Association reviewed it and gave it approval. This made Velveeta the first cheese to get approval from AMA. However, in 2002, FDA issued Kraft foods a warning.
So, they changed the label from pasteurized process cheese spread to pasteurized prepared cheese product. Naturally, this affected the company’s sales considerably, but it’s still available.
Kraft Foods manufactures this cheese product and Velveeta is a brand name for it. The taste is creamy and salty with a smooth texture. Velveeta is not only famous for its taste but also for its melting properties. Good melting cheese is a treat for a chef.
They allow chefs to make a variety of different recipes and present food in various styles. When you melt the cheese, it takes the form of a liquid without any lumps, which makes it ideal for use in many different dishes.
Velveeta cheese products are also generally more expensive, primarily because the company uses a variety of different ingredients to get the liquid texture. Then, they also have to worry about packaging costs too.
The history of this cheese dates back to Emil Frey who was given the task of using unused cheese wheels. He found a way to melt them and add whey, which ultimately resulted in the first iteration of what’s now commonly known as Velveeta.
The cheese goes well in a dip or sauce, sandwiches, and grilled items. It’s an American delight and is widely used in restaurants too.
Velveeta Substitutes
Because of its versatility, this cheese has become quite popular. Many people prefer using it in their recipes instead of actual cheese because it’s so easy to process and integrate in dishes.
However, if you don’t want to use Velveeta in your dish or want something that’s more organic, there are quite a few alternatives out there that you can use instead of Velveeta. In the following paragraphs, we shall talk about some of the most common alternatives to Velveeta that you can use.
- American cheese
American cheese is mild, creamy cheese. It is processed using mainly cheddar and Colby. This saltish cheese has a firm texture and it’s generally easy to melt as well. However, it melts easily making it an ideal substitute for Velveeta. It is a pasteurized cheese product, just like Velveeta.
It contains cheese and other additives like milk, milk fats, and whey. The color of the cheese varies from white to orange, depending on the manufacturing process used by different brands.
American cheese is a true melting beauty because it does not turn into a runny liquid when you melt it. Rather, it melts beautifully on top of burgers, sandwiches, and even pizzas. Thus, if you want Velveeta like melting cheese, go for its cousin- the American cheese!
- Add sodium citrate
What makes Velveeta an extremely viable melting cheese is sodium citrate. So, what if you add this to any cheese of your choice? That is a fair idea. On adding sodium citrate to Velveeta, it obtains a velvety and smooth texture.
Hence, buy some sodium citrate and add it to your favorite cheese. Follow the below process to get this thing done:
- Heat some liquid like water or milk.
- Add sodium citrate and mix till it dissolves.
- Blend your cheese with this mixture. Use an immersion blender or simply whisk until the cheese is thoroughly blended in.
- Make sure to use the cheese instantly and do not let it settle down. It may harden if you let it settle down for a longer period of time, and that’s not something you want.
- If you want it thick or thin, simply increase or decrease the amount of liquid that you add into the mix at the start. So, use less liquid if you want the resultant cheese to be thick. A little liquid will adequately dissolve sodium citrate so you don’t have to worry about adding more just for the sake of it.
- Other processed cheese
If your goal is to get smooth melted cheese, then you could add other processed cheeses as well. The one you choose depends on your flavor preference. However, you can choose cheddar, swiss cheese, or pepper jack as these are the most common options.
These and other cheeses are available in a can or jar. Thus, you have the liberty to buy any cheese you love. Plus, if you go to the supermarket, you’ll find a plethora of different options, so there’s actually quite a bit of variety available.
- Unprocessed Cheese
If the reason why you are looking for Velveeta substitutes is to avoid processed cheese, then do not worry. You can opt for healthier options that do not contain additives and preservatives. You can look for unprocessed cheese options that are organic and readily available.
Quite a few different brands now offer unprocessed cheese options that are purely organic. While they are a bit expensive, you will at least know that you are eating healthy cheese that’s made without using any preservatives or additives.
- Gouda
The Netherlands produces this cheese through fat cow’s milk. A freshly-aged Gouda can do the job. Freshly-aged Gouda has a mild taste and a soft texture, unlike the one that’s aged for a longer period.
When you add a little cream to mature cheese, it would gain a smoother texture after melting. Gouda generally delivers a strong taste and firm texture based mainly on how it ages. Gouda is a versatile cheese that would fulfill various culinary needs.
Another great thing about Gouda is its melting characteristics, making it a good Velveeta substitute. Therefore, it will go best with burgers and with other dishes like macaroni as well. Obviously, Gouda cheese is a bit of a delicacy.
It’s a popular cheese that’s readily available, but you have to be careful about the quantities. Gouda generally has a strong taste, so don’t add too much of it in.
- Gruyere
My mind instantly shifted to a French onion soup. Gruyere cheese is a Swiss-type cheese that ages for six months or more. A short-aged Gruyere will melt in a better way than an aged one. The Gruyere cheese turns gooey on cooking. As a result, it makes for an ideal Velveeta substitute.
You will get a good creamy kick while eating sandwiches and bistros. Gruyere’s melting qualities are present because of the way it is manufactured. The milk is curdled, and excess water is forced out of the cheese.
A cheese that curdles with enzymes and has higher water content melts better than the rest. Because the cheese is so carefully aged and matured, Gruyere is also a bit more expensive.
You will have to pay a significant amount of money if you are going to add Gruyere regularly to different dishes. Also, not all recipes are well-suited for Gruyere cheese. Therefore, it’s always a wise idea to try it first instead f just thinking of it as a one-to-one replacement to Velveeta.
- Mozzarella
This salty and tangy cheese is incredibly versatile and is a fantastic option if you’re looking for a direct alternative to Velveeta. You can add it to almost any dish. If you want to substitute Velveeta for melting purposes, make sure to not use fresh mozzarella.
Mozzarella gives a creamy taste on melting and sits beautifully on your chosen dish. In case you are looking for a low-calorie cheese, you can always rely on mozzarella. The good thing about this substitute is that it’s readily available.
There are plenty of companies that manufacture mozzarella and sell it. You can easily buy one that best suits your needs. Mozzarella cheese is also available in different forms, which further simplifies your options.
- Fontina
If you can’t find anything else, fetch some Italian Fontina. This mild and nutty flavored cheese has a semi-hard texture. However, it melts quickly without testing your patience. So, you can use Fontina in place of Velveeta.
Besides this, it is a versatile cheese loved worldwide for its taste and multipurpose qualities.
Fontina is again readily available, and it’s a great choice for those who need a decent alternative to Velveeta, especially if you’re making something like a cheese dip and need to really melt the cheese without having to worry about any lumps.
Velveeta is a popular cheese in the US. However, it is not actually a cheese but rather a processed cheese product. The taste and melting properties make it a top choice in a chef’s mind, especially those that want to cook quickly.
If the cheese is unavailable, you have numerous other options available, as discussed above. American cheese or other processed cheeses can replace Velveeta easily. Sodium citrate is a secret ingredient that helps Velveeta melt magically without leaving behind any lumps.
Add it to any cheese of your choice and enjoy it. On the other hand, healthy options include gruyere, gouda, mozzarella, and fontina. In short, any good melting cheese would suffice as a decent alternative to Velveeta.
