Cheese is one of the most popular ingredients for every kitchen, but with hundreds of cheese types available in the market, it gets hard to choose one. Even more, some of the cheese varieties are rare and can be challenging to find, one of them being muenster cheese. So, if you are in the same boat and don’t know how to substitute muenster cheese, we are sharing more details!
Muenster Cheese – What Is It?
Muenster cheese is a semi-soft cheese that originates from the United States. It is popular as the imitation of washed-rind cheese from Alsatian, which was introduced by the German immigrants. It is different from processed dairy sweet muenster cheese. It has a pale color and smooth texture while showing off the orange ring. The cheese is made with the help of pasteurized milk of the cow. The orange color of the ring comes from annatto, which is a nutty and sweet seasoning that’s commonly used for adding color and flavor to the cheese. For the most part, muenster cheese has a soft and smooth texture, and when it’s aged, it will have a strong aroma and pungent taste. It can be served as an appetizer, and it can be added to grilled cheese sandwiches, cheeseburgers, quesadillas, and pizza as it melts pretty well. Now, since it’s expensive and hard to find, you can choose the following substitutes!
What Is A Good Substitute For Muenster Cheese?
1. Monterey Jack Cheese
This is an American cheese that serves as a great replacement for muenster cheese. This is the semi-hard cheese with the pale yellow color that comes from its preparation from cow milk. It wouldn’t be wrong to describe Monterey jack cheese as the butter and mild flavor and comes with compact, creamy, and firm texture. Once prepared, it can be aged for a month or for up to six months, depending on different varieties, and tastes amazing with wines. There are pre-packaged slices available on Monterey jack cheese and is also available in large blocks. It can be consumed with crackers or bread and can be added to quesadillas and sandwiches as well.
2. Gouda Cheese
For people who are in search of a versatile cheese variety that has quick melting, gouda cheese is the right choice. This is the dutch cheese with its yellow color, and it is prepared with cow milk and looks pretty similar to Colby jack cheese and cheddar jack. It can be prepared in different ways, such as melted, cubed, grated, and sliced. Gouda cheese has a semi-hard texture which makes it suitable for pasta, sandwiches, salads, veggies, macaroni, and fondues. If you opt for unsmoked gouda cheese, it will be richer and creamier when it’s melted, resulting in amazing flavor. Even more, it tastes pretty well with sauces, soups, and wines.
3. Havarti Cheese
This cheese from Denmark is another great alternative for Muenster cheese as it is made from pasteurized cow milk. Again, it is the semi-soft cheese with the same yellow color. Havarti cheese is popular for its sweet, nutty, and milk flavor, while the texture is pretty creamy and smooth. Usually, this cheese is aged for over three months and makes a great table cheese that can be enjoyed with bread and crackers. In fact, it can be paired with fruits as well as wine. It is often seasoned with different herbs and achieves an even more delicious flavor when melted. As far as the savory recipes are concerned, Havarti cheese is suitable for macaroni, sandwiches, and pasta.
4. Provolone
To begin with, this cheese is used with salad dressing, and it complements pasta, soups, and sandwiches like perfection. It has a light yellow color that boasts a sharp Italian flavor. Provolone cheese is suitable for cooking as well as for grating and can be purchased in various shapes. The semi-firm texture of this cheese and mild flavor makes it a delicious addition to manicotti shell pasta and others.
5. Port-Salut
This is another velvety and French cheese that’s known for its mellow, savory, and sweet flavor. In fact, this cheese was the first one to be made with pasteurized cow milk. It goes pretty well with fruits as well as crackers. On top of everything, port-salut cheese melts pretty well, making it a great choice for mornay sauce and grilled cheese sandwiches.