What Is Gruyère Cheese And What Does Gruyère Cheese Taste Like?
on Mar 28, 2022
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Named after the town of Gruyères where it originated, Gruyère is a hard cheese from Switzerland. It’s quite versatile and is deliciously enjoyed on charcuterie boards and melted on top of a luscious bowl of French onion soup.
In today’s post, we’re taking a deep-dive into everything Gruyère – from its taste, to the best wines to serve with it, and of course, some recipes featuring this delicious cheese.
What Is Gruyère Cheese?
Gruyère is a firm, yellow cheese that’s originally from Switzerland. It has a wonderfully smooth texture and is a popular choice in hot sandwiches, quiche, macaroni & cheese, and fondues. It is typically aged for 6-10 months and its appearance features a small number of holes, also referred to as eyes.
What Does Gruyère Taste Like?
Gruyère is known for its creamy, nutty, and slightly sweet and salty flavor. Younger Gruyère is nuttier in taste, while Gruyère that has been aged longer tends to take on a stronger and earthier flavor.
How to Pronounce Gruyère
The word Gruyère is French. If you’re unsure of how to pronounce it, the correct pronunciation is “GROO+YAIR.”
Ways to Use Gruyère Cheese
Gruyère has a delicious flavor that doesn’t overwhelm dishes – instead it adds a wonderful depth and creaminess. You’ll find Gruyère in hot dishes like quiche, pasta, and our favorite, French onion soup. It’s also popular in grilled cheese and other hot sandwiches like Croque Monsieur. If you’re entertaining, use Gruyère in a fondue, or serve it on a charcuterie board.
The Best Wine Pairings
Enjoy a slice of Gruyère with a fruity red wine, or a medium-bodied white. Pinot Noir would be a good choice for red wine, and a Riesling or a Chardonnay are great options for white wine.
Best Substitutes For Gruyère Cheese
If you’re in the middle of a recipe and don’t have Gruyère on hand, an equal amount of the following cheeses can be used in its place.
- Comté is slightly milder in flavor but is very similar to Gruyère’s texture.
- Emmentaler is also a Swiss cheese. It is softer than Gruyère and would be a good substitute in fondues and sandwiches.
- American Swiss cheese is a good choice when replacing large amounts of Gruyère, such as in a fondue. Most fondue recipes call for 2-3 different types of cheese.
- Jarlsberg, Raclette, and Beaufort cheeses are other good cheeses to use in place of Gruyère.
Easy Gruyère Recipes
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What Does Gruyère Cheese Taste Like (Easy Gruyere Cheese Pasta)
Ingredients
- 1/2 lb pasta
- 3/4 cup Gruyere cheese, shredded
- 1/4 cup grated parmesan, plus more to serve
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic cloves
- water
- salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta according to package directions.
- Right before draining, reserve a cup of starchy pasta water.
- In a large skillet heat 1 olive oil and fry the garlic for about 1 minute.
- Then stir the gruyere cheese and about 1/2 cup of starchy pasta water. Stir to combine everything. Add parmesan cheese and stir well.
- Drain and add your pasta to the skillet. Stir well to evenly coat the pasta in the sauce, add more cooking water as needed for a smooth and creamy consistency.
- Season with salt and pepper. Serve and enjoy!
Nutrition information provided is an estimate only and will vary based on ingredient brands and cooking methods used.
