Best Substitute for Gruyere Cheese in Quiche


Quiche is a traditional French dish that is a type of homemade pastry. Quiche can be stuffed with both sweet and meat, vegetable or fish fillings. The main feature of the open pie is that the filling remains open throughout the entire cooking process. This means that the filling is not covered with a layer of dough. Quiche is often cooked with cheese, namely gruyere cheese. But since this cheese is not easy to find in our shops, you may start wondering what cheese can be substituted for Swiss in a quiche.

What can substitute for Gruyere cheese in quiche? Comte, Emmentaler, Parmesan, Maasdam or Jarlsberg can substitute for gruyere cheese in quiche. They have a mild, slightly sweet and nutty flavor and excellent melting properties and buttery texture to prepare a yummy quiche. However, their taste is not as strong as that of Gruyere. 

Best Substitute for Gruyere Cheese in Quiche

Let’s take a closer look at what you can use instead of gruyere in a quiche.

Comte for Quiche Instead of Gruyere

Comte cheese has a spicy-sweet taste with pronounced floral notes and subtle sourness in the aftertaste and can be used in a quiche instead of Gruyere cheese.

Comte melts easily and has a taste similar to gruyere. Thanks to its characteristics, Comte can be used for cooking French onion soup or Croque monsieur. For Conte’s aroma and taste to unfold to the fullest, it is better to take this cheese out from the refrigerator an hour or two hours before serving if you use it for a cheese platter. Comte can also be eaten with fruits and nuts.

Emmentaler for Quiche Instead of Gruyere

Emmental is the main ingredient in a delicious and delicious dish like Swiss fondue (traditional recipe: 2/3 Emmental, 1/3 Gruyere). It melts perfectly and is suitable for sandwiches, a cheese platter, as well as for a quiche as a substitute for gruyere.

Emmentaler has a spicy but not particularly pungent taste. For the production of Emmentaler, 3 types of bacteria are used: Streptococcus thermophilus, Lactobacillus, and Propionibacter shermani. The same bacteria are used for the production of gruyere.

Parmesan for Quiche Instead of Gruyere

Parmesan is used in main dishes, pasta or risotto, or on pizza. Parmesan is a good substitute for gruyere cheese in a quiche thanks to its complex, spicy-salty taste with hints of nuts and fruits and excellent melting properties. 

In Italian cuisine, Parmesan cheese is used with aged wines, pasta and risotto, butter soups and served with fruits and nuts. Parmesan is added to sauces and salad mixes such as Classic Caesar. The taste of Parmesan prompted scientists to come up with the idea of ​​the so-called umami or fifth taste — the taste of protein substances, which is perceived by a person differently from the salty taste close to it.

See also: What Does French Onion Soup Taste Like? All You Need to Know

Parmesan cheese is distinguished not only by its taste but also by its texture. Under the influence of high temperature, Parmesan melts evenly, quickly becomes golden brown during baking and hardens beautifully. All these qualities make Parmesan a good choice for quiches, salads and hot dishes. Parmesan gives an aroma and unforgettable taste to the dough and makes the filling of pies thick and delicious.

Maasdam for Quiche Instead of Gruyere

Maasdam is suitable for quiches, fondues and hot sandwiches, but it is also good as an independent snack. Maasdam has a sweet, nutty flavor obtained by the addition of field mustard, peppergrass, and cloves. And also, the cheese has a delicate creamy aroma since it is made from pasteurized cow’s milk.

Maasdam is a famous Dutch cheese brand with large holes, sweet taste and unique aroma. Maasdam belongs to the category of semi-hard cheese made from cow’s milk, with a ripening period of 1-3 months. Maasdam cheese is one of the most popular semi-hard cheeses in the world, and its sweetish-nutty taste is familiar to almost every gourmet.

Jarlsberg for Quiche Instead of Gruyere

With its soft, creamy, spicy, sweet taste, Jarlsberg is an excellent substitute for gruyere cheese in a quiche. Jarlsberg cheese is one of the most popular products made in Norway. It belongs to the semi-hard varieties and is made from pasteurized cow’s milk.

Jarlsberg cheese can be a great stand-alone snack that pairs perfectly with wine and fruit. In addition, it is used in recipes for salads, numerous appetizers and first courses. Also, grated Jarlsberg cheese can be put into pies, pizzas and casseroles.

Cheddar for Quiche Instead of Gruyere

Can I use cheddar instead of Gruyere for quiche? You can use cheddar instead of gruyere for quiche as it has a creamy, buttery taste and good melting properties. Cheddar is a good choice for a quiche as it can be grated easily, and it complements the taste of the dough. 

Cheddar can be served as a stand-alone snack that goes well with alcoholic beverages. In addition, this cheese is used in recipes for numerous dishes: omelets, salads, biscuits, etc. Cheddar perfectly complements the taste of meat, fish and vegetables. Cheddar is also used for making sandwiches, canapes and numerous snacks. Various sauces are prepared based on cheddar cheese. It is also used for baking pies and quiches.

Gouda for Quiche Instead of Gruyere

Is Gouda a good substitute for Gruyere for a quiche? Gouda’s taste is much fruitier and sweeter than that of gruyere, so it is better to use Emmental, Jarlsberg, Comte or Parmesan instead of gruyere. However, gouda cheese is widely used for making mac and cheese, pasta, vegetable dishes, soups. In addition, this cheese goes well with fruits, vegetables.

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