Gruyere cheese is considered to be a true culinary treasure of Swiss gastronomy. This is one of the oldest varieties, made in ancient Rome. To prepare 1 kg of gruyere, you will need 11 liters of fresh Alpine milk. Gruyere cheese is not easy to find in our shops, and you start wondering what you can substitute gruyere with. Let’s see if you can use gouda instead of gruyere.
Can I use gouda instead of gruyere? You can use gouda instead of gruyere since it has a buttery, nutty and sweet flavor and dense texture just like gruyere. Gouda also melts well and can be used in mac and cheese, quiches, sandwiches, fondues and soups instead of gruyere.
Gouda vs Gruyere Cheese
Is Gouda cheese similar to Gruyere? Gouda is similar to gruyere. Young gouda has a delicate creamy taste, which with aging becomes denser, richer, spicier, just like gruyere. Gouda is often supplemented with spices, which makes the taste more complex. Gruyere is slightly saltier than gouda, but they are both buttery and nutty.
That said, gouda can be a good substitute for gruyere. Gouda can even substitute gruyere in mac and cheese. Gouda melts well and will give a buttery flavor to your mac and cheese. If you are not sure is gouda or gruyere better for mac and cheese, opt for gruyere if you have the chance to buy it as gruyere has a more sophisticated flavor with creamy and nutty notes.
Gouda vs Gruyere Cheese Taste
What does gouda taste like? Gouda tastes differently depending on the aging time. Young gouda (4-8 weeks) has a creamy, buttery and fruity flavor. 2-6 month aged gouda acquires a slightly spicy, salty flavor. 12-month gouda is spicy, buttery with a dense texture.
What does gruyere taste like? Gruyere has a specific sweet-salty taste with notes of dried fruits or nuts. The older the cheese, the more tart the taste becomes with a pronounced “earthy” aftertaste. Gruyere is used in traditional European cuisine for making fondue, baking, it is also added to spaghetti and salads.
Is Gouda a good melting cheese? Gouda is a good melting cheese which makes it ideal for oven-baked dishes, pizzas and hot sandwiches. Young gouda melts better than aged due to higher moisture content. The mild flavor of gouda makes it ideal also for making sandwiches, salads and other cold dishes.
Can I substitute Gouda for Swiss cheese? Gouda is an excellent substitute for Swiss cheese due to its creamy and buttery notes that will make any dish more sophisticated and delicious. Gouda is a very underrated cheese and can be used in quiches, mac and cheese, soups, matched potato and pasta dishes.
Gruyere Cheese Characteristics
Gruyere cheese is a classic Swiss cheese named after the locality in which it is produced.
- Hard cheese with no holes in it.
- Has a yellowish creamy color, an original delicate forest aroma with a slightly nutty flavor.
- Made from the highest quality cow’s milk.
- There are five varieties of Gruyere (soft, semi-salty, salty, premium and old), which have the same composition and properties, differing in the degree of richness of taste and smell.
- The ripening period, depending on the variety is from 5 to 15 months.
Gouda Cheese Characteristics
- Gouda is a naturally matured hard cheese made from whole cow’s milk.
- Gouda’s homeland is a small town in South Holland, one of the twelve provinces of the Netherlands.
- Contains up to 50% of milk fat, up to 25% of easily digestible proteins, essential amino acids (lysine, methionine, etc.), trace elements (calcium, phosphorus, etc.), vitamins (A, D, E, C, group B, etc.)
