Which cheese works best on pizza?
The perfect cheese may make or break your pizza in terms of toppings. It must be supple, elastic, and have a moderate flavor that blends well with but doesn’t overshadow other elements.
It’s crucial to pick the correct cheese for your pizza because it will affect how it melts and looks after baking. Additionally, it will affect the flavor of your pizza as a whole!
The cheese that can melt, stretch, and turn golden brown without burning is the ideal cheese for pizza. Additionally, it must be able to cover the crust evenly without getting too thin in some places.
The original pizza cheese, mozzarella, is still a mainstay in most pizzerias. Although it now comes in a variety of variations manufactured from cow, sheep, goat, or even buffalo milk, it was initially created in Naples from buffalo milk curds.
Due to its high fat and low moisture level, mozzarella provides the ideal melting and stretchability. The most typical type of cheese used on pizza may be found in many stores, either in block or shredded form.
The traditional pizza cheese, cheddar, has a rich flavor and acidic bite. It pairs nicely with gentler toppings but also tastes great with pepperoni and prosciutto, which have stronger flavors.
The best bubbly, melted topping is made by mixing mozzarella and cheddar cheeses, according to research. The cheeses’ resistance to the intense heat in the pizza oven is a result of their rheology, free oil, transition temperature, elasticity, and water activity.
Choose a mature cheddar if you prefer a stronger cheese for your pizza. This particular cheese includes tiny, naturally occurring salt crystals inside of it that give it a crispy texture and improve the flavor of your pizza.
Fontina is a terrific choice if you’re seeking cheese with a zesty flavor and silky texture. It melts well, tastes nutty, and goes well with many toppings.
A mild, semi-soft cow’s milk cheese with an Italian Alps origin, Fontina is made in the Aosta Valley. It is prepared from the raw milk of Valdostana cows, which are grown on the region’s rich grasslands.
During the curing process, it is dry salted, and after that, aging takes place in rock-cut natural caves. The cheese can absorb naturally filtered moisture in these caves at low temperatures, giving off the nutty, buttery tastes that distinguish real Fontina.
Fontina was formerly solely made in Italy, but it is now sold in Denmark, Sweden, the US, and Canada. It melts well and is ideal for frittatas, toasted sandwiches, pizzas, and sauces.
When you want to give your pizza a smoky flavor, smoked gouda is a great cheese to use. Additionally, it is a flexible cheese that works well in fondue, sandwiches, and mac & cheese.
It’s crucial to think about both the texture of the cheese and the flavors of your other toppings when selecting a cheese for your pizza. Unlike Gruyere and Fontina, which have a greater melting point and produce a thicker and creamier layer of cheese on your pizza, mozzarella melts fast and produces the traditional cheese pull.
Gouda is a mellow, soft cheese that tastes nutty and sweet. It comes in both young and aged versions, and as it ages, it gets softer and tangier.
Monterey Jack is the cheese to choose if you want something that melts beautifully and pairs well with pizza toppings. This mild white cheese is a flexible choice for your upcoming pie and works well on the grill.
A semi-soft, fresh curd cheese that can be pulled apart into strands, mozzarella has a bouncy quality. While mozzarella in low-moisture versions is slightly harder, both sorts melt delightfully without being greasy or stringy.
Wisconsin Brick cheese is another well-liked option; it is a creamy, buttery variation that goes well with various dishes and cuisines. It works nicely with flavorful toppings like prosciutto or pepperoni and melts well, making it a wonderful choice for pizza as well.
