What is Gruyère cheese?

Gruyere is a type of cow’s milk cheese from Switzerland. This cheese is excellent for melting and is one of the main cheeses in traditional fondue recipes. It is pale yellow and gets its name from the town of Gruyeres in Switzerland. Some varieties of Gruyere cheese have dozens of holes, or eyes that form when the bacteria inside produces carbon dioxide bubbles.

What does Gruyère cheese taste like?

Gruyere cheese is creamy and has a rich and nutty flavor, similar to traditional “American” Swiss cheese. 

How can you eat Gruyère cheese?

On way to eat Gruyere is at room temperature, with fruits and nuts on a cheeseboard. On the other hand, Gruyere is known for its creamy, melted texture. Add Gruyere cheese to pasta, fondue, and creamy sauces. Gruyere is commonly used in Croque Monsieur, which is a French grilled cheese sandwich with ham, cheese, cream sauce, and mustard.

Where can you buy Gruyère cheese?

Find Gruyere at any grocery store at the deli counter or in the specialty cheese section. If you can’t find Gruyere, swiss cheese and Emmental cheese can both make great substitutions. 

How do you store Gruyère cheese

Like other cheeses, Gruyere can last up to a month in the refrigerator if stored correctly.  Wrap your cheese in wax or parchment paper to keep it fresh. To freeze, wrap your cheese in additional aluminum foil and keep it in your freezer for up to six months. 

Fun Fact about Gruyère cheese

According to an old legend, Roman emperor Antonin Pious died in 161 A.D. after eating too much Gruyere cheese!

Did you know?

Gruyere cheese rounds can weigh anywhere from 60 to 100 pounds!

Recipes Using Gruyere Cheese

Galette With Swiss Chard and Gruyere

A galette is a French pastry that can be filled with a sweet or savory filling. This pastry is filled with a mixture made with Swiss Chard, cream, Gruyére, ricotta cheese, and is baked in the oven until the crust is crispy.

Croque Monsieur

Another classic French dish is the Croque Monsieur sandwich. In a small saucepan, make a sauce using butter, flour, milk, nutmeg, Gruyere, and Parmesan cheese. On a baking sheet, layer toasted bread with dijon mustard, ham, gruyere, and the second piece of bread. Pour the sauce over the sandwiches, top with additional gruyere, and bake in the oven until the sauce is bubbly and browned.

Kid-Friendly Fondue

Make this fondue with chicken stock instead of wine for a kid-friendly version of the dish! In a large pot, combine chicken stock, milk, Gruyere cheese, Swiss cheese, lemon, garlic, and cornstarch. Heat and whisk until are the ingredients have been incorporated. Transfer to a fondue pot and serve with small pieces of crusty bread, broccoli, cauliflower, mushrooms, slices of bacon, or sausage.

Cheese Puffs

Make gougéres, or cheese puffs, as a substitute for bread rolls for your next family dinner. In a saucepan, combine milk, butter, salt, and water and bring to a boil. Add flour, reduce the heat, and stir until a dough forms. Transfer the dough to a bowl and beat in eggs and grated gruyére cheese. Bake scoops of dough on a baking sheet until golden brown.

Creamy Gruyere Spaghetti

This dish combines a nutty gruyere cheese sauce, spinach, and spaghetti for a quick, weeknight meal. Add a pinch of herb de Provence for a fresh flavor. If you don’t have this herb blend, you can make your own by combining dried herbs you have on hand like thyme, basil, rosemary, tarragon, oregano, and bay leaf.