Tips for Cooking With an Italian Cheese Blend

You might be wondering why you would even want an Italian cheese blend rather than just one type of cheese. Our question is, why wouldn’t you? The beauty of combining multiple Italian cheese types creates endless possibilities for both palate and purpose. Each cheese brings a unique flavor profile to the table. From a great melt to a strong salty component and extra nuttiness, the elements you can incorporate into your next recipe or cheese board using an Italian cheese blend are endless.

There’s so much versatility to enjoy when cooking with an Italian cheese blend, you might not be sure where to begin. Below are a few of our top tips for cooking with an Italian cheese blend.

Select the right blend of Italian cheeses

Any combination of multiple Italian cheeses can create a blend, from Parmesan to mozzarella. You can create your own blend with leftover cheese that’s already in your refrigerator or purchase a combination hand-selected by experts. Our Cello Italian blend features all of our hard, domestic versions of Romano, Asiago, and Parmesan. If you choose to make your own, just make sure to select cheeses that contrast one another but still showcase complementary flavors.

Use it as a topping

Shredded Italian cheese blends are perfect for sprinkling over dishes like hearty soups and refreshing salads. You can liven up your next big bowl of hot chili or switch up your family recipe for stuffed peppers. Lean into the sharp flavors in the hard cheese like Romano to create a kick in your next vegetable dish or garlic bread.

Elevate your next pizza or pasta dish

Although cheddar is the most commonly used cheese paired with macaroni, it’s time to think outside the box (especially if you’re used to macaroni and cheese out of a box). This Italian mac and cheese not only features an Italian cheese blend in place of cheddar, it also incorporates Italian sausage and mushrooms, making it less of a side dish and more of a feast. Mozzarella melts incredibly well, so we recommend at least including it in your Italian blend.

Speaking of mozzarella, we would never dream of telling you to leave it off your next homemade pizza. But we will suggest adding an Italian blend to add some depth to your next pizza experience.

Make a gourmet grilled cheese

Now that we’re creating a spin on so many of your favorite childhood meals, let’s add a gourmet grilled cheese to the mix. Comfort food meets a chef’s kiss when you spice up your next sandwich with our own recipe, which uses our Italian blend and a few veggies to make a whole meal out of it. The sky is really the limit with a gourmet grilled cheese, so mix up both your blend and the other components (we like to add a couple slices of bacon every now and then).

Pair your Italian cheese blend with the right beer or wine

Find the commonalities among the cheeses you’re blending together and select a wine that will highlight each of them without creating a clash in flavors.

Pro tip: Remember that opposite flavors attract, and similar levels of boldness are a match. Think sweet and salty, or mild and mild. Check out the pairing section of our website for more tips. Remember, half the fun of loving cheese is experiment! There are no actual rules, and creating cheesy recipes isn’t something you can pass or fail.

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