Is Gouda a good substitute for Gruyère?

In this brief guide, we will answer the query “Is Fouda a good substitute for Gruyère?” We will provide relevant information such as what cheeses are similar to Gouda and Gruyère, as well as their flavor, textural, and nutritional profile.

Is Gouda a good substitute for Gruyère?

Unfortunately, no, Gouda has a very different flavor and texture properties compared to Gruyère. However, in the following subheadings you will learn about what cheeses are similar to Gouda and Gruyère (1).

What cheeses are similar to Gouda?

Kopel and Chambers (1) studied a lot of varieties of cheeses; they grouped all of them according to sensory and textural properties. Gouda cheese showed to be similar to the following cheeses:

  • Edam (Holland)
  • Irish Cheddar (Ireland)
  • Leerdammer (Holland)
  • Mona Lisa (Italy)
  • Norwegia (Norway)
  • Santenberger (Switzerland)

What cheeses are similar to Gruyère?

According to the properties of Gruyère cheese, you can substitute it with the following cheeses (1):

  • Asiago Fresco (Italy)
  • Caciocavallo (Italy)
  • Emmentaler (Switzerland)
  • Manchego (Spain)
  • Mei Klockje (Holland)
  • Pantelo (Italy)
  • Parmesan (Italy)
  • Ricotta Salata (Italy)
  • Tyroler (Austria)

What is the flavor and texture profile of Gouda and Gruyère?

The flavor profile of Gouda cheese includes dairy flavor notes like cooked milk or butter, it has slightly sweet notes, and in some cases caramel flavor. Gouda cheese has a semi-hard texture, so it is good for melting (1,2).

On the other hand, Gruyère has a mild-flavored profile in terms of dairy notes like cooked milk and butter; it has accentuated nutty flavors. Gruyère cheese can have sour, astringent, and pungent sensations, this is known as “sharp” notes. Gruyère is a hard cheese, so it is mainly used for grating as a complement to pasta, salads, and other dishes (1).

What is the nutritional profile of Gouda and Gruyère?

Gouda and Gruyère cheeses are good source of fats and proteins, you can see the nutritional composition of both in the following table (3,4):

Content in 1 oz of Gouda cheeseContent in 1 oz of Gruyère cheese
Proteins7.06 g8.45 g
Fat7.77 g9.16 g
Carbohydrates0.629 g0.102 g

Besides to proteins and fats, cheeses also provide vitamin B12, an essential vitamin to prevent megaloblastic anemia and for a correct cognitive development. Other important micronutrients in cheeses are calcium and vitamin D, which are required for good bone health (5).

Conclusion

In this brief guide, we answered the query “Is Fouda a good substitute for Gruyère?” We provided relevant information such as what cheeses are similar to Gouda and Gruyère, as well as their flavor, textural, and nutritional profile.

References

  1. Koppel K, Chambers DH. Flavor comparison of natural cheeses manufactured in different countries. J Food Sci,2012;77(5):S177-87.
  1. Jo Y, Benoist DM, Ameerally A, Drake MA. Sensory and chemical properties of Gouda cheese. J Dairy Sci, 2018;101(3):1967–89.
  1. FoodData central [Internet]. Usda.gov. [cited 30 May 2023]. Available from: https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/171241/nutrients
  1. FoodData central [Internet]. Usda.gov. [cited 30 May 2023]. Available from: https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/171242/nutrients
  1. Nájera AI, Nieto S, Barron LJR, Albisu M. A review of the preservation of hard and semi-hard cheeses: Quality and safety. Int J Environ Res Public Health, 2021;18(18):9789.

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