Gruyere Is Great For Grilled Cheese, But Be Aware Of One Downside

It could be argued there's no such thing as a bad grilled cheese — comforting bread? Check. Rich, buttery cheese? Check. Crispy outside? Check. But there's fine grilled cheese and fantastic grilled cheese, and the latter is all about details like that gooey pull when you half your sandwich and achieving a bit of complexity in the overall flavor profile. Sure, there are other important steps to a great grilled cheese, like choosing butter or mayo and secrets for getting that crunchy crust, but the star of the show is the cheese. That's why we rounded up the best cheeses for grilled cheese, and wound up with mixed feelings about one in particular: Gruyere.

For several reasons, gruyere is a dream choice for grilled cheese. It melts really easily, so it's a top pick for that cheese-pull action. This Swiss cheese is hard, so it may take grating or shaving to get a quick melt, but once it meets heat and starts to ooze, it does so beautifully. That's because it's curdled with rennet, a combination of enzymes that helps cheese melt more readily than the alternative of acid, and because it has a high water-to-oil ratio it melts evenly. For this reason, gruyere is a must for French onion soup as well as cheese fondue and the classic croque monsieur. When it melts, it's creamy, bringing out its nutty sweetness. However, that flavor profile is also its problem for grilled cheese.

Gruyere is known for its nuttiness, sweetness, and umami character. But because those characteristics are on the muted side, gruyere is best used as part of ensembles in support of other flavors. For example, its nutty sweetness balances a croque monsieur's buttery bechamel and savory ham perfectly. In a grilled cheese, you've just got the bread and cheese unless you decide to elevate the simple sandwich with creative additions like meats, veggies, or jams. When it comes to creating an ideal cheese center — the top priority — you have to pair gruyere with a bolder cheese. 

Take a tip from our ultimate grilled cheese recipe and team gruyere with cheddar. The reason this works is because cheddar is sharper than gruyere — and you can of course play that up by choosing sharp and extra sharp cheddars. Cheese gets sharper as it's aged, and you won't find much gruyere older than six months, while sharp cheddar is often aged for a year or longer. Other sharp cheeses you could pair with gruyere include manchego, asiago, and provolone. Provolone and asiago melt a bit better than manchego, so it's worth choosing one of them. You can even try a decadent three-cheese combo with gruyere, provolone, and asiago. Think of gruyere like a grilled cheese team player: Essential for its taste and texture, but at its best when working with others.