Best Cheeses for Cheese Board

Discover the best cheeses for a cheese board

Feeling a little ho-hum about your typical cheese board choices? There's a big, bold, beautiful world of cheese out there just waiting to be discovered. And the best cheeses for a cheese board may be right next to the cheese you usually choose from the grocery store cheese counter.

For example, rather than cubes of American cheese, try an award-winning fenugreek gouda. Or instead of a mild cheddar, consider the delight a 2-year aged, extra sharp cheddar cheese can deliver. And why choose a simple roquefort when you could put a quintuple cream blue cheese with juniper on the table?

In Wisconsin, we know the best cheeses for any cheese board are made right here in our home state. Our cheesemakers have been obsessively working nonstop for 180 years to make the tastiest, highest-quality, most award-winning cheese on the planet. That's why any time there's a Wisconsin cheese on your platter, you know it'll be the best cheese on the cheese board.

Let us introduce you to your new best cheese friends. Take a walk through our website to meet some of the best cheeses in the world. Search our index of recipes for fantastic ways to cook with them. Or scroll down for some quick recommendations on the best cheeses for a meat and cheese board.

Our recommendations: the best cheeses for cheese board

Variety is the name of the game when it comes to building a cheese platter. Here are the best cheeses for a cheese board, in our humble opinion.

  • Hard cheeses. Our favorites are parmesan, aged cheddar, manchego, and romano.
  • Semi-firm cheeses. Gouda, muenster, gruyere, butterkäse, and cheddar jack cheese are all winners.
  • Soft cheeses. Brie, burrata, stracchino, and mascarpone are all great spreadable cheeses.
  • Crumbly cheeses. We love goat cheese, feta, or ricotta salata.
  • Blue cheese. Gorganzola or marbled blue jack top our list.
  • Cheese dip. You can also include a dip made from asadero cheese or another fresh cheese that melts well.

In addition to cheese, a great cheese board may include:

  • Charcuterie. Try whole-muscle cuts like prosciutto, cured sausages like salami, and patés like duck liver mousse.
  • Bread. Include slices of baguette, toasted crostini, and a selection of hearty crackers and breadsticks.
  • Vegetables. In addition to olives and pickles, artichokes and sweet cherry-red peppers are crowd-pleasers.
  • Fruit. Sliced apples and pears, figs and dates, and grapes and berries will all complement a variety of cheeses.
  • Nuts. Pistachios, macadamia nuts, marcona almonds, and candied pecans are excellent options.
  • Mustards. Offer both whole-grain mustard and honey mustard.

Videos: Discover Your Next Favorite Cheese

FAQs: What are the best cheeses for a cheese board?

What are the best cheeses for a cheese board?

When choosing cheeses, be sure to buy the highest-quality cheese you can find. Select a mix of 4 – 6 cheeses, combining hard, semi-firm, soft, crumbly, and blue cheese varieties.

What are some tips for serving a cheese board?

Build your cheese board on a beautiful surface – large wooden or stone cutting boards, marble slabs or chalkboards are all excellent options. Cheese should be served at room temperature for optimal flavor, so build your board about a half-hour before guests arrive. Be sure to include a knife for each cheese.

What's the right amount of cheese for a cheese board?

For an appetizer, two ounces of cheese per person is about right. If you're including charcuterie, two ounces of meat per person is a good rule of thumb as well. If the cheese board is meant to be the evening's meal, you'll want a portion that's closer to 5 ounces of cheese and meat per person.

What is burrata vs mozzarella?

Burrata and mozzarella are quite similar, and both are excellent additions to a cheese board. Burrata is made of a ball of mozzarella with an interior of soft, stringy curd and cream.

In Wisconsin, it's a wonderful cheese life

Here in Wisconsin, we live the cheese life. We get up every morning to enjoy the salty tang, the earthy sharpness, the crystalline crunch or the melty creaminess of our favorite cheese varieties.

We'll take cheese for breakfast, lunch and dinner. From the freshest cheese curds and burrata to cheddars aged 15 years or more, we love cheese in every flavor, variety, and style. That's why our 1200 cheesemakers make more than 600 kinds of cheese – more than any other place on earth.

And when it comes to choosing the best cheeses for the cheese board, Wisconsin cheeses are multi-award winners. We've won more awards for our cheese than any other state or nation – Italy, France, and Switzerland included.

So, next time you're shopping for cheese for the cheese board, just make sure that chunk in your hand has a Proudly Wisconsin Cheese badge on the label. That's when you know you're living the cheese life, too.

Craving award-winning aged cheddar, pining for parmesan, or searching for a new cheese to try? The world’s best cheese is just a click away! Explore our directory of Wisconsin cheesemakers and retailers who offer online cheese shopping and get cheese shipped right to your door. What are you waiting for?

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