Dill Havarti

Dill Havarti Cheese: Creamy goodness meets complex flavor

Havarti is a cheese that blends beautifully with added different ingredients. While cheesemakers produce lots of crave-able cheese varieties made with caraway, pepper, horseradish, and olives, perhaps none is more popular than dill havarti.

Dill havarti marries the deliciously mild and milky taste of havarti with the slightly sweet and grassy notes of dill. These two flavors are a perfect combination – the anise notes in the dill perfectly complement the creamy texture of the havarti. Whether sliced on sandwiches, baked in pastas, or cut up for a snack, dill havarti is a cheese that always delivers big flavor and creamy goodness.

Wisconsin Cheese

Havarti cheese with dill is a prime example of Wisconsin cheese innovation. Our cheesemakers have been exploring new horizons since before we were even a state, perfecting Old World recipes and inventing new types of cheeses. That's why you'll find more than 600 varieties, types, and styles of cheese in Wisconsin. In addition to dill havarti, look for award-winning cheeses like cheddar gruyere from Wood River Creamery, Tuscan Dream from Edelweiss cheese, gouda parmesan cheese from Marieke, Bel Gioioso's fresh mozzarella ciliegine, The Wild Boar cheese from Deer Creek Cheese, and Sartori merlot cheese.

All about dill havarti

What is havarti?

Havarti is a mild, buttery, slightly acidic cheese that originated in Denmark in the 1800s. While it's available in various forms, it usually comes in a rectangular shape and is a favorite for sandwiches. It's often complemented by jalapeno peppers and herbs.

What is dill?

Dill is an herbaceous plant that is thought to be native to Eastern Europe, Russia, as well as central and southern Asia. The seeds of the plant have a flavor that's similar to caraway and anise, while the leaves or dill weed have more of a licorice taste.

How is dill havarti made?

Dill havarti is made by adding rennet to cow's milk to coagulate the cheese and separate curds from the whey. Dill is added as oil or as dried herbs after the cheese is drained and before it is pressed into molds to age. The cheese may be aged from three months to a year or more. The longer the cheese ages, the firmer its texture becomes.

Why do dill and havarti go well together?

The bright, slightly bitter taste of dill provides a pleasing contrast to the creamy, salty milk fat in the havarti.

What kinds of dill havarti cheese are made Wisconsin?

Several Wisconsin cheesemakers produce a dill havarti variety.

• Wisconsin Cream Havarti Cheese with Dill by Decatur Dairy won second place in the World Cheese Contest in 2014.
• Wisconsin Dill Havarti by the Cheese Brothers is a fresh and verdant blend of buttery havarti and herbaceous dill.
• Dill Havarti Cheese by the Wisconsin Cheese Company is a semi-hard cheese with a smooth taste, smooth texture, and subtle sweet and acid notes.
• Dill Havarti cheese from Roth Cheese is made by adding dill oil and dill to the milk rather than the curd. This cheese is made with traditional Danish techniques, starting with all-natural ingredients.
• Dill Havarti from Henning's Cheese is a semisoft variety with a smooth, buttery flavor that's infused with dill weed.
• Havarti Dill from Springside Artisan Cheese has a buttery, slightly acidic flavor with a supple texture and tiny holes.
• Dill Havarti from Humbird Cheese is a rich buttery variety with dill leaves mixed throughout.

What to eat and drink with dill havarti

The mild flavors and creamy texture of dill havarti make it easy to pair with food and beverages.

What to drink with dill havarti

A riesling, sauvignon blanc, beaujolais, buttery chardonnay, or a lighter pinot noir will all go down nicely with dill havarti. For beers, try a weiss beer, doppelbock, stout, pilsner, saison ale, or sour ale.

Cooking with dill havarti

Havarti is a great melting cheese, making it a perfect candidate for grilled cheese sandwiches, tuna melts, quesadillas, soups, pizzas, and chicken dishes. Shred it over baked potatoes or crumble it and add it to salads.

On the cheese board

Dill havarti is a great addition to any cheese board or charcuterie platter. This cheese pairs well with sweet, fresh fruits like pear, fig, or honey crisp apples. Surround it with crusty breads and crisp crackers, honey, raspberry jam, walnuts, fruits, veggies, and cured meats.