4 Substitutes for Gouda Cheese

Gouda is one of the oldest cheeses in the world, dating back to as early as the 1100s. And yet, it is still one of the most popular and universal cheeses used today. 

A traditionally Dutch cows’ cheese, gouda cheese is best paired with lighter foods that are either citrusy or sweet – this extends to wines, too. This is why it is a great snacking cheese, but it can also be used in sweeter dishes. 

Because gouda cheese is so popular, the chance of your local supermarket running out before you can get a good selection is very high. So, what alternatives can you use instead?

Our 4 Substitutes for Gouda Cheese

Gouda is a semi-hard cheese, able to hold its shape when used on crackers but it will melt easily enough at a low heat. 

The reason that gouda pairs so well with lighter dishes is its sweet undertones. However, it can also be used in more savoury situations as its most prominent taste is its nuttiness. 

The balance is what makes it such a favourable cheese, being neither too bland or overpowering. However, it will get stronger with age. 

Here are our top 4 substitutes for gouda cheese: 

1) Havarti Cheese

Another popular Dutch cheese, Havarti cheese is essentially the same as gouda cheese with a flavour and appearance that falls just short of being identical. 

Havarti cheese looks more like Swiss cheese with various holes and is a paler yellow than gouda cheese, though you won’t be able to tell the difference if you use Havarti for hot dishes. 

If you buy Havarti cheese from a supermarket then it has probably been aged for around 3 months, allowing the sweet nuttiness to become more prominent. This is partly why Havarti tends to be more expensive than gouda. 

It is not as sweet as gouda even after this ageing period, but the older the Havarti cheese is, the better you will taste the sweetness. 

The Perfect Sauce Substitute
Havarti cheese is the same texture as gouda cheese, but its creamy flavours mean that it can make any sauce feel more luxurious and smooth. 

2) Munster Cheese

Also made from cow’s milk, Munster cheese is a semi-soft cheese that has the same consistency as gouda. 

The cheese itself is a pale yellow colour but is coated by a yellow-orange rind due to the addition of annatto. Unlike some other cheeses, this rind is edible.

Typically, annatto is added to a cheese to provide some nuttiness where there isn’t any naturally. But Munster cheese already has a prominent nutty taste, so the extra annatto only emphasizes its natural flavours further.

For this reason, although Munster also has some sweet undertones, it can be used for heavier pairings such as beer instead of wine.  

Make Use of Storage Containers
Munster cheese is not the most pungent by any means, but it does quickly become stinky. When you buy the cheese, store it in an airtight container to avoid making your fridge smell. 

3) Edam Cheese

It may not be as popular as gouda cheese but Edam cheese has the same Dutch origins and is made from cow’s milk, too. 

However, Edam uses less additional fat than gouda cheese, so is it much harder. This can mean that it will take longer to melt than softer cheeses. 

It is its uses that makes Edam a good gouda substitute. Edam is predominately a nutty cheese, but where gouda is sweet, Edam is salty to the same extent. 

Such a flavour difference makes it a better pairing for sweet fruits, creating the perfect salty-sweet balance. 

Use Honey for Sweetness
It may be that you find Edam too salty for the dish you are making. If this is the case, use a drizzle of honey to even out its sweet-salty balance better. This will change the dishes flavour profile but will be better suited to your pallet. 

4) Cheddar Cheese

There are few kinds of cheese that are more common and readily available than cheddar cheese. It is the go-to cheese for many UK families, especially because it is made in England so it is cheaper than imported options. 

Cheddar comes in two colours, yellow and yellow-orange. They seem similar by name but the colour difference is obvious in person. 

The more orange cheddar is such a colour because of the added annatto. This is what makes it the best cheddar for replacing gouda as you will get that same nutty taste with a little of its natural sweetness. 

It is the sharpness of cheddar that makes it different from gouda. The flavours are very similar but they are much harsher, so you may want to use less in your dish. 

Though once melted, cheddar and gouda are similar, cold cheddar is much more crumbly. 

More Mature = More Intense
Like gouda, cheddar becomes stronger the longer it ages. As such, you should use younger cheddar varieties to replace gouda to copy the milder flavours. 

Other Substitutes for Gouda Cheese

If you are a cheese lover and want to try some rarer or more exotic cheeses in place of gouda, then here are a few substitutes you may like: 

  • Gruyere Cheese – Much harder and grainier than gouda, gruyere cheese is mild like gouda so can be incorporated into many dishes if you don’t mind the texture change. 
  • Cantal – Very similar to cheddar cheese, cantal is considered the ‘real cheddar’ in France, though it is more expensive. 

Summary

There is a reason that gouda is so popular. Its nutty sweetness and versatility make it an easy to use cheese for anyone who has a cheesy craving. 

But when you have to use a substitute, there are other Dutch cheeses that have similar qualities to gouda – the best being Havarti cheese.