Fontina is a distinct and tasty cheese known for its nutty, buttery flavor and exceptional melting ability. It is, however, not always easily accessible. Fortunately, fontina cheese substitutes such as Emmental, gruyere, parmesan, mozzarella, and Havarti cheese provide comparable effects.
Fontina is a soft, gooey Italian cow’s milk cheese that is often used in fondues, sauces, dips, and other meals that call for soft, gooey cheese. Depending on how long it has been aged, it may vary from firm to relatively soft on its own. However, when cooked, fontina turns pleasantly gooey, which is why it is used in softer, more liquid dishes.
Each of these alternatives has distinct characteristics that bring you closer to the sensation of fontina. While you may not be able to purchase fontina at your local supermarket, you may get a comparable outcome using one of these substitutions.
Contents
- 5 Recommended Fontina Cheese Substitute
- Frequently Asked Questions
- FAQs
- What cheese is most similar to fontina?
- What is similar to Fontina cheese?
- What is the flavor of Fontina cheese?
- Is Gouda and Fontina cheese similar?
- Is fontina the same as provolone?
- Does fontina cheese taste like mozzarella?
- Does fontina taste like Swiss?
- Is fontina the same as Asiago?
- Does fontina taste like gruyere?
- Does Aldi sell Fontina cheese?
5 Recommended Fontina Cheese Substitute
These top five fontina substitutes were chosen based on similarities in flavor, texture, and culinary application.
Some may work better than others for a certain recipe, so choose wisely! Below, we’ll go through each alternative and the characteristics that make it an excellent substitute for fontina.
Emmental Cheese
Emmental is a firm cow’s milk cheese that is often referred to as Swiss cheese. It has a semi-hard consistency and is easily identified by the unique holes found throughout.
Why Should You Use Emmental in Place of Fontina?
Emmental is a great alternative to fontina for a variety of reasons. Both types of cheese are semi-hard and manufactured from cow’s milk, giving them a somewhat nutty, mild taste.
Emmental is substantially sweeter and has a richer scent than fontina. Aside from that, however, the two types of cheese are surprisingly similar in taste and texture, even sharing the characteristic of holes throughout the cheese.
How to Substitute Emmental for Fontina
There is no exact science to substituting Emmental for fontina. Because the consistency and texture are so close, you shouldn’t have to do any adjustments for the quantity of cheese you need. Simply substitute Emmental for the fontina in a 1:1 ratio.
Best Use Cases and Recipes
Emmental melts nicely and is comparable to fontina in this regard. If you’re creating a sauce, dip, or fondue that asks for fontina, Emmental is an excellent substitution that will taste and feel similarly.
If you can’t get emmental cheese but want something comparable, see our list of the greatest emmental cheese substitutes.
Gruyere Cheese
Gruyere is a Swiss cheese with a taste that is very similar to fontina, particularly aged fontina. It is well-known for its gentle, buttery taste. It has varied holes throughout, much as fontina and Emmental.
Why Should You Use Gruyere in Place of Fontina?
Gruyere is one of the closest parallels to fontina taste, albeit the texture is not similar. Gruyere has a creamy, mellow flavor that is akin to aged fontina. It also melts smoothly, however with a somewhat different texture.
How to Substitute Gruyere for Fontina
As a general guideline, use 4 of the fontina quantity. It doesn’t have to be precise, particularly if the cheese isn’t the major component of the meal.As with Emmental, gruyere may be substituted for fontina in an equal proportion. You may wish to use slightly less cheese than the recipe asks for since gruyere is more substantial and has a more hard texture. Reduce it to somewhere between and 4
Best Use Cases and Recipes
Because gruyere has a considerably tougher, denser texture than fontina, it’s best used as a replacement for the cheese in meals where it’s not the major ingredient.
In other words, it is an excellent substitute in dishes such as casseroles, spaghetti, or soup, but it is unlikely to be suitable for fondue. In a sauce, you may be able to replace gruyere for fontina.
Because of the textural differences, gruyere is best used in recipes that do not need melting or in recipes that call for aged fontina (because to the similar flavor).
Can’t seem to locate gruyere cheese? See our post on gruyere cheese alternatives.
Parmesan Cheese
Fontina may also be substituted with parmesan and its near sibling, Grana Padano cheese. This popular hard cheese is readily accessible and simple to prepare.
Why Should You Use Parmesan in Place of Fontina?
The taste of parmesan is its greatest advantage as a replacement. Its somewhat sharp, sweet, and nutty taste is a decent substitute for fontina, yet the two types of cheese have completely distinct textures.
How to Substitute Parmesan for Fontina
When substituting fontina for parmesan, keep in mind that the textures of the two cheeses vary. Because parmesan is denser and tougher, you may need to use a lot more of it in a dish. Take note of the sort of parmesan you use; fresher, grated parmesan melts faster than other varieties.
Best Use Cases and Recipes
Parmesan, like gruyere, is best used to compliment a meal rather than as the major component. It absorbs when melted, thus it’s not a suitable choice for a fondue. Instead, serve it uncooked or integrate it into soups, pasta, and sauces.
Can’t seem to locate parmesan cheese? Please see the suggested parmesan cheese replacement.
Mozzarella Cheese
Because of its similarities in flavor and availability, mozzarella is a suitable alternative for fontina.
Why Should You Use Mozzarella in Place of Fontina?
People who are acquainted with cheese may raise an eyebrow at the concept of switching mozzarella for fontina since the textures are so unlike. Fontina is medium-hard to hard, while mozzarella is very soft.
However, its suitability as a substitute lies in its similar taste and melting ability.
How to Substitute Mozzarella for Fontina
Because the textures of mozzarella and fontina are so distinct, you may use this alternative to make up the majority of any dish where the cheese is the primary or one of the key components, such as sauce or fondue.
Best Use Cases and Recipes
In recipes that call for melted cheese, stick to mozzarella. When melted, its flavor and texture will be extremely similar to that of fontina.
See: Mozzarella cheese substitute
Havarti Cheese
Havarti is a Danish cow’s milk that tastes and feels quite similar to fontina. The two varieties of cheese are produced in neighboring locations!
Why Should You Use Havarti in Place of Fontina?
Havarti cheese is one of the most similar to fontina! The two forms are quite similar in terms of flavor and texture. The fundamental distinction is that Havarti is somewhat softer; nevertheless, this variation is so little that it makes no practical difference in cooking.
How to Substitute Havarti for Fontina
Because the two cheeses are so similar in texture, flavor, density, and other characteristics, there is no actual technique to switching Havarti for fontina! Simply substitute the cheese in a 1:1 ratio.
Best Use Cases and Recipes
Thanks to Havartis similarity to fontina, it is well-suited to almost any recipe! It may be used in sauces, soups, pasta, casseroles, and many other dishes. It melts easily and also works well as a cold substitute.
Can’t seem to locate havarti cheese? See suggested havarti replacements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Let’s go through some commonly asked questions concerning fontina.
Fontina comes in a variety of varieties. Color, texture, hardness, age, and provenance all differ. The classic fontina comes from Italy. It is created from raw cow’s milk and is typically aged for three months before consumption.
Even classic fontina may differ in various ways, mainly depending on how long it has been aged. Yes, there are many different forms of fontina!
Fontina is often likened to gruyere cheese in flavor and texture, and they are similar enough that we’ve placed gruyere on this list as an alternative!
There are a few notable distinctions. First, gruyere, despite having a similar nutty flavor, is a little harsher. This is especially noticeable when using older gruyere.
While gouda may be used in place of fontina, the flavor and consistency are not the same.
Both cheeses are created from cow’s milk, but gouda has a more firmer texture, a sharper flavor, and a brighter color than fontina. Despite these distinctions, its effectiveness as a fontina alternative stems mostly from its tremendous adaptability.
Fontina cheese has several applications, but it is particularly popular in fondue and other related meals. It melts well and takes on a soft, gooey feel when cooked. Fontina may be found in fondues, sauces, and dips, as well as pizzas and other foods.
Fontina cheese does not taste harsh. While the flavor and texture of fontina varies depending on how long it is aged, the taste is often characterized as thick, creamy, rich, and mild.
Fontina has a nutty taste as it matures, which some cheesemakers enhance.