What are the Best Cheeses to Put on a Pizza

Everything tastes better with a slice of melting cheese on it. Mouthwatering, isn’t it? And what else could taste better than a slice of a cheesy pizza with your favorite toppings on it? – Well, we think you would agree with us when we say, absolutely ‘nothing’ at all.

Pizza happens to be one of those items that people simply love to eat almost anywhere and at any time of the day. Be it at 3 am in the morning or 7 pm in the evening, it is basically the best ‘go-to’ comfort food for people all around the world.

While you can always order a pizza and enjoy it while watching a movie, you can also make one at home using all your favorite toppings that may not be available on the menu of your favorite pizza place. Making the perfect pizza is a culinary art that almost everyone can master with a bit of an experience and knowledge of the right ingredients. Since ‘cheese’ happens to be one of the major ingredients to put in a pizza, we have made you the perfect list of the best kinds of cheese that you can use while making this delectable item.

Best Cheeses to Put on a Pizza

Cheddar Cheese

Cheddar cheese is considered as one of the very finest cheese that you can find on the market and tastes great when added to dishes that go well with the presence of cheese in it. Like mac n cheese, pizza also tastes delicious with cheddar cheese and there is this mouthwatering aroma that lingers around even after you have popped out your pizza from the oven.

This cheese will definitely not make your pizza taste bland, instead, the flavors will stand out perfectly due to its sharp taste. Not to mention, it won’t blister, unlike mozzarella which is a very common cheese that is used on a pizza.

Even though most people don’t really add cheddar to their pizza or the cheese mix that they use on it, adding it can actually alter the taste of your pizza to a whole new level, making it taste more delectable than ever. Not only does cheddar cheese taste great, but you will be happy to know that it can also make your pizza look more appealing if you grab the ones that are slightly orange in color, while you’re at the store. This will indeed change the entire outlook of your pizza and bring great taste to it, all at the same time.

Cheddar cheese goes best with cheeseburger or chicken bacon ranch pizzas.

Mozzarella Cheese

If you have ever had pizza for at least once in your life, chances are that you have definitely tasted mozzarella cheese, since it is the most commonly used cheese on pizza. Unlike cheddar, it is a very light cheese which also happens to have a very creamy consistency.

Mozzarella cheese also has a very good elastic texture which allows the pizza to be a little stretchy when you cut off slices. This makes mozzarella one of the best stretchy cheese for a pizza. Most pizzas have mozzarella as the primary choice of cheese, especially in a basic Margherita pizza.

Mozzarella cheese is the freshest cheese that you will ever find because of its minimal processing. However, if you plan on using this cheese, you should probably look into the difference between a high moisture and low moisture mozzarella cheese.

For starters, a low moisture mozzarella cheese has an elongated shelf life if compared to a high moisture mozzarella which has a shorter shelf life. This means that you have to use all of it on the same day, or else, it will definitely go bad. Low moisture mozzarella has a much more intense flavor and is slightly saltier than the other one. Nonetheless, this also means that it melts quicker due to its low moisture. You should also look out for the fat content in your mozzarella since it also helps to melt the cheese at a faster pace.

All in all, mozzarella should always be your first choice while making your pizza. Especially if you are into making Greek pizzas, a classic Margherita or a Neapolitan. Not to mention, since it goes with almost every other ingredient in your pizza, mozzarella should be one of your ideal options while preparing a pizza cheese blend.

Parmesan Cheese

While parmesan can be the perfect cheese for garnishing your dishes, it can never be used as the only type of cheese to use on your pizza, or as the base cheese. Among other hard Italian cheeses, parmesan can be grated on it to enhance its flavors among other fresh toppings on your pizza.

Note that it is wise not to bake this cheese in the oven because it will definitely lose its flavors in the heat. Also, you cannot use parmesan in your pizza cheese mix due to its dryness and intricate flavour.

If you are already a fan of parmesan and are aware of its ability of highlighting dishes as a whole, you can try sprinkling bits of it to garnish your pizza after you have popped it out of the oven. Parmesan tastes great when added to Hawaiian, Sicilian or a Margherita pizza.

Provolone Cheese

If you are looking for a cheese that can blend well with the rest of the cheese that you plan on using, provolone would be the one to go for! Like parmesan, it also falls among the list of hard Italian cheese which has a creamy consistency along with a sweet flavor. However, provolone is only sweet and creamy when it has not aged for a longer period of time. If you do not prefer your cheese sweet, go for the one that has aged for long enough.

Provolone goes well all sorts of pizza and hence you can give it a go with whichever toppings you’re going with.

Gouda Cheese

Have you ever tried this Dutch cheese before? If not, we will surely recommend you to try it with your pizza. Especially if you are planning on using barbecued chicken or pulled pork as one of your toppings.

Gouda cheese is slightly hard and has a very even consistency. Not to mention, it is loaded with rich flavors which can enhance the flavors of your pizza greatly. It is also found in the market in two different forms, one being the smoked version and the other being the plain Gouda cheese. You can try using both in separate pizzas to see which tastes better.

Ricotta

This particular cheese is generally used in white sauce pizzas and paired up with intensely flavored toppings like shrimp, broccoli or chicken. We can assure you that it will pair up perfectly with these flavors when used as a base on your pizza. Most people prepare a creamy base out of ricotta cheese by blending it with gruyere, mozzarella, gorgonzola and fontina.

Conclusion

Nonetheless, the list does not limit to the cheeses that have been mentioned above. You can also try using gruyere, goat cheese and many more to see which tastes the best with your favorite toppings. However, if you are still worried about mixing two different kinds of cheese together, try using mozzarella and cheddar because it is widely considered as the best cheese mix for pizza. If you are not a fan of cheddar, use mozzarella with any other type of cheese that you like and you are good to go!

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