Perfect in sandwiches and salads, brie cheese is a delicious option and can be used in various dishes.
Its mild flavor and creamy consistency make it a popular choice for cheese, but you may find yourself in a situation where you’ve run out, or you can’t find any at the grocery store.
This article will be discussing more about Brie, as well as what you can use as a Brie cheese substitute.
What Is Brie?
Brie is a delicious, soft cheese that’s made from cow’s milk. It has a pale yellow interior and a white rind that is responsible for its flavor.
This rind helps it keep its shape, but once melted, it begins to soften and leaves a delicious taste in its wake.
Although mild, the taste of brie is exquisite, as it is creamy, buttery, and slightly earthy. It is a very popular option for canapés and other appetizers and is also used in warm sandwiches.
How To Serve Brie
Brie is a versatile cheese that can be prepared and served in a variety of ways. A popular one is having baked Brie. When baking brie in the oven, the inside warms up and becomes delicious.
Baked Brie is often served with crackers, bread, as well as fruit, and wine.
It is also a common cheese used on a cheese board. When cut into slices, it accompanies many other kinds of cheese well and can be spread on all kinds of bread and crackers.
Due to its universal flavor, Brie is a delicious option for sandwiches. It can be sliced up and used in baguettes, grilled sandwiches, and all kinds of wraps and paninis.
1. Camembert Cheese
Camembert is a great substitute for brie as it is also a soft cheese with a similar taste and texture.
However, it is important to note that young Camembert has more of a crumbly texture, it becomes creamier as it ages, so opt for an older Camembert cheese if you are using it as a replacement for Brie.
Its taste is also quite mild, it is only slightly saltier than brie, but nevertheless, it is a great substitute.
2. Coulommiers Cheese
Colommiers cheese is another option that works well as a substitute for Brie. The two kinds of cheese share several similarities. They are both soft and buttery in texture, and both have a slightly nutty, rich flavor.
When it comes to consistency, Coulommiers is thicker than Brie, and it also has a slightly more powerful taste, so you may need to use a smaller quantity of it than you would use Brie.
3. Goat Cheese
Goat cheese is made from the milk of a goat and changes in texture as it ages. When young, it is soft and creamy, but it hardens as it ages, making it more like a crumbly cheese.
Therefore, when using it as a replacement for Brie, it is best to use a young Goat cheese. The taste is also stronger than Brie, and more pungent, but this taste is milder the younger the cheese is.
4. Reblochon Cheese
Both Brie and Reblochon cheese have a creamy texture and soft consistency, making Reblochon a good choice when you are in need of a substitute.
The taste is slightly more intense and nutty than Brie, and it is also creamier, so this is something to bear in mind when opting to use it instead of Brie.
5. Fromage D’Affinois
Fromage d’Affinois is similar to Brie but undergoes a different production process. This cheese goes through an ultrafiltration process, where all the water is removed from it. This process means it becomes available in two weeks, whereas Brie takes four weeks to become available.
Despite the different processes used to make it, it also has a crust around the exterior, with a creamy center, resembling Brie significantly.
It does have a similar taste but does not have that same, earthy flavor that Brie does.
6. Mozzarella Cheese
Mozzarella is one of the most widely available substitutes for Brie you can find. You can find it in practically any grocery store, in several textures and flavors.
It is available in a firm or soft form, so if you’re using it as a replacement for Brie, be sure to opt for the soft Mozzarella.
This popular cheese has a very mild and sweet taste, but the salt content is much lower than Brie’s, so you may need to use more of it than you would use Brie when using it in certain dishes.
7. Cantal Cheese
Cantal cheese can be used as a replacement for Brie, as long as you choose a young one, as it hardens as it ages. A good young variety would be Cantal Jeune.
This is because its consistency and texture are very similar to that of Brie. It also has a mildly sweet taste, something that Brie doesn’t necessarily have, so it would add a nice flair to whatever dish you are using it in.
8. Explorateur Cheese
This cheese is one of the creamiest you’ll ever find! It is a triple cream cheese, and these are made by adding extra cream to the curd that is used for soft-ripened cheeses.
The taste of Explorateur cheese is salty, and buttery, and resembles the flavors of hazelnuts. Its salty taste and wonderfully creamy texture make it one of the best substitutes for Brie that you can find!
It is normally served as an appetizer paired with bread or is often eaten as a dessert alongside some fruits.
9. Saint-Andre Cheese
Just like the above option, Saint-Andre cheese is also a triple cream cheese, making it one of the creamiest options you can find!
Saint-Andre has more of an intense flavor than Brie, but its texture and softness make it a great replacement.
It also has a relatively salty flavor, just like Brie, making it a great addition to any cheese boards, or pairings with fruits and wines!
10. Toma Cheese
Unlike the French cheeses on this list, Toma is a popular Italian cheese. It is available in soft or semi-hard varieties, so when using it to replace Brie, opting for the soft variety will ensure that you are using a cheese that resembles it the most.
It also resembles Brie in its flavor. It has a nutty, earthy flavor, and it pairs wonderfully well with all kinds of fruits and wines, and it is even commonly used in burgers.
However, it is important to note that this cheese is slightly firmer and harder than Brie.
Final Thoughts
To conclude, Brie is a delicious cheese that can be used in a variety of ways. However, if you struggle to find it in your local grocery store, then these 10 kinds of cheese make wonderful substitutes.
Each of them shares many similar traits to Brie, whether it’s in flavor or consistency.
It is important to note that some of these replacements have semi-hard varieties available, so to mimic Brie as closely as possible, you must opt for the softer, creamier varieties.
We hope this article has provided you with sufficient information about Brie, and what kinds of cheese share enough similarities to it in order to act as a good substitute.
10 Delicious Replacements For Brie
Brie is a great addition to dishes, but there are many other kinds of cheese that serve as a good substitute if you struggle to find it in grocery stores.
Ingredients
Camembert Cheese
Coulommiers Cheese
Goat Cheese
Reblochon Cheese
Fromage D’Affinois
Mozzarella Cheese
Cantal Cheese
Explorateur Cheese
Saint-Andre Cheese
Toma Cheese
Directions
- Decided on what substitute you need
- Pick a substitute from the list above
- Read what you need to substitute with
- Create the recipe and enjoy
Recipe Video
Cooking is great for your mental, physical, and emotional health. What’s the worst that could happen? Find a recipe that you like the sound of and cook it along with me. You might even unlock a new passion!
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