Here's everything worth knowing about jarlsberg cheese and how to pick it, what it is, how to store it, and what to use instead, plus 19 recipes to cook tonight.

What is jarlsberg cheese?

Jarlsberg is a Norwegian cow's-milk cheese, a Swiss-style cheese with big round holes and a smooth, pale yellow paste. It looks a lot like emmentaler, but it is younger as cheeses go, first made in Norway in the 1950s and now one of the country's best-known exports.

The flavor is where it stands apart. Jarlsberg is mild and clean with a distinct buttery sweetness and a gentle nutty finish, noticeably sweeter and less sharp than a Swiss emmentaler or gruyere.

That easygoing, crowd-pleasing taste is why it lands on so many sandwiches and cheese boards.

How to use jarlsberg

Jarlsberg melts smoothly and evenly, with a mild flavor that suits almost anything, so it is a safe, friendly choice when you want melt without a strong cheese taking over.

It does its best work in baked egg dishes, where its sweetness carries the custard. That is the whole idea behind a Crustless Jarlsberg Quiche.

It also melts beautifully over soup. Grated thick and broiled until bubbling, it makes the lid on a French Onion Soup - Jarlsberg, where its mellow sweetness softens the deep onion broth.

And it is a quick weeknight melter. Scattered over a 16 Minute Tortilla Pizza, it goes gooey fast without the funk a sharper cheese would add.

As with any cheese, grate it from a block and melt it gently, since high heat will tighten even an easy melter and push out fat.

Pairing and common mistakes

Jarlsberg's sweet, nutty mildness makes it an easy partner. It works with ham, smoked salmon, apples, grapes, and dark rye bread, and it suits a cold-weather plate alongside cured meats and pickles.

The most common mistake is expecting big flavor. Jarlsberg is gentle by design, so if you want a sharp, savory bite, it will read as bland. Pick a more assertive cheese when the dish needs the cheese to stand out.

The other slip is treating it like a grating cheese for pasta. It is too soft and mild to season a plate of spaghetti the way a hard aged cheese does, so save it for melting and slicing rather than finishing.

Substitutes

Emmentaler is the closest swap, the Swiss original that jarlsberg was modeled on, with the same holes and a similar melt but a touch more nuttiness. Use it anywhere jarlsberg goes.

A mild Swiss or a young gruyere also covers the role, gruyere bringing more depth if you want it. For pure melting on a sandwich or pizza, a young gouda or provolone gives you the same smooth, gentle result.

If you specifically want jarlsberg's sweetness, lean toward the milder, younger options. The sharper a substitute is, the further you drift from what makes jarlsberg jarlsberg.

Buying and storing jarlsberg

Jarlsberg is widely sold pre-sliced for sandwiches and in wedges at the cheese counter. Look for a smooth, pale yellow paste with scattered round holes and no dried or cracked cut face. There is also a sharper aged Jarlsberg worth seeking out if you want more punch.

Wrap a wedge in wax paper or parchment, then loosely in foil, and keep it in the warmest part of the fridge so it does not dry out.

A firm wedge keeps three to four weeks thanks to its moderate moisture, while pre-sliced jarlsberg is best within a week.

It freezes acceptably for cooking and comes back better grated than sliced. If a little mold shows on a firm wedge, cut an inch around and below it and use the rest.

Quick facts

Where to find jarlsberg cheese: Jarlsberg cheese is usually found in the cheeses section or aisle of the grocery store or supermarket.

In Chinese

亚尔斯贝格奶酪

British (UK) term

Jarlsberg cheese

en français

Jarlsberg

en español

Jarlsberg queso

Recipes using jarlsberg cheese

There are 19 recipes that contain this ingredient.

All 19 recipes