Originating from Denmark in the mid-19th century, Havarti has become a favorite among cheese enthusiasts for its creamy consistency and ability to complement many culinary creations.
Whether you’re looking to add a rich layer to your sandwiches, melt it for a decadent sauce, or simply enjoy it on a cheeseboard, Havarti provides a delightful taste experience.
Utilizing Havarti in your cooking can elevate the simplest of meals to something memorable.
Its delicate taste doesn’t overpower but rather blends harmoniously with other ingredients.
This makes it an excellent candidate for recipes where cheese is a key component, without dominating the palate.
From the melt-in-your-mouth texture it brings to toasted sandwiches to the creamy richness it contributes to soups and pasta, Havarti is a must-try for anyone looking to expand their cheese repertoire.
When cooking with Havarti, remember to consider its melting properties.
Its mild and slightly acidic tang is preserved best when melted over low heat, which keeps the cheese at the perfect consistency for blending into sauces and casseroles.
Whether it’s wrapped in a stuffed pork tenderloin, combined with herbs and spices in a macaroni dish, or integrated into a comforting potato soup, Havarti’s adaptability in the kitchen is sure to impress.
The Basics of Havarti Cheese
Havarti is a semi-soft cheese celebrated for its creamy texture and mild flavor, making it a versatile player in your cooking repertoire.
Nutrition
Content
Protein
High
Calcium
Good Source
Originating from Denmark, this cheese is recognizable by its small “eyes” or holes throughout the body.
When you select Havarti, you’ll notice that it generally comes in two varieties:
Regular Havarti is creamy and smooth, while aged Havarti has a firmer texture and a more pronounced taste.
As Havarti ages, it develops a deeper flavor and may become slightly crumbly, yet still easy to slice.
Your Havarti may range from supple and easily melt-able—that works wonders on your sandwiches or in sauces—to a firmer consistency perfect for grating over dishes.
Due to its high protein and calcium content, Havarti not only adds a luxurious taste but also a nutritional boost to your meals.
When cooking, remember that Havarti’s melting qualities make it ideal for dishes requiring a gooey, tempting allure without overpowering other ingredients.
Whether it’s integrating into a chicken breast for a stuffed entrée, crafting a creamy sauce, or adding a rich layer to your grilled treats, Havarti’s flexibility is bound to enhance your culinary creations.
Selecting the Right Havarti
When selecting Havarti cheese for your recipes, examine the varieties available to suit your culinary needs.
Havarti Varieties
Classic Havarti: A mild, creamy cheese ideal for sandwiches and salads.
Aged Havarti: Offers a sharper, more pronounced flavor, excellent for charcuterie boards or enhancing dishes needing a bolder cheese taste.
Flavored Havarti: Infused with herbs, spices, or jalapeños for a unique twist in cooking.
Consider Texture and Flavor
Cream Havarti: Softer and creamier, perfect for melting applications like sauces or grilled cheese.
Aged Havarti: Has a firmer texture suitable for grating over dishes where you want a distinct cheese appearance.
Buying Tips
Look for freshness: Check sell-by dates to ensure maximum flavor retention.
Assess the packaging: Well-sealed packages maintain cheese quality.
Smell: Fresh Havarti should have a clean, dairy scent without off-odors.
Pairings and Uses
Classic Havarti: Pairs with fruits like apples and grapes.
Aged Havarti: Stands up to bold red wines and stout beers.
Flavored Havarti: Select according to the recipe’s flavor profile – dill Havarti for potato dishes or garlic Havarti in savory bread.
Preparation Methods
When incorporating Havarti cheese into your cooking, knowing how to skillfully prepare it can elevate your dishes. Each preparation method enhances Havarti’s creamy texture and buttery flavor, whether it’s shredding for melting, blending into sauces, featuring in baked dishes, or crafting spreads.
Shredding and Melting Havarti
For a smoother melt, shred Havarti cheese from a cold block to avoid clumping.
Shredded Havarti disperses more evenly and melts perfectly due to its creamy texture, making it ideal for topping burgers, melting into quesadillas, and enhancing macaroni and cheese.
Remember to combine Havarti with ingredients like unsalted butter to enrich the flavor.
Shredding Tip: Use a box grater or food processor.
Melting Tip: Use low, indirect heat.
Incorporating Havarti into Sauces
To create a rich, creamy sauce with Havarti, start by making a roux with equal parts flour and unsalted butter.
Gradually whisk in milk to achieve a smooth base before adding grated Havarti.
The cheese’s melting qualities ensure your sauce remains creamy without curdling, perfect for pasta dishes or vegetable gratins.
Roux Ratios: Typically 1 part flour to 1 part butter.
Preventing Curdling: Keep the sauce on low heat.
Baking with Havarti Cheese
Havarti’s versatility shines when baked.
To prevent it from oozing out of stuffed chicken breasts, secure the folded chicken with toothpicks.
Alternatively, mix Havarti with sour cream and herbs for a decadent baked dip or layer it in casseroles.
Baking enhances its mild flavor, especially when combined with dill or other aromatic herbs.
Stuffed Chicken Breast: Secure with toothpicks.
Baked Dips: Mix with sour cream.
Creating Havarti Cheese Spreads
Create delectable spreads by blending soft Havarti with ingredients such as sour cream or cream cheese.
Add rennet, an enzyme that aids curdling during cheese production, to assist in thickening the spread if necessary.
This spread can be a base for appetizers or a flavorful addition to sandwiches.
Spread Base: Blend Havarti with sour cream or cream cheese.
Appetizer Suggestion: Serve with crackers or crusty bread.
Havarti Pairings and Combinations
Havarti cheese’s mild taste and creamy texture make it a versatile ingredient for various dishes.
You can enhance your meals with Havarti in numerous ways, from sandwiches to main courses, or enjoy it with a glass of wine.
Havarti in Sandwiches and Appetizers
Grilled Cheese: Craft a classic grilled cheese sandwich by melting slices of Havarti between two slices of buttered bread.
Add flavor complexity by incorporating crispy bacon or thinly sliced apple for a sweet and savory twist.
Appetizers: Create cheese puffs by combining Havarti with eggs, flour, and a hint of paprika for some spice.
Serve these as a warm, welcoming appetizer or a side dish to your main course.
Havarti in Main Dishes
Pasta Dishes: Integrate Havarti into your pasta dishes for a rich, creamy texture.
It can enhance the heartiness of sauces in your favorite baked ziti or macaroni and cheese.
Stuffed Pork Tenderloin: Use Havarti as a stuffing option.
Combine it with fresh spinach leaves, then roll within a pork tenderloin, and season with salt, pepper, and herbs for a tender and juicy meal.
Havarti with Vegetables and Sides
With Vegetables: Melt Havarti over sautéed mushrooms, onions, or garlic to create a luscious topping for steamed vegetables or a flavorful component to a side dish.
In Salads: Shred or cube Havarti and toss with a mixture of greens, fruits like crisp pears, and nuts for a refreshing salad that’s elevated with texture and flavor.
Wine and Havarti Pairings
Red Wine: Choose a lighter red like Pinot Noir to complement the buttery notes of Havarti cheese.
Rosé Wine: Opt for a Rosé when pairing Havarti with wine, as its sweetness balances the saltiness of the cheese, creating a harmonious flavor profile.
Recipes Featuring Havarti Cheese
Havarti cheese, a Danish delight, is renowned for its creamy texture and gentle tang, making it an ideal candidate for a range of comforting dishes.
Here, you will find a selection of recipes to incorporate the mild yet flavorful Havarti into your cooking repertoire.
Classic Grilled Cheese with Havarti
Elevate the staple grilled cheese sandwich with Havarti for a creamy and delicious twist.
Start with two slices of your preferred bread, butter on the outside, and thick slices of Havarti in the middle.
Cook on a skillet over medium heat until golden brown.
Ingredients:
2 slices bread
Butter
Havarti cheese
Instructions:
Butter the outside of each bread slice.
Place Havarti slices between the bread.
Cook in skillet until each side is golden brown.
Havarti Macaroni and Cheese
For a cheesy, gooey macaroni and cheese, stir melted Havarti into your cheese sauce for a smooth consistency and bake until bubbly.
Mix with cooked macaroni for a delightful side or main dish.
Ingredients:
Cooked macaroni
Havarti cheese, shredded
Milk, butter, and flour for the cheese sauce
Instructions:
Make a roux with butter and flour, add milk to create a bechamel.
Blend in shredded Havarti until melted and season with salt and pepper.
Combine with cooked macaroni and bake until the top is golden.
Gourmet Pizza with Havarti
Create a mushroom pizza with Havarti cheese for a gourmet experience.
Use a pre-made pizza base, add a layer of your favorite tomato sauce, top with sautéed mushrooms and generous slices of Havarti, then bake until the cheese is perfectly melted.
Ingredients:
Pizza base
Tomato sauce
Mushrooms, sautéed
Havarti cheese, sliced
Instructions:
Spread tomato sauce on pizza base.
Add sautéed mushrooms and top with Havarti cheese.
Bake as per pizza base instructions until cheese is melted.
Decadent Havarti Cheese Pastries
For an indulgent treat, tuck slices of Havarti into puff pastry with your choice of savory fillings.
Bake until the pastries puff up and turn a tempting golden hue.
Ingredients:
Puff pastry
Havarti cheese, sliced
Egg (for egg wash)
Instructions:
Cut puff pastry into squares.
Place Havarti slices and optional fillings in the center of each square.
Fold, seal the edges, apply egg wash, and bake as per puff pastry instructions.
Advanced Cooking Techniques
Harnessing Havarti’s versatility can elevate your culinary repertoire, offering creamy textures and complex flavors to a variety of dishes.
Creating Complex Flavors with Havarti
When you’re aiming to infuse intricate flavors into your dishes using Havarti, consider the cheese’s ability to blend seamlessly with other ingredients.
One method is to create a rich mustard sauce by melting Cream Havarti and whisking in Dijon mustard; this combination is perfect for drizzling over roasted meats or vegetables.
Additionally, incorporating truffle oil into melted Havarti can deliver a sophisticated and earthy dimension to pasta dishes.
Ingredient
Pairing Suggestion
Culinary Application
Cream Havarti
Dijon mustard
Whisk into sauces
Black Truffle Oil
Incorporate into melted Havarti for pasta
Infuse into sauces or as a finishing oil
For an exotic twist, swirl pesto into a Havarti sauce to imbue basil and pine nut undertones, excellent for a grilled chicken accompaniment or a twist on the traditional mac and cheese.
Havarti in Fine Dining
In the realm of fine dining, Havarti’s creamy texture and mild flavor profile make it an ideal table cheese, especially when accented with nuanced condiments.
Thinly shaving Cream Havarti atop a freshly composed salad or incorporating it into a delicate terrine can add a luxurious touch.
Dish
Havarti Integration
Benefit
Salad
Shaved Cream Havarti topping
Adds creaminess without heaviness
Terrine
Layers of Havarti within the terrine
Contributes to a lush mouthfeel
By using Havarti as a base for your cheese courses, you can introduce a variety of garnishes, such as drizzling black truffle oil for an opulent finish or presenting it alongside confit garlic and rustic bread for a gourmet cheese platter.
Storing and Aging Havarti Cheese
When handling Havarti cheese, it’s essential to store it correctly to maintain its creamy texture and ensure its flavor matures appropriately if it’s an aged variety.
Refrigeration is crucial; you’ll want to store your cheese at a temperature between 34°F and 38°F (1°C to 3°C).
If your fridge has a cheese drawer, that’s an ideal spot; if not, place it in the coldest section, away from the door.
For Aging Havarti:
Flavored Havarti, such as Havarti with dill, often requires less aging time than plain varieties due to the additional flavors.
Creamy Havarti cheese is typically aged for around three months; however, if you prefer a sharper taste, you can opt for Aged Havarti Cheese, which is left to mature longer.
Storing Tips:
Wrap Havarti cheese in wax or parchment paper before storing it in the fridge. This allows it to breathe and limits moisture build-up.
Consider placing the wrapped cheese in an airtight container to protect it from other flavors in the fridge.
For a cheese sauce:
Use fresh Creamy Havarti for a smoother texture and richer flavor. Ensure the Havarti is at room temperature before melting it into sauces for optimal blending.
Frequently Asked Questions
Havarti cheese is known for its creamy texture and mild flavor, making it a versatile ingredient in various recipes. Below are common questions to guide you in using Havarti in your cooking.
What are the best Havarti cheese recipes for pasta dishes?
Your favorite creamy pasta dishes can benefit from Havarti.
Try adding cubes or shreds of Havarti cheese to a simple Alfredo sauce or a hearty macaroni and cheese for a creamy and rich flavor.
Which vegetarian dishes can be enhanced with Havarti cheese?
Incorporate slices or shreds of Havarti cheese into your vegetable lasagna, stuff it into bell peppers before roasting, or melt it over a portobello mushroom burger for an extra layer of richness without meat.
How can Havarti cheese be incorporated into sandwiches?
Layer Havarti cheese on your deli sandwiches for a melty and smooth texture.
It also pairs beautifully with crusty bread for an upscale grilled cheese experience.
What are some creative Havarti cheese appetizer recipes?
Create a Havarti cheese dip by melting it with a bit of milk or cream, or wrap slices of Havarti cheese around fruit or vegetables for a quick and elegant appetizer.
Can Havarti cheese be used as a melting cheese in various recipes?
Absolutely, Havarti’s excellent melting qualities make it ideal for quesadillas, pizza toppings, or in a cheese sauce for vegetables.
What are some ideal food pairings with Havarti cheese?
Pair Havarti with crusty bread, tart fruits like apples, or roasted nuts.
Its mild flavor also complements cured meats and pickled veggies in a charcuterie spread.
Cassie brings decades of experience to the Kitchen Community. She is a noted chef and avid gardener. Her new book "Healthy Eating Through the Garden" will be released shortly. When not writing or speaking about food and gardens Cassie can be found puttering around farmer's markets and greenhouses looking for the next great idea.
