Don’t let the cheese stand alone. Paired with the right condiment, you can experience whole new taste sensations. We are always on the lookout for new and delicious things to pair with cheese. We’ve previously explored pairing cheese with honey, mustard, balsamic vinegar, and even truffles. Whether it’s on a cheese board, or in a recipe, or just for a snack, adding a condiment to cheese can transport your tastebuds and allow you to experience cheeses you already love in a whole new light.
Our latest discoveries, some new and some just new to us, feature a mix of sweet, savory, spicy, smoky, and herbal condiments that are more versatile than you might expect. We’ve got suggestions for which cheeses to pair them with and sometimes suggestions for recipes you might try adding them to.
As you may have discovered in your own pairings, mild soft fresh chevre pairs with just about any condiment.
Sweet
Quince and Apple Tart Cherry and White Tea preserves
Made in Wisconsin, this floral and fruity jam is equally at home with Rogue River Smokey Blue cheese and with the dreamy mixed milk La Tur. It’s a lighter style preserve that strikes the right balance between sweet and savory. Its mild nature allows the cheese to really shine. Just the smallest smear on a cracker elevates the cheese.
Mitica Blackberry Rosemary jam
Part of a line of little mini jars of jam that seem less sweet but are still intensely fruity with savory notes. The sweet fruit tones down the heat in Marin French Cheese Petite Jalapeno but is also good with Marin French Cheese Triple Crème Brie, spread on a cracker. It could also be an interesting choice for a Monte Cristo sandwich with ham.
Savory
TBJ Classic Uncured Bacon Jam
Sweet and savory, this magical jar of preserves is good added by the spoonful to mac and cheese or slathered on a cheeseburger. It’s hard to think of a cheese it wouldn’t complement. Our pick? The soft ripened Bonne Bouche flagship ash-ripened goat cheese from Vermont Creamery. The earthy sweetness of the spread and the luscious texture and nutty and citrus notes of the cheese are irresistible together. It’s also great with alpine style cheeses such a Gruyere or Emmenthal, especially when melted.
Ronda’s Fine Foods Romesco
This Spanish dip, sauce and spread is a blend of roasted red peppers, tomatoes, almonds, spices and olive oil. Traditionally served with fish or roasted vegetables, it adds a burst of sunshine to a slab or smear of cheese. We particularly like it with 11-year aged 724 Cheddar. It is also a knockout with Laura Chenel Garlic and Chive Chevre which leads us to believe it would be a good pick for a hot or cold cheese sandwich made with any of a wide range of flavored cheeses (some flavored cheeses can otherwise be hard to pair).
Gracious Gourmet Caramelized Onion Fig Spread
Figs and cheese are a classic combination, and there are plenty of fig jams and preserves on the market, but we are particularly fond of this one which is a blend of sweet and savory. The spread paired with the washed rind Golden Gate from Marin French Cheese was a revelation, the sweet onions blending with the funky onion aromas of the cheese. We would slather this on a galette crust and top it with slices of cheese and apples or pears.
Spicy
Mr Bing Chili Crisp
Yes, chili crisp! That incredibly popular condiment has shown that it can go far beyond Asian cuisine to pair with cheese. Blended with goat cheese such as Laura Chenel original, or cream cheese (our favorite is Gina Marie from Sierra Nevada), it makes an excellent spread for bagels or bread, but it’s also particularly good with hot cheese. Drizzled onto a gooey mozzarella topped pizza, spooned over mac and cheese, or baked Feta is pure genius.
Brooklyn Delhi Roasted Garlic Achaar
This spicy and rich Indian style sauce is bursting with chili, lemon, and sweet buttery garlic. When paired with a spicy cheese like Beemster Hatch Pepper those sweet elements come to the forefront. It’s also fantastic on a grilled cheese sandwich made with an aged Cheddar. We haven’t tried it on pizza yet, but imagine that would be a winner too.
Smoky
Gracious Gourmet Smoky Ginger Peach Spread
The smoky, cardamom, cinnamon and white pepper notes add flair to the ginger peach preserves. Those spice notes complement a wide range of cheeses. It’s great with goat cheese, as many preserves are, but also with Marieke Gouda Foenegreek. We think it would be good alongside a classic fondue.
Herbal
Mr. Chimi’s Churri Sauce
This blend of cilantro, garlic and olive oil is bright and herbal. Originally created as a sauce for meat, it is the perfect pairing with flavored cheeses such as Garlic & Herb BellaVitano which is also has parsley and lemon. It’s also good on very milky cheeses such as fresh ricotta and burrata. Try it on a kebab with grilled halloumi or bread cheese.