What Cheese Goes with Steak?
Cheeses that go with steak include Aged Cheddar, blue cheese and Gorgonzola. Their sharp, salty or tangy flavors are strong enough that you can still taste them next to the rich, savory flavor of grilled or pan-seared beef.
Photo: Jon Sullivan, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Top Cheese Pairings for Steak
Other Cheese Pairings for Steak
What cheese goes with steak, and why
Steak is a cut of beef with a rich, savory flavor. A cheese with a strong flavor is easy to taste next to it. A crumbly or creamy texture also feels different from the meat.
Aged Cheddar
Aged Cheddar is a hard, crumbly cheese from England with a sharp, tangy flavor. It is usually aged 12 to 24 months, and its taste can include nutty and earthy notes.
That sharp tang is easy to pick out next to rich, savory beef. Crumble it over sliced steak, or serve a few pieces on the side.
Blue cheese
Blue cheese is any cheese made with edible mold that forms blue-green spots and veins. This French cow's milk blue is aged 2 to 6 months. It is semi-soft, creamy and crumbly, with a sharp, salty and pungent taste.
Its strong flavor is easy to taste even next to steak. Crumble it over a hot steak just before serving.
Gorgonzola
Gorgonzola is an Italian blue cheese made from unskimmed cow's milk and aged 2 to 3 months. It is named for a town near Milan. It comes in two styles: dolce is mild and buttery, and piccante is sharper, with a firm, crumbly body.
Dolce gives a milder contrast to savory beef, and piccante gives a stronger flavor. Set a piece of dolce on a hot steak, or crumble piccante over sliced steak.
Other cheeses that go with steak
Parmigiano Reggiano is a hard cheese with an umami taste. Provolone is semi-hard and tangy. Swiss is semi-hard, with a mild, nutty and slightly sweet flavor.
How to serve cheese with steak
Steak is usually grilled or pan-seared, and the outside is usually seared for flavor. Add crumbly cheeses like blue cheese, Gorgonzola piccante or Aged Cheddar after the steak is cooked, so the cheese sits on the hot, seared surface.
Steak is sometimes served with flavored butters, such as garlic butter or parsley butter. You can put a piece of mild, buttery Gorgonzola dolce on top in the same way.
For a steak sandwich, add sliced Provolone for a tangy flavor or Swiss for a milder, slightly sweet one.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best cheese to pair with steak?
No single cheese is best for every steak. Aged Cheddar, blue cheese and Gorgonzola are all good choices. Aged Cheddar is sharp and tangy and can have nutty notes. Blue cheese is salty and pungent. Gorgonzola can be mild and buttery (dolce) or sharper (piccante).
What cheese is best for a steak and cheese sandwich?
Provolone and Swiss both work on a steak sandwich. Provolone is a semi-hard cheese with a tangy flavor. Swiss is also semi-hard, with a mild, nutty and slightly sweet taste. Pick Provolone if you want more tang, or Swiss if you want a milder flavor next to the rich, savory beef.
What should I consider when choosing cheese for grilled steak?
Look at how strong the cheese tastes and how it breaks apart. Steak has a rich, savory flavor, so sharp Aged Cheddar or salty, pungent blue cheese is easy to taste next to it. Crumbly cheeses are easy to scatter over a hot steak. Gorgonzola dolce gives a milder, buttery contrast.