What Cheese Goes with Prosciutto?

Why these cheeses go with prosciutto

Aged Gouda

Aged Gouda is a hard cheese from the Netherlands. As it ages, it gets a deeper flavor that tastes like caramel, with hints of nuts. That flavor goes well with the delicate, salty taste of prosciutto.

The cheese is firm and has a slight crunch from protein crystals. The crunch is different from the ham, which melts in your mouth. Try wrapping a thin slice of prosciutto around a small cube of Aged Gouda.

Mozzarella

Mozzarella is a fresh, semi-soft cheese from southern Italy with a mild, milky flavor and a creamy texture. Because it is mild, it does not cover up the taste of the salty ham.

Tear Mozzarella into pieces and lay thin slices of prosciutto over them. Mozzarella is also the cheese on most pizza, so you can add prosciutto to a Mozzarella pizza.

Parmigiano Reggiano

Parmigiano Reggiano is a hard, grainy Italian cheese made from cow's milk and aged 12 to 36 months. Its taste is sharp, salty and deeply savory, so it makes a strong, salty bite with the ham.

One of the areas where Parmigiano Reggiano is made is Parma, the home of Prosciutto di Parma. Prosciutto di Parma tastes slightly nutty because Parmesan whey is sometimes added to the pigs' food. Break the cheese into small chunks and serve them next to thin slices of the ham.

Blue, Brie and Fontina also go with prosciutto. Blue is sharp, tangy and salty, with a crumbly, creamy texture. Brie is soft and tastes of nuts and mushrooms. Fontina is semi-soft, mild and buttery.

How to serve prosciutto with cheese

• Prosciutto is usually served in thin slices. Lay the slices loosely next to the cheese so they are easy to pick up.
• Wrap a slice of ham around a cube of Aged Gouda or a piece of Mozzarella so each bite has both.
• Put a mild cheese next to a strong one. For example, serve Mozzarella or Fontina with Parmigiano Reggiano or Blue.
• Crumble Blue over a few slices of prosciutto.