What can I use instead of Asiago cheese? Depending on the age of the Asiago cheese, we found that the following cheeses make the best replacements for Asiago: Parmesan, Pecorino Romano, dry Jack, Gruyere, manchego, grana Padano, provolone, and low moisture mozzarella.
Asiago cheese comes in two types, fresh, known as Asiago pressato, an unaged cheese, and Asiago d’allevo, aged from three months to two years. Each type has its specific uses, and we bring you a list of the best substitutes that you can use for any stage of Asiago cheese.
The Best Asiago Cheese Substitutes
Low Moisture Mozzarella Cheese
Low-moisture mozzarella is an ideal replacement cheese for Asiago pressato cheese.
Low-moisture mozzarella is a semi-hard cheese that has been given a longer time to mature; it has a denser texture with tangy, salty flavors.
Traditionally, low-moisture mozzarella is made from Italian buffalo milk in the southern Italian regions of Lazio, Campania, Apulia, and Molise. However, it can also be made from cow, sheep, and goat’s milk.
It has a saltier and slightly tangier flavor than fresh mozzarella, leaning toward more mature flavors like provolone or cheddar.
Low-moisture mozzarella is the perfect substitute if you are looking for a stringy melting cheese that blankets a pizza or gratins for a crispy brown layer. It can be used sliced or grated.
Because it is mild and not overpowering, you can use it as a 1:1 ratio if substituting it for fresh Asiago cheese.
Provolone Cheese
Another easily substituted cheese for fresh Asiago cheese is provolone cheese.
Provolone cheese is made using unpasteurized cow’s milk. It can be divided into two categories: provolone dolce, made from calf rennet, aged two to four months, and provolone picante, made from goats or lambs rennet, aged from four months to a year.
It originated in the southern parts of Italy, but today provolone cheese can be made in different countries.
Depending on the age of the cheese, provolone has a mildly sweet, buttery, and nutty flavor but is still tangier than mozzarella cheese. The flavors become sharper and more complex with tanginess as it ages.
Provolone cheese does not melt easily, so it’s best for sandwich fillers and is often used with grilled meats or paired up on a cold meat and cheese board.
Thanks to its mild buttery flavors, you can substitute it for a 1:1 ratio.
Parmesan Cheese
As a substitute for aged Asiago, then Parmesan is a terrific stand-in.
Parmesan is a hard Italian cheese with a crumbly texture, made exclusively from cow’s milk and coagulated with calf rennet. It is an aged cheese that ranges from one to four years.
Parmesan or Parmigiano-Reggiano is made in the northern parts of Italy in the Emilia Romagna and Lombardy regions and is protected by strict DOC laws to ensure integrity and quality.
Parmesan has a rich granular texture that varies depending on the age of the cheese. It has strong tangy and nutty notes and fruity hints that melt in your mouth.
Ideal for adding flavor to soups or sprinkling it over pasta and pizzas for an extra punch of flavor; also a great way to spruce up salads.
It has a much stronger flavor, so we recommend using a 1:2 ratio to substitute for Asiago cheese.
Pecorino Romano Cheese
Pecorino Romano is an ideal grating cheese replacement for Asiago cheese.
This cheese is made from sheep’s milk, a hard and crumbly cheese with a granulated texture, aged five to eight months.
It originates from central Italy in the surrounding regions of Tuscany and Lazio and on the second largest Mediterranean island, Sardinia.
Due to the high-fat content of ewes’ milk, Pecorino Romano has a rich buttery flavor, forward salty notes mixed with grassy, earthy undertones, and a nutty aftertaste.
Ideally used as shredding or grating cheese, it is ideal to use as a flavor enhancer for casseroles and soups. It can also be used over pasta dishes and bread.
Due to its intense saltiness, a substitute of 1:2 ratio to Asiago cheese is best to start, then add as necessary.
Gruyere Cheese
As a substitute for fresh Asiago cheese, Gruyere cheese makes a perfect understudy.
Gruyere is a hard, smooth melting cheese that is slightly granulated depending on age, cured between three to ten months, and is typically made from cow’s milk.
This is a Swiss cheese from the Alps of Europe made in the Canton of Fribourg, Switzerland.
Depending on the aging stage of the cheese, it starts off with a rich, salty, and creamy note with nutty profiles that develops more earthy notes the older it gets.
As a melting cheese, Gruyere is a delicious replacement for fondues and mouth-watering croque monsieur.
It’s also great as a melting cheese to cover pizza and the ideal cheese to use for baking quiches or making gratins.
Gruyere can substitute Asiago cheese on a 1:1 ratio.
Manchego Cheese
A delicious alternative to Asiago cheese is manchego cheese.
A semi-hard cheese made from unpasteurized sheep’s milk can be found in mild or firm variants and aged between two months and two years.
Manchego cheese is made in central Spain in the arid but fertile plateau of the La Mancha region, where it is protected by the protected designation of origin (PDO).
As a young cheese, it is mild, creamy, and has a sweet savor with a firm texture. The gentle fruity notes shine through as the cheese ages, with hints of nuttiness resonating the older it gets.
Fully matured, the cheese has a peppery undertone with a crumbly texture.
It is popularly eaten on tapas or enjoyed on a charcuterie board paired with cold meats, figs, and olives or grated over salads and pasta dishes.
When using medium-aged manchego cheese, you can substitute it 1:1 for Asiago cheese.
Grana Padano Cheese
If you enjoy the aged Asiago d’allevo type of cheese, the Grana Padano is a great substitute.
Grana Padano is still made following a 12th-century recipe from Cistercian monks. Producing a hard crumbly textured cheese made from semi-skimmed unpasteurized cow’s milk and ripened for a minimum of nine to twenty-four months.
Originating from the Po River valley in Northern Italy, the cheese is still produced in the same area under strict PDO laws and regulations.
Grana Padano is a mild, creamy cheese with savory and nutty nuances and a dense, flaky texture. The flavor is enhanced as the cheese ages and matures.
It can be eaten paired with sweet figs, dates, or a dribble of honey with crackers. Add it to pasta dishes and risotto to enhance flavors.
Grana Padano can be substituted as a 1:1 for aged Asiago cheese.
Dry Jack Cheese
Dry Jack makes an excellent alternative to Asiago.
Dry Jack is an aged version of Monterey Jack cheese. It is a hard, brittle, and crumbly cheese aged for seven to ten months and coated in a blend of cocoa, vegetable fats, and black pepper.
Dry Jack is named after its inventor. It was created accidentally when a shipment of Monterey Jack cheese was forgotten in a cellar and aged into a hard, dry version of Monterey Jack.
It is a true American original made in Monterey, California, in the United States.
It has a mild yet assertive flavor that resonates with a nutty profile and slightly sweet note.
Shavings of Dry Jack uplift the flavors of salads. Still, they can also be used grated over pasta and shredded into soaps and casseroles as a flavor enhancer.
Dry Jack can be used in a 1:1 ratio compared to Asiago cheese.
Resources
- https://www.gourmetsleuth.com/ingredients/detail/asiago-cheese
- https://www.masterclass.com/articles/asiago-cheese
- https://www.thekitchn.com/whats-the-deal-with-low-moisture-mozzarella-and-when-to-use-it-256664
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/B9781845690601500259
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mozzarella
- https://www.seriouseats.com/the-pizza-lab-the-best-low-moisture-mozzarella-for-pizzas
- https://www.masterclass.com/articles/provolone
- https://www.cheese.com/provolone/
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Provolone
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parmesan
- https://www.thespruceeats.com/parmesan-vs-parmigiano-591198
- https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/parmesan-cheese-nutrition-benefits-uses#nutrition
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/agricultural-and-biological-sciences/parmesan-cheese#:~:text=Parmesan%20cheese%20has%20a%20hard,up%20to%202%E2%80%934%20years.
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pecorino_Romano
- https://www.cheese.com/pecorino-romano/
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gruy%C3%A8re_cheese
- https://www.allrecipes.com/article/what-is-gruyere-cheese/
- https://www.thespruceeats.com/what-is-gruyere-cheese-995709
- https://www.cheese.com/manchego/
- https://www.thespruceeats.com/what-is-manchego-cheese-5184081#toc-uses
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manchego
- https://www.castellocheese.com/en/cheese-types/semi-hard-cheese/manchego-cheese/
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grana_Padano
- https://www.castellocheese.com/en/cheese-types/hard-cheese/grana-padano/
- https://www.tasteofhome.com/article/grana-padano/
- https://www.thespruceeats.com/grana-padano-italian-cheese-591249
- https://www.cheese.com/grana-padano/
- https://www.cheese.com/dry-jack/
- https://culturecheesemag.com/cheese-library/Dry-Jack-Special-Select