Few ingredients steal the show or grab diners’ attention like cheese.
From melty mozzarella on pizza to the perfect topper to pasta, it’s a classic ingredient that offers versatility across the entire menu. Stretch your culinary creativity and warm customers’ hearts this holiday season with our cheesy menu tips.
App-lications
There are so many possibilities here: mozzarella sticks, sliders, tapas, fondue. Adding more cheese dishes into this menu section can persuade guests to spend more. The charcuterie board craze is an excellent opportunity to entice diners and get creative with different cheeses. You can stick with the popular players that most diners are comfortable with, like Brie, Gouda, and cheddar, and pair with different meats, jams, pickles, and crusty bread. Or spice it up with a Gorgonzola, a creamy Burrata, or cranberry herbed goat cheese. It’s a good way to boost ticket prices, too!
Mac & cheese is another staple that’s always a crowd-pleaser. It’s comfort food, evokes nostalgia, and warms on a winter’s night. Keep it simple with a baked mac featuring cheddar, Colby, and Gruyere. For a more filling, fancier dish, bulk it up with lobster, braised short ribs, or Cajun shrimp for an explosion of flavors.
Festive Pies
The great thing about pizza is that it’s a blank canvas for chefs to get creative with cheese and produce festive variations that please just about any customer. Seasonal produce and herbs like pumpkin, sage, rosemary, apple, and aged cheddar all make great options for a cozy pie to warm patrons up this season. Consider Bacio® Shredded White Cheddar three-cheese blend for a more robust flavor that’ll have guests extra excited.
Or go for a mushroom pizza with fontina, fresh herbs, and a drizzle of creamy aioli for a great vegetarian option. To branch out from the norm, try a pie topped with Gorgonzola, arugula, sliced pear, and toasted walnuts for a fun seasonal twist.
A Pasta Story
Whether it’s covered in a rich and robust tomato sauce, a spicy arrabbiata, or a creamy Alfredo, pasta shines well enough with sauce. But experimenting with different cheeses can take pasta to new heights. Nutty, salty Asiago, a creamy Burrata topper, pecorino, and Parmesan cheeses are the chef’s kiss on top of the perfect pasta and give it an extra depth of flavor — not to mention Instagram-worthy photos.
Taco Town
Just like pizza and appetizers, this center-of-the-plate handheld is rife with the opportunities to show off your culinary creativity. Cotija, queso fresco, and Oaxaca are all on-trend and pair well with grilled shrimp, pickled red onion and cilantro, or spicy barbacoa.
If you’re looking to infuse some Asian influences into your tacos, look to paneer cheese to bring a high-protein, mild flavor. Try it with sweet corn, jalapenos, red onions, and avocados for a true flavor treat.
Sweet Dreams
When it comes to dessert, cheese is not usually the first ingredient that comes to mind. However, there are quite a few fun ways to use it. Consider a strawberry, dark chocolate grilled panini with Bacio® Sharp Provolone & Whole Milk 50/50 Blend for a sweet and savory combo that will shake up ordinary dessert menus.
An artisanal dessert cheese plate can also please the millennial crowd and works well as a light after-dinner treat with coffee or dessert wine. Mascarpone, ricotta, and Brie served with some fresh figs and jam are all fine selections. For those with a sweeter tooth, offer fun handhelds like fried donut bites stuffed with Bacio® Whole Milk Block cheese, coated in cinnamon sugar that will get guests talking and posting.
