Skip to main content

The best cheese for burgers: Our top 7 favorites

Blue cheese? On a burger? Trust us, it's delicious.

Cheeseburger
engin akyurt/Unsplash

Unless you’re an insane person (or avoid dairy for dietary or ethical reasons—you get a pass), you turn your hamburgers into cheeseburgers. Cheese truly does make everything better, and burgers are perhaps the best example of this. But which cheeses should you select when it comes time to light the grill and crack open some cold ones? We’ve got the answers.

Recommended Videos

Cheddar

Person grating cheese
rivage/Unsplash

Ah, classic cheddar. This trusty staple is certainly the most popular cheese for most backyard burgers. And while cheddar may be the typical choice, it’s far from mundane. This hard cheese has a crumbly texture, an easily melty consistency, and a slightly tangy, nutty flavor that works beautifully on a burger.

Monterey and Pepper Jack

Pepper Jack cheese
lindahughes/Adobe Stock

One of the gooiest, meltiest cheeses on the block, Jack is beautifully mild and smooth, with a creamy texture that’s delicious on a burger. Add some spicy peppers to this modestly mild cheese, and you end up with Pepper Jack, which complements Jack’s smooth and creamy flavor and consistency. Either variety is an ideal burger choice, whether you want to keep it smooth or turn up the spice.

Brie

Brie cheese
Charlie Solorzano/Unsplash

Ultra-popular, sinfully smooth, deliciously creamy Brie will give your burger an instant sophistication boost. Brie’s perfectly melty texture, paired with her subtle, earthy tones, is buttery and brilliant on any burger. We especially love it when paired with bacon on a brioche bun.

Smoked Gouda

Cheese
moritz320 / Pixabay

This delicious cheese tastes like it was made for a barbecue. Gouda is creamy and sweet with nutty, caramel notes that take on a gorgeous campfire flavor when subtly smoked. While it may take a bit longer to melt than other cheeses on our list, Gouda does melt beautifully and will give your burger a beautifully complex flavor.

Blue 

Bleu cheese
barmalini/Adobe Stock

Love it or hate it, blue cheese always makes a statement. And if it’s bold you’re going for, blue cheese is absolutely incredible crumbled onto a hot burger patty. Blue’s creamy texture and sharp, signature funk melt seamlessly into the hot, sizzling meat of a burger in a way that’s absolutely divine.

Mozzarella

Burgers on grill
Fábio Alves / Unsplash

Don’t come for us on this one. We understand that the mild and creamy bliss that is mozzarella is usually reserved for your favorite pasta dishes, but think about everything that makes mozzarella wonderful. It’s mild and creamy, it melts in a way that makes anyone’s mouth water, and its milky, grassy flavor is everything a burger wants.

American

American cheese
Picture Partners / Adobe Stock

Alright, look. We get it. The cheese snobs of the world may very well take issue with this selection because technically – technicallyAmerican cheese isn’t really a cheese, but a spread. It is, however, made from real cheese – usually colby or cheddar – and tastes delicious. Sorry. It just does. Especially if you grew up sneaking these perfectly plastic-wrapped treats out of the refrigerator as a kid, like some of us did.

There’s a reason American cheese is a popular burger choice. Sure, it’s cheap, but it’s also nostalgic and, honestly, quite tasty. No matter how snobby the burger (or cheese) sophisticate in your life may be, American cheese is always a good burger choice.

Topics
Lindsay Parrill
Lindsay is a graduate of California Culinary Academy, Le Cordon Bleu, San Francisco, from where she holds a degree in…
The best steak seasoning for any cut
Tips, spices, and flavor boosters for seasoning your steak
Large fatty T-bone steak in a skillet with herbs

I love, love, love a perfectly seasoned steak. For grilling, pan-searing, or broiling, the right seasoning blend improves the beef’s natural flavors without overpowering them. The real question here is what exactly makes a great steak seasoning. And, should you go for a store-bought blend or mix your own at home?

These are the questions the people want to know, and while my go-to is something along the lines of salt, pepper, garlic powder, and chili pepper flakes, I have tried a plethora of other mixes as well. The best steak seasoning to some degree depends on the person eating the steak, but there are some standard seasonings that will get the job no matter who you are.

Read more
What is flank steak? The underrated cut that deserves more attention
Flank steak explained: How to cook, slice, and use it
Raw flank steak

Flank steak doesn't get as much love as other beef cuts because you don't see the thick, marbled cut that steals the show at a steakhouse, but it’s one of the most underrated cuts of beef. I’ve cooked my fair share of steaks, and flank steak always surprises me with its deep flavor and versatility.

Whether you’re grilling, pan-searing, or slicing it up, this lean, flavorful cut is an unsuspecting gem when cooked the right way. But what is flank steak good for in particular? Let’s break it down and make sure you know how to get the most out of this budget-friendly cut.
Where flank steak comes from
Diagram of a cow that shows different cuts of meat By Original uploader of PNG version was JoeSmack at en.wikipedia / Wikimedia Commons

Read more
Sous vide ribeye: The foolproof way to a perfect steak
Mastering sous vide ribeye: The best temps, seasonings, and searing tips
Plated bone in ribeye

If you cook steak enough, then you know the guesswork that can go into getting it to the perfect temperature. I have since expanded my skills, but I did struggle a lot in the beginning, trying to find that balance. I had to ensure my steak was juicy without being too rare for my liking, and other times, I had to be careful not to dry it out and lose all the flavor and texture in the process.

If you can relate, thankfully, the struggle of overcooked or unevenly cooked steak is a thing of the past because sous vide is about to be your new best friend. What is sous vide? If you don't know, it's a cooking strategy that involves a pot of water and a vacuum-sealed bag. This method of preparing a ribeye guarantees precise edge-to-edge doneness every time. No more hoping your steak comes out medium-rare — it will be medium-rare, guaranteed.

Read more