Brick Cheese Substitute – 4 Delectable Choices

For almost as long as I can remember, I assumed that any block of cheese I came across in the grocery store was the same.

Brick cheese, block cheese, it’s all the same right? Not exactly.

Brick cheese melts wonderfully, especially when it’s younger but if your recipe calls for it and you don’t have any on hand, are there any good options for a substitute?

The good news is that there are some but as with any substitutions you make when cooking or baking, it won’t be quite the same as using the real thing.

But hey, that’s okay. After all, it’s hard to go wrong with cheese, isn’t it?

So without further delay, let’s look at some options you can try.

Best Substitutes for Brick Cheese

The criteria we’re using for our substitution recommendations are similarity in taste, similarity in how the cheese melts and similarity in the texture.

Brick Cheese vs Mozzarella

When considering this substitution, it’s important to pick the right Mozzarella.

Part skim Mozzarella won’t be as good of an option as whole milk Mozzarella since the fat content is lower. Besides its flavor profile, the ability of whole milk Mozzarella to melt well is one of the primary reasons it’s the most popular cheese used on pizza.

Taste

Mozzarella has a mild flavor that is similar to young Brick cheese. If your recipe calls for aged Brick cheese, then Mozzarella might not be as good of a choice since Brick cheese gets stronger with age.

Melting

Mozzarella melts as well as Brick cheese so it makes a good substitution.

Texture

Mozzarella and Brick cheese are both considered semi-soft cheeses so the mouthfeel will be similar.

Feature	Brick Cheese	Mozzarella
Taste	Mild, similar to young Brick cheese. Gets stronger with age.	Mild, similar to young Brick cheese.
Melting	Good melting ability	Good melting ability
Texture	Semi-soft	Semi-soft
Recommended Type	Aged Brick cheese for stronger flavor	Whole milk Mozzarella for better melting and flavor

Brick Cheese vs Cheddar

Cheddar cheese is the second most popular type of cheese in the world and with its creamy, sometimes sharp flavor, it’s easy to understand why.

Brick cheese is actually derived from a form of White American Cheddar which makes it a good option for a Brick cheese substitute. The main difference between them is how they are cultured. Brick cheese is cultured at a higher temperature than ordinary Cheddar, which results in a higher fat content.

Taste

Depending on the Cheddar you use, it will have a milder taste than Brick cheese, especially if the Brick cheese has been aged. If possible, opt for a milder Cheddar to mimic the flavor of a younger Brick cheese.

Melting

Most Cheddar cheese, especially younger kinds, will melt as well as Brick cheese.

Texture

Again, this will depend on the age of the Cheddar cheese you are using. Younger Cheddar will be softer and more pliable whereas aged Cheddar tends to be more crumbly so pick the type that best suits your situation.

Feature	Brick Cheese	Cheddar
Taste	Mild, gets stronger with age.	Mild, depending on the aging process.
Melting	Good melting ability	Good melting ability, particularly in younger varieties.
Texture	Semi-soft	Soft and pliable in younger varieties, crumbly in aged varieties.
Similarity	Derived from White American Cheddar	Cultured at a higher temperature, resulting in higher fat content
Recommended Type	Mild, younger Brick cheese for milder flavor	Milder Cheddar for similar flavor profile to younger Brick cheese, aged Cheddar for crumbly texture.

Brick Cheese vs Havarti

Havarti is a semi-soft Danish cheese that has seen a steady worldwide growth in popularity in recent years. What you may not realize is that Cheddar is a close relative to Havarti which, given the love cheddar receives, would help to explain why Havarti is becoming more commonplace.

Taste

Given Havarti’s close relation to Cheddar, it too has a milder flavor when the cheese is younger and in fact, that’s how you should eat it. That said, even younger Brick cheese will have a stronger flavor than Havarti so if taste is a primary concern, you’ll need to keep that in mind.

Melting

Havarti is considered an excellent melting cheese and will be a good option for Brick cheese.

Texture

Since Havarti is best eaten when young, its texture will be close to that of young Brick cheese.

Feature	Brick Cheese	Havarti
Taste	Mild, gets stronger with age.	Milder, best eaten when young.
Melting	Good melting ability	Excellent melting ability.
Texture	Semi-soft	Soft and pliable when young, similar to young Brick cheese.
Similarity	Close relative of Cheddar	Close relative of Cheddar
Recommended Type	Mild, younger Brick cheese for milder flavor	Younger Havarti for similar texture to young Brick cheese.

Brick Cheese vs Muenster

Muenster cheese is known for its soft texture and mild flavor when young but as it ages, it the flavor can strengthen and become quite pungent as well but it can still serve as an excellent option for substituting Brick cheese.

Taste

Even when young, Muenster cheese tends to be a bit milder than Brick cheese but not by much. The bacterial cultures used to start each of the cheeses yields a similar milky creaminess between both types of cheese such that the flavor differences won’t be too noticeable.

Melting

Muenster cheese is well known as a melting cheese so it should work nicely in recipes calling for melted Brick cheese.

Texture

When young, both Muenster cheese and Brick cheese will have a similar feel in the mouth, making Muenster a good alternative to Brick cheese.

Feature	Brick Cheese	Muenster
Taste	Mild, gets stronger with age.	Milder, gets stronger with age.
Melting	Good melting ability	Good melting ability.
Texture	Semi-soft	Soft and pliable when young, similar to young Brick cheese.
Similarity	Similar milky creaminess	Similar milky creaminess
Recommended Type	Mild, younger Brick cheese for milder flavor	Younger Muenster for similar texture to young Brick cheese.