Meals & Beverage
As diners develop extra adventurous palates, mozzarella could also be dropping its monopoly because the go-to pizza cheese. This information explores six non-traditional cheeses — from smoky Gouda to tangy Ricotta Salata —and the toppings that elevate them, providing pizzerias daring new methods to innovate and impress.
Photograph: Adobe Inventory
June 12, 2025 by Mandy Wolf Detwiler — Managing Editor, Networld Media Group
Mozzarella has lengthy been the gold commonplace for pizza cheese, providing that good melty stretch and gentle taste that pairs properly with nearly any topping. In reality, based on CNBC, Individuals eat 121 kilos of mozerella cheese yearly. However are shoppers getting bored with it? With extra refined palates in the present day than ever earlier than, mozzarella simply might not be slicing the pie in menu traits, so to talk.
Venturing into non-traditional cheese choices can elevate your pizza to new culinary heights. These alternate options introduce numerous taste profiles, from the smoky notes of Gouda to the tangy crumble of goat cheese, and distinctive textures, just like the agency and salty chunk of grilled Halloumi. By thoughtfully pairing these cheeses with complementary toppings, you may create a extra complicated and thrilling pizza expertise, remodeling a well-recognized dish into an adventurous and customized culinary creation that caters to a wider vary of tastes and preferences.
Right here, we check out six non-traditional pizza cheeses and the components they pair properly with.
Smoked gouda
Smoked gouda gives a wealthy, nutty and barely candy taste with a particular smoky aroma as a non-traditional cheese. It melts fantastically and its distinctive style would complement numerous toppings.
Think about using easy-to-source meats like bacon, pulled pork, Italian sausage, sopressata, chorizo, hen (particularly BBQ or roasted) and prosciutto.
Caramelized onions and mushrooms, roasted pink peppers, spinach or arugula, candy potatoes or acorn sq. and jalapenos are all greens that pair properly with smoked gouda.
Sauces to contemplate embrace barbecue sauce, pesto, fig jam or unfold, sizzling honey, garlic (roasted or minced) and truffle oil.
Goat cheese
Goat cheese (chevre) has turn out to be much less non-traditional in recent times, however it’s nonetheless used far lower than mozzarella. It has a tangy, earthy and sometimes subtly candy or tart taste that stands in vivid distinction to conventional mozz.
In contrast to cheeses that soften right into a clean, even layer, goat cheese tends to melt and turn out to be heat and spreadable, creating pockets of intense taste and a extra dynamic textural expertise on the pizza, making it a favourite for these searching for a connoisseur and fewer typical pie.
Think about using prosciutto or bacon with goat cheese.
For greens, pile on the caramelized onions, figs, dates, roasted pears or apple, roasted butternut squash or candy potato, spinach, mushrooms, olives, sun-dried tomatoes or artichoke hearts.
So as to add some herbs and freshness, think about contemporary arugula, contemporary bail, contemporary thyme or rosemary. Sauces can embrace pesto, balsamic glazes or nuts (make sure you add an allergy warning to your description).
When setting up these, do not forget that goat cheese would not sometimes soften right into a clean, even layer. It softens and turns into heat and creamy, creating pockets of taste. You possibly can dollop it, crumble it or unfold it flippantly earlier than including different toppings.
Halloumi
Halloumi is a novel and thrilling cheese for pizza due to its excessive melting level. It will not soften right into a gooey layer like mozzarella; as a substitute, it retains its form and develops a crispy, golden-brown crust with a tender, barely chewy inside when cooked. Its taste is salty, tangy and generally described as mildly feta-like. Due to these traits, Halloumi works finest as a “topping” somewhat than the first cheese, usually alongside a base of a melting cheese like mozzarella.
Pizza components embrace Mediterranean and brilliant flavors like cherry tomatoes, olives (Kalamata or inexperienced) contemporary mint, roasted pink peppers, artichoke hearts, pink onion and capers all work properly with Halloumi.
For some candy and savory contrasts, strive fig jam or contemporary figs. The sweetness of figs creates a candy and savory stability with the salty Halloumi.
Honey or sizzling honey after baking can improve the refined sweetness of the cheese and create a scrumptious glaze.
Roasted candy potatoes or butternut sq. are nice within the fall and add a tender texture, a pleasant distinction to the agency, salty Halloumi.
Prosciutto provides a layer of savory complexity, and hen (particularly grilled or roasted) is usually a lean protein that takes on the flavors of the opposite components as properly.
Taleggio
Taleggio is a semi-soft, washed-rind cheese from Italy. It has a pungent aroma however a surprisingly gentle, fruity and barely tangy taste. It melts properly and contributes a creamy, nearly buttery richness to the pizza. When utilizing Taleggio, it is usually finest to mix it with a small quantity of mozzarella to get a few of that basic pizza stretch, whereas letting the Taleggio contribute the majority of the distinctive taste.
Earthy and Umami-rich flavors pair properly with Taleggio. Mushrooms, particularly wild or earthy varieties, are maybe probably the most basic pairing for Taleggio. Sautéed combined mushrooms like cremini, shiitake, oyster and even porcini convey out the earthy, savory notes within the cheese.
Truffle, by way of oil or shavings, gives an fragrant expertise. Thinly sliced and flippantly roasted or blanched potatoes present a hearty base to a Taleggio pizza. Asparagus that has been grilled or roasted can add a contemporary, barely bitter and earthy dimension. Take into account a white pizza with potatoes, Taleggio, rosemary and garlic.
Do not overdo the bottom when utilizing Taleggio. A easy olive oil base (think about garlic-infused!) permits the cheese’s taste to shine. Gentle tomato sauce, one that’s not overly acidic, won’t overpower the cheese if utilized in moderation. And a white bean puree (a white bean and garlic unfold) will present a creamy, gentle backdrop for the Taleggio.
Prosciutto, pancetta or guanciale and Italian sausage (strive spicy to convey out the Taleggio’s flavors) all pair properly with the cheese’s creaminess.
Feta
Feta has turn out to be extra commonplace than it was. It’s salty, tangy and crumbly and sometimes used as a topping on Greek- or Mediterranean-style pizzas. Feta is finest added in direction of the top of the baking course of and even after, because it warms by means of with out totally melting, preserving its distinctive texture and taste. It is usually used as a topping along with a base layer of mozzarella for soften and construction.
Tomatoes (cherry or Roma) are unbelievable with feta. Purple onion, Kalamata olives, roasted pink peppers, artichoke hearts, bell peppers and zucchini can all add freshness to feta that has been crumbled over a pizza.
Contemporary oregano is a staple of Greek delicacies. Contemporary basil provides a sweetness that pairs properly with the saltiness of feta. Garlic provides savory taste to a Mediterranean pizza, whereas contemporary dill, much less frequent on pizza, can add a brilliant, anise-like be aware that pairs properly with feta.
Take into account grilled hen, floor or shredded lamb or gentle or spicy sausage when including meat to a feta pizza.
An olive oil and garlic base lets the saltiness of the feta cheese shine by means of, as does pesto. In the event you’re utilizing tomato sauce, use it sparingly – it might overpower the cheese and different components.
Lastly, a Balsamic glaze provides candy and tart acidity that may brighten a feta pizza. Sundried tomatoes in a paste or unfold, or julienned complete items of sundried tomatoes in oil or water can add a tomato taste with out overpowering the cheese.
Ricotta Salata
Ricotta Salata is a agency, salted, aged and pressed model of ricotta. It’s not designed to soften and turn out to be gooey like mozzarella. As an alternative, shave or crumble it over a pizza after baking or in direction of the very finish as a ending cheese.
Cherry tomatoes, contemporary arugula, contemporary basil, and lemon zest are all components that distinction properly to the distinctly salty, barely milky and tangy taste of Ricotta Salata.
Broccoli rabe, spinach mushrooms and artichoke hearts additionally pair properly with Ricotta Salata.
Take into account prosciutto, sauteed garlic, sun-dried tomatoes and Kalmata olives.
For the bottom, olive oil permits the Ricotta Salata’s taste to really shine. Gentle tomato sauce will not overwhelm the extra refined flavors of the cheese and different toppings. Pesto, particularly contemporary, vibrant house-made, can present an herbaceous basis.
Cheese would not should be boring. Take into account these six cheeses and watch your earnings shine.
About Mandy Wolf Detwiler
Mandy Wolf Detwiler is the managing editor at Networld Media Group and the location editor for PizzaMarketplace.com and QSRweb.com. She has greater than 20 years’ expertise masking meals, folks and locations.
An award-winning print journalist, Mandy brings greater than 20 years’ expertise to Networld Media Group. She has spent almost 20 years masking the pizza trade, from unbiased pizzerias to multi-unit chains and each measurement enterprise in between. Mandy has been featured on the Meals Community and has received quite a few awards for her protection of the restaurant trade. She has an insatiable urge for food for studying, and might let you know the place to search out the perfect slices within the nation after spending 15 years touring and consuming pizza for a residing.
