Marinated gruyere doesn’t really need me to hype it up, it’s pretty phenomenal all on its own. I don’t think I could ever approach someone at a party and ask, “want some marinated cheese?” and have them say no – I mean, it’s just cheese with extra spicy, citrusy, nutty flavor! Cheese lovers unite, marinated cheese is here for us.
This particular marinated gruyere was inspired by a marinated manchego cheese I had at a Spanish restaurant near my house. There was something so easy and delightfully snacky about having a plate of flavorful cheese next to piles of sourdough, that I kept it in the back of my mind as the perfect appetizer or side dish. This is a take on that manchego, but instead I opted for gruyere for it’s nutty, rich notes. I also like that you can crumble gruyere with your hands, but it still is firm enough to hold up to the marinade.
I’ll detail more on how to make marinated cheese below, as well as share different types of cheese that it can work with. The best part about this appetizer is its versatility…well, and the fact that it’s an excuse to eat a ton of cubes of cheese. Which how can we not love?
Table of contents
Ingredients you will need for this marinated cheese, as well as a few swaps
- 2 blocks (10 ounces) of high quality gruyere cheese
- 3 sprigs fresh oregano – a great sub for this is thyme or rosemary. While I like oregano for it’s slightly peppery notes, either of those are great swaps.
- 1 medium bay leaf – fresh or dried works here!
- 1 teaspoon Aleppo pepper flakes – a great swap for this is sumac, it has the same citrusy tang.
- 2 medium pippara peppers – two of your favorite jarred and mild peppers are great swaps here if you can’t find pippara!
- 1/4 cup fresh orange zest, about 1 orange – lemon or lime can also be subbed, but I try to encourage people to stay with orange, the flavor is truly unmatched.
- 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- Freshly ground black pepper
What other cheeses work well in a marinated cheese?
This recipe works best with a hard cheese that can hold up to being marinated in a warm oil. I’ve found soft cheeses like goat or sheep’s milk tend to fall apart in a marinade, so I suggest to definitely steer clear of anything that is too easily spreadable. The best swaps I’ve found for this cheese are:
- Manchego
- Parmesan
- Aged Cheddar
- Pecorino
- Toscano
Anything with a firm texture and nutty flavor is a great sub, so feel free to play around and mix-and-match!
Looking for other snack-friendly recipes?
Here are a few that I absolutely love!
And that’s it for this marinated gruyère!
If you make it, please tag me on Pinterest or Instagram so I can see! It’s my favorite thing to scroll through stories and see what you all are making.
And of course feel free to leave any questions, comments or reviews! This is the best place to reach me, and I’d love to hear from you.
Marinated Gruyère
Equipment
- 1 small sauce pot or pan
Ingredients
- 2 blocks (10 ounces) of high quality gruyere cheese
- 3 sprigs fresh oregano
- 1 medium bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon Aleppo pepper flakes
- 2 medium pippara peppers
- 1/4 cup fresh orange zest about 1 orange
- 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- Freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- With clean hands, crumble the cheese into uneven, bite-size chunks. Add these to a large bowl and set aside.
- Add the oregano, bay leaf, Aleppo pepper flakes, pippara peppers, orange zest and olive oil to a small sauce pot or pan.
- Place the pot over medium heat and bring the oil to a simmer. Let this sizzle for 2-3 minutes, swirling occasionally, and watch as the oil turns from yellow to a light red. Turn off the heat and crack in a generous amount of black pepper.
- Pour this oil over the cheese and mix to get everything coated. Let this marinate for at least 10-15 minutes before serving. When serving, make sure all the marinade oil is poured over the cheese, it's too delicious to miss out on!
