10 Best Cheese for Pizza in India 2021 - Buying Guide Reviewed By Food Blogger/Reviewer

We have ten recommendations for the best cheese for pizza in India. It's time to make the best pizza ever!

Arsh is a professional food blogger and is currently pursuing a master's in Hospitality and Catering Technology. He holds a bachelor's degree in Hotel Management and Catering Technology and has worked with ITC Windsor Bengaluru in the front office department. You can also check out his amazing work on his Instagram account or website.

Cheese is made by curdling milk using bacteria that converts lactose to lactic acid, the same way yogurt and curd is made. A 100 grams block of cheddar cheese contains 25g of protein that helps build lean muscle and keeps your hair and nails healthy. 

It also contains 720mg of calcium that helps in building strong bones and teeth and prevents osteoporosis, which is a condition that makes your bones weak and brittle. Cheese has a lot of healthy fats in it that can help you increase weight healthily. 

The good bacteria present in cheese keep your digestive system working properly, thus impacting your brain functions and mood positively. It also contains high amounts of vitamin A, which is important for normal vision and keeps your organs working properly.

When choosing cheese for pizza, there are various factors to consider, including flavor, meltability, stretchability, and shelf life. Read through our buying guide below to find out how different cheese varieties influence your finished pizza.

The flavor of a cheese variety depends on the milk used, moisture content, and how long it has been aged by storing them on shelves in a controlled environment. The aging process is responsible for the development of the distinct flavors and aroma of various cheeses. 

You should also know that the cheese you buy may be made from cow's milk or buffalo's milk or a mixture of both unless specified otherwise. We will discuss the most common cheese varieties used in pizza, like mozzarella, cheddar, parmesan, gouda, gorgonzola, gruyere, ricotta, and goat cheese.

Mozzarella cheese is available fresh and aged and is popular for its mild creamy flavor. The fresh one is minimally processed and is dairy-rich, while the aged cheese will be salty and crumblier due to less moisture content. 

Cheddar cheese is made from cow's milk and is pressed to remove all the moisture content, making it dry and crumbly with a deep, tangy, nutty flavor. Both mozzarella and cheddar can be baked along with other ingredients like olives, jalapenos, and tomatoes to make delicious veg or non-veg pizza.

Parmesan is a dry cheese variety since it is aged for at least one year with a slightly fruity/ nutty flavor. It is best used as a garnish on pizzas since exposing to heat or baking can ruin its savory flavor. 

If you buy slices, you can make sandwiches and burgers, while diced ones can be sprinkled on the pizza faster. The amount of protein per ounce of mozzarella and cheddar is 6 and 7 grams, while parmesan has 10 grams.

A cheese variety known for its milky and sweet flavor is ricotta cheese. It is a typical ingredient in cheese sauce pizzas and can also be blended with mozzarella and cheddar. Gruyere gives a special experience starting with sweetness and changes to a nutty and earthy flavor in your mouth.

Gouda cheese has a rich and smooth texture and gives a caramel-like flavor. It is a great addition to pork or barbeque chicken as it goes well with these flavors. Goat cheese doesn't melt easily like mozzarella, but offers a tart flavor with a creamy texture.

The calories present in 1 ounce of ricotta, gruyere, gouda, and goat cheese are 49, 117, 101, and 103 respectively. Try to reduce the amount of cheese or other ingredients that add calories if you are watching your weight.

The meltability of a cheese decides how long the pizza has to stay in the oven before it can be taken out. A pizza with hard cheese inside it will not give a good experience, as the flavors cannot be enjoyed until it melts completely. 

Cheese varieties like mozzarella, cheddar, gouda, and gorgonzola melt easily, thus requiring less cooking time. The long strands of cheese hanging from a slice improve the overall experience of having a pizza. 

To get an amazing cheese pull, try mozzarella, cheddar, gouda, or gruyere. While many factors affect how easily a cheese melts or stretches, the moisture content also plays a major role. So, go for a cheese variety that is fresh as it contains more moisture and melts and stretches easily, for example, mozzarella.

You may purchase cheese to make pizza or any dish of your choice, but the shelf life of a cheese variety depends on the treatment it goes through. Mozzarella is a type of cheese that tastes best when fresh and aged too. But fresh mozzarella only has a shelf life of 1 to 5 days, however, the extra processing and aging can extend the shelf life up to one year.

Traditionally, the various processes involved in making different types of cheese determine the shelf life. Since the invention of preservation processes, the shelf life of every cheese has gone up significantly. Check the packaging to find out how long the cheese will last so you can purchase enough and use it before it expires.

In vegan cheese making, the milk of nuts and seeds is used instead of animal milk, and oil or thickeners are added for attaining regular cheese-like consistency. The most commonly used nuts and seeds for making plant-based cheese are cashews, almonds, peanuts, soy, coconut, white beans, and sesame seeds.

However, they don't taste the same as animal milk cheese. Also, there is a lot of processing involved in making vegan cheese. Oil increases the consistency and the amount of saturated fat present in them, causing blood cholesterol levels to go up, contributing to heart diseases.

Whether you want to make pizza at home or serve it at your restaurant, here is a video for you explaining seven Indian pizza recipes. They are easy to prepare, delicious, and don't require you to be a professional chef. Watch this video to learn how to make:

• Cheese burst pizza
• Bread pizza
• Tawa pizza
• Pizza dosa
• Roti pizza
• Veg pizza sandwich, and
• Pizza pav

Cheese is one of the most universal food choices; hence, it can be combined with various other food items to enhance their taste. One such food product is nachos!

Dairy products like butter, ghee, and yogurt have prominent places in Indian cuisine and dishes. Below are links to articles that will help you choose the best kinds of butter, ghee, and yogurts in India. Click on the links to read the buying guides and shop from our recommendations section.

To sum up, cheese is a dairy product with many health benefits and one of the many popular dishes it has found its way into is pizza. Depending on your preferences for a pizza, you can choose from a variety of cheese types. Make sure to use it in moderation, as it is also high in calories. Also, keep your cheese under refrigeration so it has a longer shelf life.

Author - Arun F Xaviour