What to use instead of cheese
It depends entirely on what it's doing in the dish. Here's the job, what else does it, and what to skip.
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Cheese that melts into a smooth sheet and pulls
Young cheese still holds enough moisture for the protein to flow when it heats, so it goes liquid and stretches rather than separating.
Low-moisture mozzarellaRan out
1:1 by weight
The best pull of anything here and very mild. It browns less than cheddar, so a grilled cheese looks paler.
Monterey Jack or OaxacaRan out
1:1 by weight
Melts smooth with almost no oiling out. Mild enough that a quesadilla needs salt or salsa alongside.
Gruyere or racletteRan out
1:1 by weight
Nutty and much more assertive. Higher fat, so it can weep oil if the pan is too hot, and it browns fast.
Plant-based cheese shredsDairy-free
1:1 by volume, covered with a lid for the last 2 min
Only melts properly under trapped steam, and it sets stiff again within about a minute off the heat. Serve immediately.
What doesn't work: Aged cheddar or Parmesan on a grilled cheese. Long ageing drives out the moisture that lets the protein flow and concentrates the calcium bonds, so instead of melting the cheese splits into a pool of oil and a rubbery clot.
Salty seasoning grated over a finished plate
Here it is not supposed to melt. A dry, hard cheese seasons each mouthful the way salt would, with a bit of texture.
CotijaRan out
1:1 by volume
Drier and saltier and it holds its crumbles on a hot tostada. Tastes considerably sharper than shredded cheddar.
FetaRan out
1:1 by volume
Wetter and tangier. It softens on anything hot and reads Greek rather than Mexican.
Parmesan or pecorino, microplanedRan out
3/4 the volume
Much saltier per spoonful, so use less. It melts into a savoury film rather than sitting in crumbles.
Nutritional yeastDairy-free
2 tbsp per 1/4 cup grated cheese, plus a pinch of salt
Savoury and cheesy-adjacent with no salt of its own and no texture. It goes damp and clumps if the plate is wet.
What doesn't work: Pre-shredded bagged cheese as the finishing sprinkle. It is dusted with potato starch and cellulose to stop it caking, which mutes the flavour and leaves a chalky coating on the tongue that you notice most when the cheese is not melted.
Cheese that binds a baked filling together
Melted protein and fat set as they cool and hold everything around them, so a stuffed pepper or a casserole cuts into portions rather than collapsing.
Low-moisture mozzarellaRan out
1:1 by weight
Binds tightest of the common cheeses. Mild, so the filling itself has to carry the flavour.
Provolone or young goudaRan out
1:1 by weight
Similar bind with considerably more flavour. Slightly more oil comes out at the edges of the dish.
Cream cheese, cubed through the fillingRan out
4 oz per 8 oz shredded cheese
Binds harder and stays creamy rather than stringy. It makes the filling richer and heavier.
What doesn't work: Fresh mozzarella in a baked filling. It is more than half water, so instead of binding it releases a puddle into the dish, the peppers sit in liquid and the filling slides out when you serve it.