What Is American Cheese?
And is it really cheese?
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By Layla Khoury-Hanold for Food Network Kitchen
Layla Khoury-Hanold is a contributor at Food Network.
You may know and love American cheese as your go-to burger topping or slice of choice for grilled cheese sandwiches. But what is it exactly? For more info, we consulted Brian Civitello, cheesemaker at Mystic Cheese Co. Plus, we share some of our favorite recipes that call for American cheese.
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What Is American Cheese?
American cheese is a mild, creamy processed cheese that is lauded for its meltability.
American cheese can be yellow or white and is made by melting down chunks of cheeses such as cheddar, Colby, and/or Swiss with a liquid and an emulsifying agent. The liquid mixture is then molded into bricks or slices and packaged. American cheese can be sold in individually wrapped slices, small, pre-sliced blocks, or sliced off the block at the deli counter.
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“While I don’t make American cheese, it is my understanding that it’s still typically made by blending different types of cheeses including but not limited to Cheddar, Jack, Colby and even some Grana cheese,” Civitello says. “Technically it could be made from just two of these cheeses, but for a more well-rounded flavor profile it’s typically a blend.”
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Yellow vs White American Cheese
White American cheese does not contain any coloring additives, whereas yellow American cheese has coloring added. “Typically, this is annatto, which is a food coloring or dye extracted from the seeds of the Achiote tree found in tropical regions,” Civitello says. “Though today there are more options that are beta-carotene-based.”
American Cheese vs Cheddar
American cheese is a processed cheese made from a blend of cheeses and other flavor-and texture-enhancing ingredients; whereas cheddar is a singular, natural cheese made from pressed and salted curds from 100 percent cow’s milk (raw or pasteurized) that has been coagulated with rennet. American cheese has a soft texture while cheddar is hard and crumbly. Because American cheese contains emulsifiers, it keeps the cheese creamy as it melts. Cheddar doesn’t contain emulsifiers, so it separates when it melts.
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Is American Cheese Real Cheese?
According to the FDA, American cheese is not real cheese. The organization refers to American cheese as a “pasteurized process cheese,” which means that it only needs to have a minimum of 51% real cheese and can be combined with other ingredients including milk, skim milk, buttermilk, cream and whey proteins. “Basically, it allows for a lot more filler and 'approved ingredients' in the mix, which generally results in a lower quality product,” Civitello says. “I would say it’s not technically a natural cheese where milk is coagulated in curds which are then formed into a cheese, but it is composed of natural cheese. I think it’s a chicken or the egg scenario for me.”
How to Use American Cheese
American cheese is beloved for its superior meltability, making it a go-to choice for burgers, grilled cheese, breakfast sandwiches, dips, sauces, baked pasta dishes and stuffed breads. Here are some of our favorite recipes that call for American cheese.
RYAN DAUSCH
Our take on the popular West Coast burger chain’s double cheeseburger calls for slices of yellow American cheese that melt beautifully into the burger patties. A pile of caramelized onions takes it over the top.
Teri Lyn Fisher
Using your Air Fyer to make grilled cheese not only ensures a crisp golden-brown toasted exterior, it also melts the cheese from the crust all the way to the center of the sandwich. Slices of American cheese create a tried-and-true, possibly nostalgic flavor profile plus guaranteed gooey cheese pull.
Con Poulos
Grated white American cheese teams up with Havarti and cheddar to create a creamy blanket over elbow macaroni. White American cheese lends extra creaminess and a neutral canvas for the other cheeses’ flavors to shine through.
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This feeds-a-crowd breakfast sandwich is stuffed with crumbled bacon, breakfast sausage, potatoes and eggs, all pulled together with melted American cheese. It’s portable too—tote it to your next early-morning tailgating meet-up or family camping trip.
