For A Cozier Casserole, Add This Rich Irish Cheese

Not all cheeses are created equal, and Irish cheddar is in a league of its own. Whether you are making a grown-up mac and cheese or a cheesy tater tot casserole, this simple addition will elevate it to a different culinary level. Irish cheddar is generally made from the milk of grass-fed cows. There is no added artificial orange coloring. Instead, you are working with a pale, white to yellow cheese, perfect for shredding, with a sharp, robust, tangy, and nutty taste that will get the taste buds churning.

To incorporate this cheese from the Emerald Isle into your next casserole, you want to grate it for a quick and even melt, whether you are sprinkling it or creating a sauce. This simple step is going to create a layer of flavor that both complements and amplifies the taste of your pieces of chicken, noodles, and veggies that may be part of the dish. But because this cheese does have such a bold taste, start conservatively. A cup is the right amount to begin with. You can always scale up if your palate craves more of a punch. 

Irish cheddar is not a fromage for the faint of heart. It is aged longer than its American counterpart, which allows it to develop a more complex flavor. For this reason, you want to choose casseroles that can go toe-to-toe with its outgoing personality, with one caveat. If you are making a cheesy sauce for your casserole, choose an Irish cheddar that has been aged for less than a year, or you may find the lack of moisture from an older cheese will cause your sauce to crack.

When it comes to types of casseroles that benefit from an Irish cheddar flavor, potatoes, which are also very Irish, are the perfect match. Potatoes are basically a blank canvas waiting to be hyped up with seasonings and flavor. This means you can use Irish cheddar in a classic scalloped potato casserole just as easily as you could in a loaded mashed potato casserole. You can also use it in baked noodle-based dishes. It offers such a dynamic bite, you will be buying this cheese on repeat.