Cheesy Does It: A Guide to the Best Low-Fat Cheeses| Recipes Articles

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Cheesy Does It: A Guide to the Best Low-Fat Cheeses

It's no secret that we love our cheese here at Behind the Burner. We cook with it, snack on it and wouldn't even think about pouring ourselves a glass of wine (or beer for that matter) without a generous wedge of it. But since our beloved Bries and Bucherons aren't exactly low calorie foods, moderation is necessary.

Low-fat, often plastic-wrapped cheeses haven't earned themselves a reputation as culinary triumphs...up until now, that is. Determined to find a less fattening substitute for the cheesy goodness we crave, we tracked down the most delicious and decadent low-fat gourmet cheeses we could— no plastic-wrapped Kraft included.

Best Low Fat Goat Cheese: Goat cheese can be tricky. The full fat version never fails to strike the perfect balance between creaminess and crumbly, and most of the reduced fat versions we tried were gummy or overly processed. But Coach Farm Reduced Fat Medallions
(made daily at a small dairy in the Hudson Valley) are tangy, smooth and decadent.

Best Low Fat Cheddar Cheese: Cabot Cheddar cheese contains only half the fat of its heavy-hitting counterpart. Perfect on crackers and sandwiches, it also melts beautifully into a tasty grilled cheese.

Best Spreadable Low Fat Cheese: Alouette Light Cucmber Dill takes the cake on this one. The refreshing flavor of the cucumber is balanced out by smooth and creamy cheese that gets an herbaceous kick from fresh dill. Smear this on celery sticks or carrots for a healthy snack.

Best Low Fat Blue Cheese: The Laughing Cow Light Blue Cheese Wedges are everything blue cheese should be: boldly flavored, creamy and perfectly salty. We dress this cheese up by pairing it with a glass of sweet wine like Jurançon or Sauternes, which are the perfect contrast to the strong, salty cheese.