Can You Freeze Swiss Cheese? – The Ultimate Guide

It’s safe to say that the best cheese flavors all come from mountainous areas like Switzerland. These cheese types are always rich and flavorful and aged just right. They tend to be creamy and buttery and make really good melting cheese options. 

It seems as though the Swiss and the Dutch cultures have perfected cheese and what you should expect from cheese. One such cheese production is Swiss cheese, a fitting title since it comes from Switzerland. However, don’t be fooled by the name, Swiss cheese is not so Swiss at all but rather an imitation of popular Swiss cheese varieties. 

Can you freeze Swiss cheese to preserve it longer? Swiss is actually one of the easier types of cheese to freeze since it is a firm cheese. You can freeze Swiss cheese for up to 6 months.

In this guide, we will cover everything you need to know about freezing Swiss cheese. We will walk through a basic overview of Swiss cheese and give you a rundown of how you can successfully freeze Swiss cheese as well as a few other tips and tricks you should know. 

Keep reading to learn all about how to freeze Swiss cheese and more! 

The Ultimate Guide to Freezing Swiss Cheese

Swiss cheese is an interesting cheese. Don’t be fooled by the name. If you’re looking for something like the popular Emmental cheese from Switzerland, this is not quite it.

However, it’s made to be an imitation of Emmental and other types of cheese from the area and is designed to be similar to those. 

This is why Swiss cheese slices have holes because it is made to be like these other varieties. Swiss cheese can be white or yellow but white is the color you will find it in for the most part.

Swiss cheese can be found in blocks and cubes or even in slices. However, Swiss cheese when mentioned as such is usually found in slices. 

Swiss cheese is a firm cheese variety but it is also creamy at the same time. This makes it a good melting cheese. It’s very good cold or warm and has a lot of great usage options as well. 

Swiss cheese has a mild and slightly sweet and nutty flavor. It is made from cow’s milk. It is not called Swiss cheese because it is truly Swiss but rather because of the design that makes it look like many forms of Swiss cheese. 

Ultimately, the term Swiss cheese refers to cheese that is made to be similar to Emmental but is not actually produced under the same elements or even in Switzerland. It is an American variation of Swiss-based cheeses. 

Using Swiss Cheese

Much like other types of cheese, you can use Swiss cheese for a lot of different things. You can bake with it or make sandwiches with it. It’s a versatile type of cheese. Most of the time you won’t find Swiss cheese in blocks but it is possible to find it this way at a deli. 

You also won’t see Swiss cheese in grated form. The most common form of Swiss cheese is much like American cheese and sold in slices. Swiss cheese is not as processed as American cheese but it is considered a similar product. It is, however, real cheese. 

Here are some deliciously great ideas for putting your Swiss cheese to use. 

• Chicken and stuffing casserole
• Cheese fondue
• Pastrami sandwiches
• Turkey sandwiches
• Meat and veggie wraps
• Burgers
• Loaded potatoes
• Old-fashioned patty melts
• Cubano
• Monte Cristo
• Quiche
• Casseroles

You will notice that many of these options are sandwiches. This is the most popular way to use Swiss cheese but you can also add it into casseroles and other dishes. Remember that Swiss cheese can be served both hot and cold and it melts really well. 

Swiss cheese is a very close resemblance to true varieties of Swiss cheese flavors with a nice creamy consistency that serves many purposes quite will. 

Proper Storage and Freezing of Swiss Cheese

Storing and freezing Swiss cheese is relatively simple. The biggest concern for storage purposes is the potential for your cheese to dry out and become too crumbly to work with. 

However, Swiss cheese is a well-made cheese that freezes quite nicely. Really, you can freeze just about any kind of cheese but some freeze better than others in the end.

Swiss cheese is considered hard cheese, even though it is creamy and this helps it hold up in the freezer. 

You can store Swiss cheese in your refrigerator for probably 4-6 weeks as long as it is stored properly. The key to proper storage is to be sure it is well-wrapped in an airtight method.

When you place it in the freezer, you will want a double layer of protection just to ensure that air and moisture don’t get through the barrier. 

The primary concern with cheese is the ability for bacteria or mold to grow. If you are storing it properly, this shouldn’t be an issue. Mold will not grow in the freezer but you might experience it in the refrigerator if you don’t get your cheese wrapped and sealed properly or if you leave it in the fridge for too long. 

Even when storing Swiss cheese in the fridge, we recommend that you have a dual-layer process. You can wrap your slices in parchment paper and then put the entire pack of cheese away in a larger dish or a bag for the best results. 

Freezing Swiss Cheese

After 2-3 weeks, if you suspect you aren’t going to get your Swiss cheese used, we recommend you get it moved to the freezer. You don’t even have to wait this long but don’t wait any longer!

Freezing Swiss cheese is not a complicated process. Remember that the goal is to protect the cheese from air and moisture. 

Here are your steps for freezing Swiss cheese. 

1. Start by wrapping each slice or piece individually with wax paper or cheese-approved plastic wrap. We say cheese-approved because not all plastic wrap works well for cheese. Using wax paper easily separates slices and they won’t stick together. 
2. Once the initial wrapping layer is completed, it’s time for the dual-layer piece to be added. We recommend using heavy-duty freezer bags but you could also use a freezer-safe container as well with very good results. 
3. Be sure whatever you are wrapping or sealing the cheese in is wholly airtight to keep out moisture and air. 
4. Label, date, and seal all packaging. 
5. Store in the freezer for up to 6 months. 

You could potentially store Swiss cheese in the freezer for more than 6 months but we recommend using it within 6 months for the best results. 

Swiss cheese will experience far less degradation to texture and flavor than some other varieties of cheese might suffer.

Once Swiss cheese has been frozen, it’s easiest to use it when cooking, however, you can still use it for sandwiches and such and probably not experience any awful side effects. 

The problem you are most likely to experience with Swiss cheese after freezing it is the potential for it to become crumbly. It won’t be easy to slice or use as finger food but it will still work well for other purposes. 

You can easily thaw your Swiss cheese in the fridge overnight or for a few hours. Once it has been frozen and then thawed, you should try to use it within 1-2 weeks for the best results. If you’re cooking with the frozen cheese, you can begin your cooking without thawing it out first. 

Related Questions

We hope that you have found this guide to freezing Swiss cheese to be a helpful and informative source for the cause. It’s a fairly simple process as long as you know the basic tips to work with! 

We hope you will check out the following question and answer section for some additional information that could be useful to you. 

Why Does Swiss Cheese Have Holes?

The holes in Swiss cheese and various types of cheese from Switzerland are caused by the bacteria used in the process of making the cheese. The bacteria used for making Swiss cheese produces carbon dioxide within the cheese that forms bubbles that eventually leave holes. 

Is Swiss Cheese Real Cheese?

Yes, while Swiss cheese is not truly Swiss, it is truly cheese. It is an American-made form of Emmental cheese, which is a Swiss variety. 

Is Swiss Cheese Healthy for You?

In terms of health, Swiss cheese is one of the healthier options available. It is one of the few cheese types that are not overly processed in terms of cheese. 

When it comes to the healthiest types of cheese, Swiss ranks as number 7. It is outranked by Mozzarella, feta, cottage cheese, ricotta, and parmesan. Note that not all of those are available in sliced cheese like Swiss is. 

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