Cheese is one of the most interchangeable ingredients. The most important guideline is to substitute similar textures. Use personal flavor preferences and this chart as your guide.

Fresh cheeses (not aged or ripened)
When a recipe calls for : | You can substitute:
Queso blanco fresco | Feta or goat cheese
Ricotta | Cottage cheese
Mascarpone | Fromage blanc or Quark (yogurt cheese)
Scamorza | Mozzarella or Oaxaca cheese

Soft-ripened
Soft-ripened cheeses are good eating cheeses because of their creamy texture. They are also well suited for cooking and melt smoothly.

When a recipe calls for: | You can substitute:
Brie | Camembert
Saint André | Explorateur

Semisoft
Semisoft cheeses are also good eating cheeses. They make suitable accents for bread, salad, and salad dressings.

When a recipe calls for: | You can substitute:
Roquefort | Gorgonzola, Stilton, or Saga blue
Reblochon | Teleme or Taleggio
Livarot | Muenster, Epoisses, or Havarti
Brick | Limburger

Semihard
Semihard cheeses are excellent cooking cheeses and melt easily. Shred to top pizzas or casseroles.

When a recipe calls for: | You can substitute:
Cantal | Colby or cheddar
Emmental | Jarlsberg, Swiss, or Gruyère
Edam | Gouda or Tilsit
Kasseri | Provolone
Manchego | Monterey Jack

Hard
Often used as grating cheeses, these are good for baked dishes such as gratins and pasta toppings, or for shaving over salads. Generally, with these full-flavored cheeses, only a little bit is needed.

When a recipe calls for: | You can substitute:
Pecorino Romano | Parmigiano-Reggiano
Dry Jack | Aged cheddar
Asiago | Romano