If You Like Brie or Need a Brie Substitute, Try These Cheeses Next

It's hard to be everything to everyone, but Brie comes pretty close. If you're looking for a delicious next step or a Brie substitute, here are some cheeses worth a try.

By

Christine Clark

Updated on April 25, 2022

If You Like the Creamy Decadence of a Brie...

Brillat-Savarin

Brillat-Savarin is what's called a "triple-cream," meaning it's at least 72 percent fat by dry matter (a double cream would be at least 60 percent fat by dry matter). In other words, if you took out all the water in the cheese, it would be at least 72 percent fat. That may sound like a lot — and it's certainly not a low-calorie product — but because this cheese has quite a bit of moisture, it's still lower in fat than many hard cheeses. And, once you've taken a bite of this creamy, elegant cheese, you'll likely forget about the calorie count.

Casatica di Bufala

Casatica is made by Quattro Portoni in Bergamo, Italy, from rich water buffalo milk. While many cheesemakers who work with water buffalo milk stick to Mozzarella di Bufala, Bruno Gritti, owner of Quattro Portoni, has chosen to use this special milk for a range of cheeses, including creamy, sweet, and tangy Casatica. It's like a savory marshmallow in cheese form — charming and unforgettable.

St. Stephen

Named after a kindly local landlord in the colonial era, St. Stephen is an award-winning triple-cream cheese made by Four Fat Foul in New York's Hudson Valley. It's buttery, milky, and exactly what you're looking for when a Brie craving hits. In fact, it may even be better than your average Brie. Don't tell the French!

If You Like How Delicate and Mild Brie Can Be...

Sweet Grass Green Hill — Sweet Grass Dairy

Sweet Grass Dairy Green Hill

This beautiful little double-cream from southern Georgia's Sweet Grass Dairy is an award-winning American Brie-style cheese made from pasture-fed Jersey cows. It's silky, creamy, and has delightful notes of buttered popcorn, especially when it's on the younger side.

Nettle Meadow Kunik

Luxurious Nettle Meadow Kunik is a triple-cream cheese comprised of 75 percent goat's milk and 25 percent Jersey cow cream. The animals eat a diet of hay, grains, wild herbs, raspberry leaves, and other treats, resulting in delicate, buttery herbaceousness. It's a real crowd-pleaser (your goat-cheese-hating friends will be instantly converted), plus the owners run an animal sanctuary, so you can feel especially good about enjoying it.

Brabander

For those seeking a cheese equally crowd-pleasing as Brie but in a different style, this caramelly goat gouda will do nicely. It's creamy, nutty, gently savory, and just as balanced and winsome as your favorite Brie.

If You Like the Earthiness of Brie...

Brie Fermier

Brie Fermier is made with cultures that mimic the flavors of the robust, unpasteurized Brie that you'd find in France ("fermier" means farmer in French). On the nose, you'll get garlic, onions, a bit of barnyard, and some roasted broccoli notes. On the palate, it's just broccoli cheese soup in cheese form. Prepare to be delighted.

Jasper Hill Harbison

If you follow any cheesemongers on social media, you've likely already seen Harbison from Jasper Hill Farm a time or two. It's a cult favorite among those in the cheese industry and once you taste it, you'll understand why. It's buttery and creamy, but also has notes of sautéed wild mushroom, forest floor, and Dijon mustard. The spruce bark wrap imparts a woodsy flavor and holds its shape, even at its most oozy. Slice off the top rind and serve at your next party with potato chips for dipping. You can thank us later.

Taleggio

Taleggio is an iconic Italian "washed-rind" cheese, meaning it's rubbed down with a brine solution as it ages to bring out a hint of funk. When ripe, it basically becomes mushroom custard, with a pudding-like consistency and a gently meaty, yeasty flavor that's excellent smeared across a baguette.

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