Croissants, baguettes, brioches. There's no shortage of great bread in France. High-quality bread became a staple in the French diet right after the Revolution.
With the rise of different types of bread comes the rise of various types of cheese since these two almost always go hand-in-hand.
This brings us to fromage blanc, one of the most popular cheeses in France and different parts of the globe.
However, its short lifespan makes it challenging to find in US markets. Don't worry. You can always settle for a fromage blanc substitute.
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Learning More About Fromage Blanc
A fromage blanc is integral to many sweet and savory recipes and snacks. But where exactly does it come from? Is it possible to find a substitute for it? What does it add to our recipes?
We must fully understand what we're dealing with to find the best substitutes for fromage blanc cheese.
What's a Fromage Blanc?
Similar to many other cheeses, fromage blanc comes from cow's milk, but contrary to most, it's unaged (which means it's fresh cheese).
This gives it an incredibly soft, spreadable texture and a slightly tangy flavor, almost yogurt-like. The fromage blanc's color is closer to milk than traditional cheese (yellow-ish).
This is how it earned the name "fromage blanc," which literally translates to "white cheese." Most sellers add cream to fromage blanc to make it even softer and enhance its flavor, but this also significantly increases its fat content.
Where Do We Use Fromage Blanc?
Since fromage blanc is a type of fresh cheese, it has a slightly tangy flavor. It's a common ingredient to balance the flavors in sweet and savory dishes.
However, you're more likely to encounter it in dips and spreads because of its mild sourness and creamy texture (herbs and spices are often added to the mix).
Nonetheless, we all add fromage blanc to baked goods and casseroles or serve it as a standalone dessert.
Fromage Blanc Substitutes
Finding this kind of fresh cheese can be challenging because of its perishability (it's not suited for long transport). Don't worry. I made a quist list of the best alternatives.
Choose your preferred substitute for fromage blanc, and let me know if I got it right!
1. Sour Cream
Sour cream is one of the best alternatives to replace fromage blanc. There are slight differences between the texture and flavor of the two.
Fromage blanc has a thicker consistency with a slightly sweet flavor, while sour cream is mostly tangy and tends to be thinner.
Nonetheless, there are thick sour cream brands that you can find in the market today. It's the perfect substitute for sweet and savory dishes that include fromage blanc.
Add a tablespoon or two of sugar to make it a little sweeter and closer to fromage blanc. Use sour cream as a substitute fromage blanc in a 1:1 ratio.
Pro-Tip: You can make sour cream at home with yogurt, milk, and lemon juice.
Best for salad dressings, pancakes, soups, and baked goods.
Try it on this air fryer muffins recipe.
2. Yogurt Cheese or Greek Yogurt
Greek yogurt has a thicker texture and consistency than yogurt cheese since it undergoes a longer straining process. Nonetheless, it's not unusual to use these terms and ingredients interchangeably.
It's also a popular sour cream substitute because of its slightly sour flavor. Its consistency is almost identical to fromage blanc, but the flavor differs because of its neutral dairy taste.
As a result, you need to increase the proportions of Greek yogurt or yogurt cheese to make up for its mild flavor.
You can add honey, maple syrup, or sugar to make it sweeter when using it on desserts, smoothies, and other sweet recipes.
Replace one cup of fromage cheese with 1 ½ cups of Greek yogurt.
Best for baked goods, sauces, salad dressings, and savory dishes.
3. Cream Cheese
Every other cheesecake recipe includes cream cheese. It's consistency and mildly tangy flavor are an excellent addition to this baked good.
Cream cheese can also be a great substitute for fromage blanc recipes. The whipped and low-fat versions are the healthiest ones, so stick with those.
Because of its popularity, you can find cream cheese in countless grocery stores nationwide. Use it as a substitute in a 1:1 ratio.
Alternatively, you can combine ½ cup of cream cheese with ½ cup of heavy cream to replace 1 cup of fromage blanc if you need a thicker consistency.
Best for cheesecakes, sauces, dips, and spreads.
Try it on this air fryer cheesecake recipe.
4. Quark Cheese
A quark cheese's consistency falls between fromage blanc's and yogurt's. It originally came from Germany (it's very popular there) and provides a mild tangy flavor to your dishes.
It's not widely available in the US, with only a handful of manufacturers in three states. Nonetheless, its creamy texture and mild taste make it a popular substitute for fromage blanc.
Use quark cheese as a substitute in a 1:1 ratio.
Best for cheesecakes, quiches, and ice creams.
5. Ricotta Cheese
Albeit not solid, ricotta cheese's fine, delicate grains are very far from the spreadable consistency of fromage blanc.
Nonetheless, its mild and creamy flavor makes it an excellent substitute for fromage blanc in pasta dishes and savory recipes.
You can use a blender to process ricotta cheese until it achieves a smooth texture, but if you're using it to replace fromage blanc in a spread recipe, it's best to add milk or water.
Use the ricotta cheese mixture as a substitute in a 1:1 ratio.
Best for pasta dishes, savory dishes, and other creamy recipes.
If you're recipe specifically calls for ricotta cheese and you have none, try any of these ricotta salata substitutes.
6. Queso Fresco
Queso fresco literally translates to "fresh cheese," but in Mexico, it refers to a specific type of cheese that comes from a combination of cow's and goat's milk.
Queso fresco is dry, chunky, and grainy, so you might have to add water or milk to make it more spreadable.
It's less rich and not as creamy as fromage blanc, but it is still an excellent substitute because of its milky flavor and salty taste.
Use queso fresco as a substitute for fromage blanc in a 1:1 ratio.
Best for quesadillas and Mexican dishes.
7. Cottage Cheese
Cottage cheese is somewhat similar to queso fresco, except it's smoother and has a stronger mixture of flavors.
Nonetheless, you still have to mix cottage cheese with milk or water or process it with a blender if you want a texture closer to fromage blanc.
You can also add your preferred sweetener if the flavor is too neutral. Adding Greek yogurt is also necessary to get the tangy taste of fromage blanc.
Mix ½ cup of cottage cheese with ½ cup of Greek yogurt to replace 1 cup of fromage blanc.
Best for spreads.
Try it on this Grilled Cheese Sandwich recipe.
Tips When Replacing Fromage Blanc
Unfortunately, something as unique and versatile as fromage blanc is also very rare. Nonetheless, with the right approach, you will find several substitutes that will work just as great for your recipe.
Here's how to choose and use a fromage blanc alternative.
Experiment with additional ingredients.
The flavor profile of fromage blanc is so unique that you won't find another cheese with the same taste.
That's why you shouldn't think twice about experimenting with additional ingredients. Not too sweet? Add sugar or syrup. Not tangy? Add lemon juice or a different sour element.
Use a blender.
Consistency is the next important factor to consider when finding a substitute for fromage blanc. You want something with a yogurt-like texture.
You only need to whip some types of cheese to achieve this consistency, but in other substitutes, you will need to use a blender and mix it with water or milk.
You can also try various thickening techniques if your substitute is too thin for the recipe.
Consider the recipe and preparation.
What's the purpose of fromage blanc in your recipe? Is it for the tanginess, sweetness, richness, or saltiness?
Answering this question will determine the best alternative for a specific recipe. You may also want to consider the time it takes to prepare a substitute (since some of them need to be processed).
Fromage Blanc Substitute FAQs
Cream cheese and Greek yogurt are perhaps the most accessible substitutes for fromage blanc, with almost similar textures and flavor profiles.
Fromage blanc is a versatile cheese whose flavor ranges from sweet to milky to salty to tangy. That's one of the reasons it's hard to find an alternative with an identical flavor profile.
Fromage blanc is a common ingredient in various recipes, but you can also eat it as it is. Think of it as a very cheese-y yogurt.
Choosing the Best Fromage Blanc Substitute
That concludes my list of the best substitutes for fromage blanc. While finding an alternative can be tricky, mixing two or more ingredients will give you a similar flavor profile.
Just be sure to choose a substitute that fits your recipe, and if you need more help replacing common ingredients, visit Also The Crumbs, Please.
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Recipe
Best Fromage Blanc Substitutes
Equipment
- blender
Ingredients
Option 1 (Homemade Sour Cream)
- ½ cup yogurt (unflavored)
- ½ cup milk
- 1 tbsn lemon juice
Option 2 (Greek Yogurt)
- 1½ cups greek yogurt
Option 3 (Cream Cheese)
- ½ cup cream cheese
- ½ cup heavy cream
Instructions
Option 1 (Homemade Sour Cream)
- Mix ½ cup of yogurt (unflavored), ½ cup of milk, and 1 tablespoon of lemon juice using a blender.
- Process the ingredients until you reach the desired consistency.
- Use 1 cup of the sour cream mixture to replace 1 cup of fromage blanc.
Option 2 (Greek Yogurt)
- Use Greek yogurt as a substitute for fromage blanc in a 1:1 ratio, according to the recipe.
Option 3 (Cream Cheese)
- Mix ½ cup of cream cheese and ½ cup of heavy cream in a blender.
- Process the ingredients until you reach the desired consistency.
- Use 1 cup of the cream cheese mixture to replace 1 cup of fromage blanc.
Notes
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