List of Cheeses – Lowest Calorie to the Highest
This list of cheeses has the calories per serving of 30 different types of cheese. It ranks them from lowest to highest calories. This can help you eat more mindfully!
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Americans will put cheese on just about anything. Because of this, I’ve gotten into the habit of adding cheese to a lot of foods. While cheese tastes great, it often packs a lot of calories. Here is a guide that will help you be mindful of your cheese consumption.
That being said, don’t totally swear off cheese just because it has calories. A recent study discussed in an article by Medical News Today highlights how eating a little cheese each day can actually protect your heart health.
This article will look at the calorie counts of a wide variety of cheeses. Since a pre-sliced slice of cheese is typically about 1 oz, that is the standard amount I’ll be using when comparing calories.
And now, on to the list of cheeses!
Cheese Calorie Guide
Cheeses Under 100 Calories Per Serving
- Cottage Cheese – (28 calories per oz) To start our list of cheeses, we have Cottage cheese coming in as our winner for lowest calorie count per ounce. It has a unique texture that isn’t for everyone, but is enjoyed by many with fruit or nuts mixed in.
- Ricotta – (49 calories per oz) Ricotta is an Italian cheese and is popular to use in pasta dishes. It has a more spreadable texture, so it is great for fillings, dips, and sauces.
- Feta – (75 calories per oz) Feta is a really crumbly cheese that is often found in Mediterranean dishes or used to garnish salads.
- Camembert – (85 calories per oz) Camembert is a French cheese that some consider similar to brie. Both are creamy in texture and have that edible mold rind on the outside.
- Mozzarella – (85 calories per oz) If you’ve eaten pizza, chances are that you’ve had mozzarella. It is typically made from cow’s milk, is an Italian cheese, and can create that ridiculous cheese pull that people love so much.
- Queso Blanco – (88 calories per oz) Often queso blanco is used to top Mexican dishes. It is soft, crumbly, and known for its white color. It is very similar in texture and flavor to queso fresco, but they are made with a slightly different process.
- Limburger – (93 calories per oz) Limburger is a creamy, melty cheese. Because of this, it is often used as a spread on bread or melted into dishes such as mac and cheese. The most common way it is eaten is on rye bread with sliced onions and mustard.
- Brie – (95 calories per oz) Brie is a really common cheese on charcuterie boards. It pairs well with crackers, bread, fruits and more. Some prefer is cold while others like to bake it to produce a gooey, saucy texture.
- Cream Cheese – (97 calories per oz) Plain cream cheese is really versatile. It can be used in baking, savory dishes, or to make dips and spreads. A common way it is used is alongside a fruit or spicy jam to make a dip for crackers.
- Provolone – (98 calories per oz) Provolone cheese comes from Italy, is made from cow’s milk, and is an aged pasta filata cheese. It melts well, so many use it in warm sandwiches, pizza, and casseroles.
Cheeses Over 100 Calories Per Serving
- Gorgonzola – (100 calories per oz) Gorgonzola is known for its blue marbling and “bite”. Because of its powerful flavor, it is often used in smaller quantities as zest or paired with fresh items such as grapes, honey, and nuts.
- Pepper Jack – (100 calories per oz) Pepper jack has a distinctive look with its sprinkled bits of red and green pepper throughout. Because of its ability to melt well, it is often used in nachos, grilled sandwiches, and quesadillas to add a little kick.
- Gouda – (101 calories per oz) Gouda melts really well, so you’ll often find it in sauces, casseroles, or in warm dishes. It can, however, also be enjoyed cold.
- Goat cheese/ Chèvre – (103 calories per oz) Chèvre is a French term for goat cheese. This creamy cheese is often served cold, since it doesn’t melt like many other cheeses do.
- Muenster – (104 calories per oz) Muenster is most commonly found in sandwiches, both hot and cold. It is a buttery cheese with a more tame flavor.
- American – (105 calories per oz) American cheese is often served melted on burgers, grilled cheese, or quesadillas. It is made by mixing a number of different cheeses and is known for its bright yellow-orange color.
- Roquefort – (105 calories per oz) Roquefort is a blue cheese that is generally used in salad dressings, as a topping, or paired with fruits and nuts.
- Monterey Jack – (106 calories per oz) This cheese is used a lot inside burritos and quesadillas. Many queso recipes also use Monterey Jack.
- Swiss – (108 calories per oz) Swiss cheese is known for its big circular holes and mild flavor. As the name suggests, it originated in Switzerland and is paired frequently with ham.
- Colby Jack – (110 calories per oz) Colby jack has white and yellow marbling, and it is used a lot for sandwiches, pastas, and casseroles.
- Mild Cheddar – (110 calories per oz) Cheddar is the most common cheese used and loved by Americans. It goes with just about anything, melts easily, and can be found in any store.
- Pecorino Romano – (110 calories per oz) Pecorino Romano is a versatile cheese used in meatballs, soups, stews, pizzas, and pastas. It has a high melting point, so it’s generally used as a topping rather than an ingredient in hot dishes.
- Sharp Cheddar – (110 calories per oz) Sharp cheddar is the same as mild cheddar, except that it has been aged longer. This produces a more pronounced cheddar flavor.
- Gruyere – (117 calories per oz) Because of its ability to melt, gruyere is used a lot in fondues, soufflés, quiches, and more. It is similar in flavor to Swiss cheese, but often stronger.
- Havarti – (119 calories per oz) Havarti is recognizable by its little divots and buttery flavor that many consider similar to Monterey Jack.
- Cotija – (120 calories per oz) Cotija is a white, crumbly cheese from Mexico often used for topping dishes such as enchiladas, nachos, tacos, and more.
- Manchego – (120 calories per oz) Manchego is a crumbly cheese. It has a powerful, flavor, so it is often served with bread, olives, or tomatoes.
- Mascarpone – (120 calories per oz) Mascarpone is a rich, creamy cheese often used to enhance both sweet and savory dishes. It can be added to pastas, risottos, frostings, and more.
- Parmesan – (122 calories per oz) Parmesan is often used to top pasta dishes, but it has a much broader variety of uses than that. This Italian cheese isn’t always the easiest to melt, but it is a popular cheese to use for adding flavor to dishes.
- Asiago – (131 calories per oz) Asiago cheese is an Italian semi-soft cheese with a sweet, nutty flavor. It is most often used for making hot or cold sandwiches, but is versatile.
And now you’re a cheese expert! Hopefully this list of cheeses helps you as you plan meals that fit into your health journey! Another thing to keep in mind is that there are many cheeses offered at the grocery store with a fat free or lower calorie version. This way if you love a particular cheese but are having a harder time fitting it into your eating plan, there are options.
