Meal Planning Made Easy with this Simple Havarti Hack

Mealtime will never be the same again thanks to this cheesy and delicious hack – simply replace the cheddar in your favourite recipe with Havarti and we guarantee those plates will be spotless! 

To help Canadians spice things up in the kitchen, makeover king Steven Sabados created a series of Havarti makeovers that require little effort and will take the stress out of meal planning. But why Havarti?

Havarti is for so much more than sandwiches – the creamy, subtle and versatile taste of Havarti makes it perfect for a variety of recipes. 

Try replacing cheese curds in your poutine with Smoked Havarti for that epic cheese pull with every bite! Or swap Dill Pickle Havarti into your grilled cheese for a taste that will have the kids asking for seconds.  And why not smother your nachos with Jalapeno Havarti for some added heat? This one simple swap elevates so many meals! 

Steven recommends Castello Havarti because there are seven different flavours to choose from: Dill, Roasted Garlic, Jalapeno, Herbs & Spices, Garden Vegetable, Smoked and the Original Creamy. And, it’s made with 100% Canadian dairy with no artificial ingredients, so Canadians can feel good about feeding it to their families. 

Check out some of Steven’s favourite reimagined cheesy dishes with his favourite Havarti flavours.

Keep Calm and Queso On:

Turn your queso from drab to fab with jalapeno-flavoured Havarti. 

Ingredients:

• 2 cups shredded Castello Jalapeño Havarti
• 2 tbsp butter
• 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 1 cup pico de gallo (tomatoes, onions, garlic, cilantro) or chunky salsa (drain any juice) 
• Jalapeños, chopped
• Approx 1 tsp onion flakes, garlic powder, ground cumin
• Season with salt and black pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat, then whisk in flour and incorporate until lightly golden in colour. (stir in garlic, onion and cumin, to incorporate the spices) 
2. Gradually whisk in milk, bring to boil, then reduce heat until thick. Add the Havarti gradually until incorporated.
3. Remove from heat and stir in the pico de gallo. Let come to room temperature, garnish with chopped jalapeños and serve with taco chips. Enjoy!

Cristo Gone Couture

For the perfect crowd-pleaser, Steven’s reconstructed Monte Cristo features two swaps in one: Swiss cheese for Creamy and Smoked Havarti, and waffles instead of bread.

Ingredients:

Castello Creamy Havarti, grated

Castello Smoked Havarti, grated

1/4 cup plum, or apricot preserves

8 waffles (store-bought or homemade)

4 slices of fresh deli turkey meat

4 slices of fresh deli ham

4 strips of cooked crispy bacon

Slices of tomato, optional

Handful of Micro Greens, optional

Maple syrup

Directions:

Preheat a large skillet or griddle. Spread preserves over 4 waffles, then layer with turkey, ham, bacon, and a generous amount of the Havarti mixture. Option to add in slices of tomato and a handful of micro greens. Place the waffle on top and transfer to a lightly buttered griddle pan. Grill for 4-6 minutes or until golden and the cheese has melted.

Serve with maple syrup on the side.

French Toast Affair

From brunch to lunch, Steven takes French Toast to the next level with seasonal fruit and Creamy Havarti cheese stuffed inside, instead of on top.

Ingredients:

• Castello Creamy Havarti, thinly sliced
• 2 pears, peeled and thinly sliced
• 8 slices of French or Brioche-style bread
• 2 eggs
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 2-4 tablespoons butter
• Icing sugar, maple syrup 
• Sliced strawberries, optional

Directions:

1. In a large skillet, sauté the pears in butter and cinnamon until tender (5-8 minutes)
2. Whisk together eggs and milk and place in a shallow bowl
3. Build a sandwich with the cooked pears and a generous amount of Castello Creamy Havarti. Option to add in sliced strawberries.
4. Dredge the sandwiches in the egg/ milk mixture and place on a buttered skillet on medium heat, and cook each side until golden brown and crispy
5. Lightly dust with powdered sugar and drizzle with maple syrup

For the Kids: Steven gave grilled cheese, pizza, poutine, mac & cheese, and nachos a Havarti makeover and received rave reviews from the kids (and adults) who tested it! He used dill pickle Havarti for the grilled cheese, roasted garlic Havarti for the pizza, jalapeno Havarti for the poutine, herbs and spices for the nachos, and creamy Havarti for the mac & cheese. 

For more fun and delicious Havarti recipes visit https://www.castellocheese.com/en-ca/ and check out your local grocery store to grab your favourite Havarti flavour!