The best cheese for a burger is one that melts properly and has enough flavour to be noticed next to beef. For most people that means a mature Cheddar. For us it means Ogleshield, a Somerset cheese made for melting that we would put on every burger in the country if we could. This guide covers the cheeses that work, the ones that surprise people, how to get a perfect melt, and what to put on chicken and veggie burgers.

Double cheeseburger with melted cheese

Why the Cheese Matters

A burger is beef, bread and fat. The cheese is what ties them together: it adds salt, it adds richness, and as it melts it holds the toppings in place. Get it right and every bite tastes of the whole thing. Get it wrong, with something that will not melt or has no flavour, and you have paid for a slice of plastic. We would argue the cheese is the glue that holds the burger together, and we say that with a straight face.

The Cheeses That Work on a Burger

  • Mature Cheddar: the classic, and for good reason. Sharp enough to taste through the beef, and it melts into a proper blanket. Black Bomber is the one we sell most of and it is superb on a burger. For something with more farmhouse character, Keen’s from Somerset or Dale End from the North York Moors. A Charcoal Cheddar looks dramatic and tastes just like a good Cheddar should.
  • Ogleshield: made by the Montgomery family with Jersey milk in the style of a Raclette, which is to say it exists to be melted. Rich, savoury, a little funky, and it flows over a patty like nothing else. This is the cheesemonger’s burger cheese.
  • Gruyère: nutty, sweet and salty, and a brilliant melter. Gruyère Réserve is lovely on beef and even better on a chicken burger, where its sweetness has room to show.
  • Blue cheese: for people who like a burger to fight back. Crumble it on in the last minute so it softens without disappearing. Cropwell Bishop Stilton is creamy and rich, Sparkenhoe Shropshire Blue is a little gentler, and Gorgonzola Piccante is the bold one. Caramelised onions and rocket, always.
  • Brie: a thick slice of Brie or Baron Bigod, rind and all, melts into something close to a sauce. Add a spoon of onion marmalade and you have the best posh burger you have ever made.
  • Taleggio: the Italian washed-rind cheese that melts like mozzarella but actually tastes of something. Try it on a mushroom or a veggie burger.
Assorted artisan cheeses with natural rinds on the counter

Best Cheese for Burgers at a Glance

  • Classic beef burger: mature Cheddar or Ogleshield.
  • Smash burger: Ogleshield, or a younger Cheddar sliced thin so it melts in seconds.
  • Chicken burger: Gruyère or Brie.
  • Lamb burger: a crumbly blue, or a soft goat’s cheese like Driftwood.
  • Veggie or mushroom burger: Taleggio, Brie, or a smoked cheese like Smoked Westcombe.
  • Showing off: Stilton with onion marmalade, or Truffle Baron Bigod if it is a special occasion.

How to Melt Cheese on a Burger

  • Take the cheese out of the fridge first. Room-temperature cheese melts evenly. Cold cheese melts at the edges and stays solid in the middle.
  • Slice it, do not grate it. A slice the size of the patty and about the thickness of a pound coin. Grated cheese falls off.
  • Add it in the last minute. Flip the burger, lay the cheese on, then cover the pan with a lid or an upturned metal bowl. The trapped steam melts the cheese before the patty overcooks. A splash of water in the pan before the lid goes on speeds it up.
  • Keep aged cheese away from fierce heat. A very mature Cheddar or Parmesan will split and go oily if you blast it. Lower heat, lid on, patience.

Burger Cheese FAQs

What is the best cheese for burgers in the UK?

Mature Cheddar is the UK favourite and it deserves to be: it melts well and has enough flavour to stand up to beef. If you want to go one better, Ogleshield melts more smoothly and tastes richer. Both are on our counter.

What cheese melts best on burgers?

Younger cheeses with more moisture and fat: Ogleshield, Gruyère, Taleggio, Brie and a mild to medium Cheddar. Very aged cheeses will melt but can turn oily if overheated.

What is the best cheese for smash burgers?

Something that melts the moment it touches the patty, because a smash burger cooks in a couple of minutes. Ogleshield is ideal. A thin slice of a younger Cheddar works too. Avoid crumbly cheeses; they will not have time.

What is the best blue cheese for burgers?

Stilton for a creamy, rich melt, Shropshire Blue for something a touch milder, Gorgonzola Piccante if you want a proper punch. Pair any of them with caramelised onions and peppery leaves.

What should I drink with a cheeseburger?

A juicy red with a bit of spice. Don’t Tell Gary Shiraz is our house choice for anything off the barbecue. Or a cold pale ale from Brew York.

Ready to upgrade your burger? Browse our hard cheeses and blues, everything cut to order and delivered fresh, and tag us on Instagram with the results. We love a good burger picture.