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Vegetarian, Northern, Eastern and Western France

Roasted Munster cheese with cumin and potatoes

Roasted Munster cheese with cumin is a dish for 4 people that takes 40 minutes and is very easy to make, at a cost of €3.30 per person. Two whole Munster cheeses roast in the oven with cumin until gooey, then get poured over potatoes cooked in their skins. The key is to let the cheese come to room temperature before roasting so it heats evenly all the way through.

Tonight, a whole Munster cheese roasted in the oven with cumin, poured all gooey over potatoes cooked in their skins.

Roasted Munster cheese with cumin and potatoes
Total time
40 min
Difficulty
Very easy
Cost per person
€3.30
Calories per person
590 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Winter, Fall

Roasting changes everything about this cheese you usually see cold on a platter. Warmed in the oven, it turns gooey under a golden top, and the cumin works quietly in the background, softening its strong smell without taking anything away from its flavor. Underneath, potatoes cooked in their skins soak up that melted, warm, slightly pungent cheese.

This is a cold weather dish, simple enough to pull together on a weeknight when you want something comforting without much effort. It suits adults who enjoy strong, washed rind cheeses more than kids sensitive to bold smells. A green salad and some pickles are all you need alongside it.

The ingredients

4 people

Dairy

  • Munster cheese 2
  • Butter 20 g

Fruits and vegetables

  • Potatoes 1.2 kg
  • Green salad 1

Pantry

  • Cuminoften in the pantry 2 tsp
  • Vinaigretteoften in the pantry 3 tbsp
  • Pickles 8
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Allergens Lactose

The step by step recipe

  1. Wash the potatoes and cook them in their skins in salted water. 25 min

    Pick potatoes of the same size so they cook evenly.

  2. Take the Munster cheeses out of the fridge and preheat the oven to 200°C.

    A cheese at room temperature roasts evenly, the center won't stay cold.

  3. Place the cheeses in a baking dish with small knobs of butter and sprinkle with cumin.

    Slip a few cumin seeds underneath the cheese too, they flavor it from below.

  4. Roast until the top is golden and the center is gooey. 15 min

    After ten minutes the cheese starts bubbling at the edges, that's the moment to take it out.

  5. Peel the potatoes, pour the melted Munster over them and serve with the salad and pickles.

    Lightly crush the potatoes with the back of a fork, they soak up the cheese better that way.

Our tips to get it right

  • Pick Munster cheeses that are ripe all the way through, neither too firm nor already runny, so they roast evenly.
  • Keep the baking dish just big enough for the cheeses, no bigger, so the butter and cumin stay concentrated around them.
  • Watch the oven through the glass during the last five minutes, Munster goes from gooey to completely liquid fast.

The variations

  • Swap the cumin for caraway seeds, the flavor stays close but turns slightly more peppery.
  • For a richer version, add a handful of crisped bacon bits on the potatoes just before pouring the cheese over them.
  • To save a few minutes, steam the potatoes instead of boiling them while the cheese roasts in the oven.

What to serve it with

  • Crisp green salad
  • Tangy pickles on the side
  • A glass of Alsatian white wine

Storage

This dish is best eaten hot, straight from the oven, melted Munster doesn't hold up well once it cools. Cooked potatoes keep for 2 days in the fridge in a sealed container, reheat them without the cheese. It's better to roast a fresh Munster each time rather than freeze it.

Questions about this dish

Can you use a different cheese instead of Munster?

Reblochon or Vacherin work just as well since they melt all the way through in the same way. The flavor will be milder and less distinctive, but the gooey texture stays comparable.

Should you remove the rind before roasting the Munster?

No, leave the rind on, it holds the cheese together while it cooks and is perfectly fine to eat once roasted. It's actually what keeps the center gooey.

Can you prepare the potatoes ahead of time?

Yes, cook them in the morning and keep them covered at room temperature. Just warm them up for a few minutes before pouring the melted cheese over them.

Why add cumin to Munster cheese?

Cumin softens Munster's strong smell and makes it easier to digest, it's a traditional pairing in Alsace. A few seeds tucked under the cheese also flavor it from below while it roasts.

How long does it take to make a roasted Munster cheese with cumin and potatoes?

Count 40 min in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “very easy”.

How many calories are in a roasted Munster cheese with cumin and potatoes?

About 590 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a roasted Munster cheese with cumin and potatoes cost?

About €3.30 per serving, or €13.20 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains lactose. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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