Must Try Castello Havarti Makeovers

As the air cools and the Farmers' Markets are overflowing with fall’s bounty, it’s the ideal season for the warmth of cheese-filled comfort foods. This season, Canada’s favourite makeover expert, Steven Sabados, wants to show us how to elevate our favourite fall cheesy comfort foods with one simple but powerful swap: Havarti.  

To bring out the best in fall dishes, Steven recommends a Havarti Makeover that swaps out your cheddar, or mozzarella with your favourite havarti flavour. 

Steven’s Havarti Makeover takes familiar seasonal dishes and elevates them in surprising ways. The gentle richness of havarti enhances but doesn’t mask the vibrant flavours of seasonal produce—from  Garden Vegetable Havarti nestled in a roasted root vegetable gratin, to Jalapeno Havarti stirred into a comforting soup, or Dill Pickle Havarti layered into a warm, rustic sandwich. 

Castello Havarti has seven distinct flavours you can choose from to elevate your meals: jalapeño, dill, roasted garlic, smoked, herbs & spices, garden vegetable, and the original creamy.  Crafted from 100% Canadian dairy and free from artificial ingredients, it’s Steven’s number one havarti choice for flavour and quality.

So, as the nights grow colder, try Steven’s #HavartiHack and keep cozy with your favourite seasonal dishes in a style all your own. 

Let’s Give ‘em Pumpkin to Talk About Mac ‘n Cheese

Mac & Cheese is an iconic comfort food – but Steven gives this family fave a fall makeover with two simple twists: the addition of fresh pumpkin for an extra layer of creaminess, and herbs and spices havarti instead of cheddar, for a next-level, kid-approved treat!

Ingredients:

  • 3 cups shredded Castello Herbs & Spices Havarti

  • 2 cups milk 

  • 1/2 cup pumpkin puree (Option to use canned or make your own with butternut squash!)

  • 4 cups fusilli pasta

  • 3 tbsps butter

  • 3 tbsps flour

  • 1 ½ tbsp minced thyme

  • 1/ cup bread crumbs

  • Salt and black pepper to taste


Directions:

  1. Stir together milk and pumpkin puree, set aside.

  2. Fill large pot with water, bring to a boil. Add 2-3 tbsps of salt and then add pasta. Cook pasta 8 to 10 minutes, until al dente, drain and set aside. 

  3. In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Sprinkle flour over butter and whisk together. Allow to cook 2-3 minutes. Stir in thyme.

  4. Whisk pumpkin-milk mixture into flour and continue to whisk until fully incorporated. Allow mixture to simmer, stirring frequently, until thick enough to coat back of wooden spoon, 3 to 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. 

  5. Remove from heat and stir in 2 cups herbs & spices havarti into bechamel sauce in small handfuls until cheese just melts before adding more. 

  6. Pour sauce into pasta and gently stir. Once pasta is coated in sauce pour into baking dish, top with bread crumbs and rest of the havarti. Pop under broiler for 5 minutes or until cheese is bubbly and golden brown. Enjoy!

Cheesy French Onion Soup

French Onion Soup is an autumn classic with its aromas of caramelized onions, rich beef broth and melted cheese filling the kitchen.  Steven’s twist on this bowl of comfort features freshly harvested onions to enhance the flavour, and smoked havarti instead of gruyere cheese, to conjure up a woodburning fall fire, with a satisfyingly smoky flavour.  

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups grated Castello Smoked Havarti and Herbs & Spices Havarti

  • 3-4 onions, halved and thinly sliced

  • 5 tbsps butter

  • 2 heaping tbsps flour

  • ½ cup white port or white wine

  • 7-8 cups chicken broth (Option to use vegetable stock)

  • 5-6 sprigs fresh thyme 

  • Salt and black pepper (to taste)

  • Baguette


    Directions:

  1. Melt butter in a large pot, add onions. Cook uncovered on medium heat until lightly golden, stirring occasionally for 15-20 minutes. 

  2. Add flour and stir until incorporated. Add port or white wine and bring to a rapid boil for one minute. Add thyme and cook for a few minutes, until fragrant and heated through. 

  3. Next, add chicken stock, return to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 25-30 minutes. 

  4. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Ladle soup into ramekins, top with sliced baguette and mixture of smoked and herbs & spices havarti cheese. Bake for a few minutes, until cheese is bubbly and edges of baguette are lightly browned. 

Apple-solutely Perfect Grilled Cheese

Warm and gooey, there’s nothing like a perfect grilled cheese on a cool autumn night.  Steven elevates this classic by using freshly baked bread (any type from the farmers market), then adding some crispy slices of apples, a few slices of roasted turkey and crisp bacon, and swapping the cheddar with jalapeño havarti for a sweet and savoury meal that comes together in less than 10 minutes.  

   Ingredients:

  • Castello Jalapeño Havarti, sliced

  • 1 tbsp butter, softened 

  • 4 slices crusty bread

  • ¼ honey raspberry vinaigrette, plus extra for dipping

  • 8-10 slices fresh oven-roasted turkey 

  • 4 slices crispy bacon

  • 1 honey crisp apple, thinly sliced

  • ¼ red onion, thinly sliced

  • 1 cup arugula, optional

  • 1 tbsp sliced almonds, optional


    Directions:

  1. Heat up panini press to 350 degrees F, or heat up a grill pan. 

  2. Drizzle 2 tbsps vinaigrette inside the two top pieces of bread. Layer in Jalapeño Havarti slices, turkey, bacon, apple, onion, arugula (optional), and almonds (optional). Butter outsides of bread.

  3. Place in panini press or on grill pan, and grill for 5 to 6 minutes or until toasted and cheese has melted. 

  4. Serve with extra vinaigrette for dipping. Enjoy!

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!

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