Cheeses to Go With Salami

Whether you prefer the thinly sliced Soppressata type or the classic Genoa kind, salami is a popular sausage with intense flavor. The Salami family of sausages are typically salty, dry, and highly seasoned, with strong flavors resulting from the curing process it goes through. Salami is a mix of minced pork, beef, wine, salt and spices. The most well-known kind is pepperoni. Different varieties of salami go well with a variety of cheeses.

Pecorino, a hard sheep's milk cheese, has a sharp flavor that goes well with spicy types of salami such as Calabria and Napolitano salami. Grated Pecorino cheese and salami are often paired together over pasta in a cream sauce.

Genoa Salami, mostly made up of salty pork, is most often seen in American delis. It is usually paired with provolone, which is a curd, pulled cheese with a mild flavor. You will commonly find a version of a salami and provolone sandwich at almost any classic Italian deli.

Asiago is a hard cheese that is typically grated and has a nutty and slightly fruity flavor. Milano salami, which is a lean salami stuffed with peppercorns, pairs well with asiago cheese. The pair can be served together on a meat and cheese platter or on a sandwich with the sliced version of asiago.

Goat cheese, commonly presented as a soft spread, has a rich, creamy flavor. It is very versatile and can be served fresh or aged, with a more pungent flavor. Sopressata, a delicate, very thinly sliced salami, goes well with goat cheese when served with pasta. Another option is to serve sopressata with a goat cheese spread.