Cheese Database

American cheese vs Velveeta

American cheese, field guide plate
American cheese, photographed

American cheese

Facts

Milk
Cow
Texture
Semi-soft
Type
Processed
Rind
No rind
Country
United States

American cheese, in the sense used in the United States, is a processed cheese, usually built on cheddar, Colby, or similar young cheeses. Emulsifying salts make it melt in an even sheet.

Velveeta, field guide plate
Velveeta, photographed

Velveeta

Facts

Texture
Semi-soft
Type
Processed
Rind
No rind
Country
United States

Velveeta is an American brand of pasteurized prepared cheese product. Kraft sells it as a loaf that slices when cold and melts into a smooth sauce when heated. It is not a traditional cheese with a rind, a cave, or a farm name. The recipe uses dairy ingredients, but the loaf is made to melt more evenly than a firm aged cheese. Shoppers find it in the dairy case across the United States.