Cheese Database

Pizza cheese vs Provel cheese

Pizza cheese

Facts

Texture
Semi-soft
Rind
No rind
Country
United States

Pizza cheese is a commercial category from the United States, made to melt, stretch, and brown on a pizza. The name covers more than one product. The usual form is a drier stretched-curd cheese in the manner of mozzarella, sold in blocks or shreds. Some versions are blends, and some are processed products built only for the oven. It is not a farmhouse wheel from one valley, and factories design it for pizzerias and for frozen pies.

Provel cheese, field guide plate
Provel cheese, photographed

Provel cheese

Facts

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

Provel is a processed cow's milk cheese from the United States, sold as a white loaf or slice that is built to melt. It is not a single farmhouse wheel. Makers blend cheddar, American Swiss, and provolone into one smooth product, then form it so the paste stays soft and even. The flavor is mild, buttery, and a little tangy, with a hint of the provolone in the mix. There is no rind, and there is no long cave aging.