This Is the Best American Cheese for Burgers, According to Experts

While there are plenty of cheeses out there to choose from, none are better suited to the American classic—the cheeseburger—than American cheese. That perfectly creamy layer of melted mild orange cheese draped atop a beef patty, some might argue, makes a cheeseburger a cheeseburger.

There was a time when I thought all American cheese was created equal—somehow it seems devoid of the subtleties other types of cheese have. Recently though, I had a cheeseburger with a phenomenal slice of American draped atop it, proving my narrow-minded assumption completely wrong.

Once I consulted two of my trusted culinary experts, that conclusion was corroborated as they both agreed that one single American cheese brand is far superior to all others on the market.

The Cheese-Loving Experts I Asked

• Amy Goodson: Registered dietitian, board-certified specialist in sports dietetics, and author of The Sports Nutrition Playbook
• Marye Audet: Recipe Developer, cookbook author, and founder of Restless Chipotle 

The Best Brand of American Cheese

Both experts agreed that Boar’s Head makes the best American cheese. “If you want the gold standard,” says Audet, “it’s Boar’s Head American cheese.” They each outlined a number of reasons why this brand reigns supreme, which can be narrowed down to three main categories: taste, texture, and ingredient list. 

Flavor-wise, we may be used to artificial-tasting American cheese, but Boar’s Head offers the “nostalgic flavor of American cheese but with a cleaner ingredient profile,” says Goodson. In other words, the stuff actually tastes like cheese and not mock cheese.

Audet adds, “Boar’s Head has a fresher taste. It’s got just the right amount of saltiness and never tastes artificial.’’ This means that the cheese is an apt fit not just for burgers or grilled cheese sandwiches, but also mac and cheese, scrambled eggs, and any other melty-gooey application you can think of. 

In terms of texture, Goodson appreciates its creaminess, saying, “The way it melts creates that quintessential gooey, comforting bite.” Audet agrees, explaining the texture is in large part thanks to the cheese’s ingredient list: “Boar’s Head is made with real cheese and doesn’t rely too heavily on fillers and stabilizers. It has a higher dairy content, which gives it a creamier texture and better meltability compared to budget brands that can be overly processed and rubbery.”

She says that the emulsifiers in many brands are the culprit behind American cheese’s plasticky reputation, a great contrast to Boar’s Head, which is “smooth, melty, and silky.” 

No matter how you slice it—on a breakfast sandwich, melted over veggies, or mixed into dips—if you’re looking for an American cheese that’s a cut above, Boar’s Head is your best bet.