Mimolette–The Ultimate Guide: Flavor, Ideal Pairings & 7 Ways to Use It on Charcuterie Boards
Nov 14, 2025
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One of my all-time favorite cheeses to use on boards is Mimolette. It’s France’s fun, funky answer to cheddar and Parmesan, some even call it “French Parmesan”.
Mimolette cheese is a vibrant orange, comes in a beautiful cannonball shape, and has a rich cheddar-like flavor. If you’ve been here before, you’ve seen it on many of my boards. It adds a pop of color (and conversation) to any cheese board, and I’m particularly fond of it on fall charcuterie boards as you’ll see in the roundup below.
I’ve listed eight of my favorite boards with Mimolette below. If you’re newly cheese-curious, my Wine and Cheese Pairing Board, How to Pair Cheese and Honey, Trader Joe’s Cheese Board by Budget are great places to start building beautiful boards. For something to serve alongside your cheese grazing platter, try my Easy Fall Burrata Salad or Perfect Burrata and Prosciutto Crostini.
What is Mimolette Cheese?
Mimolette comes from Lille, France, where it was first created in the 17th century. Legend has it that Louis XIV commissioned local cheesemakers to develop a French version of the Dutch cheese Edam. To make it their own, they dyed it that signature deep orange hue using annatto, a natural colorant that is also used in cheddar.
Table of Contents
- What is Mimolette Cheese?
- Are Mimolette Cheese Mites Real?
- What Does Mimolette Cheese Taste Like?
- What Pairs Well with Mimolette
- How to Style Mimolette on a Cheese Board
- 7 Mimolette Charcuterie Board Ideas
- Classic Charcuterie Board for Any Occasion
- French Cheese and Charcuterie Board
- Beautiful Fall Charcuterie Board
- Halloween Grazing Board
- Thanksgiving Sweet & Savory Grazing Platter
- Easy Thanksgiving Cheese Board
- New Year’s Eve Charcuterie Snack Board
- Mimolette FAQs
- Show Me Your Mimolette
Are Mimolette Cheese Mites Real?
The wildest thing about this beautiful cheese is how it gets its delicious flavor. Mimolette has a rind aged with tiny cheese mites! Yep. Weird, right? These microscopic critters help aerate the surface and develop the cheese’s unique nutty depth and rugged texture.
Don’t worry, the mites are removed during packaging, and any that remain are harmless. Grocers and cheesemongers ensure the cheese is safe and ready to serve.
Fun fact: The U.S. actually banned Mimolette imports between 2013-2014, because of those very mites—which only made cheese lovers want it more. So glad it’s back!
What Does Mimolette Cheese Taste Like?
If you’ve ever wondered what Mimolette cheese tastes like, the answer depends on how long it’s been aged.
- Young Mimolette (3-6 months): Smooth, buttery, and mildly nutty.
- Aged Mimolette (12-24 months): Sharp, salty, and delightfully crunchy from tyrosine crystals (like aged Gouda or Parm); it has butterscotch and caramel notes.
The texture shifts from firm and elastic when young to dry and crumbly as it matures. Use aged Mimolette for grating, shaving, or crumbling—just as you would with Parmigiano Reggiano.
What Pairs Well with Mimolette
Building the perfect bite with Mimolette is half the fun! Try these pairing ideas to make its bold flavor shine.
| Type of Food | Pairing Ideas |
| Meat | Prosciutto, saucisson sec |
| Fruit | Dried apricots, figs, crisp apple slices |
| Bread or Crackers | Crusty baguette, seeded crackers |
| Garnish | Marcona almonds, honey drizzle, or a dab of grainy mustard |
How to Style Mimolette on a Cheese Board
Mimolette’s vivid orange hue makes it so fun to style and add to your boards. It evokes autumn leaves, pumpkins on the porch, and everything fall.
- Cutting tips: Because this is a very hard cheese and the rind is tough, be sure to use a sharp and sturdy knife to slice, cube, or crumble it for visual variety. As you see in many of my photos, I prefer the sliced triangles because they are so beautiful, but you can also cut the rind off and crumble or cube.
- Visual pairings: Balance that orange with deep reds (like berries), dark purples (grapes or figs), golden nuts, or a few fresh herbs for contrast.
7 Mimolette Charcuterie Board Ideas
Mimolette is a showstopper on any charcuterie spread. I especially love to feature it on fall boards for that vibrant pumpkin-orange pop you’ll see in the boards rounded up below.
Classic Charcuterie Board for Any Occasion
What do you even put on a charcuterie board? Great question! Here’s your basic cheese-board-building style guide, complete with a moment for Mimolette and how to cut it to be the char-cutest.
French Cheese and Charcuterie Board
Where better to add Mimolette cheese than to an all-French fromage-forward cheese platter? Delicious and traditional, and so easy to make.
Beautiful Fall Charcuterie Board
Autumn is a great time to showcase Mimolette because its sharp flavor pairs so well with fall fruit. Plus, its orange color balances beautifully with a few little pumpkins on your board.
Halloween Grazing Board
What screams orange cheese more than a Halloween-themed charcuterie board? When Trader Joe’s starts putting out its Halloween snacks, this is the board to make it come together. Don’t forget the Mimolette!
Thanksgiving Sweet & Savory Grazing Platter
This Thanksgiving board is so elegant, easy, and adaptable—it’s as perfect for a Friendsgiving potluck, a Thanksgiving appetizer, or an all-day snack station for Turkey Day itself.
Easy Thanksgiving Cheese Board
If you’re looking for a simple and elegant Thanksgiving meal board, this is it. Mimolette is a staple on this board—make this for a filling, and no-fuss, Turkey Day offering.
New Year’s Eve Charcuterie Snack Board
Ring in the New Year with this yummy, fun, and shareable charcuterie board. Mimolette and other (star-shaped!) goodies pair so well with your favorite bubbly beverages. Happy NYE!
Mimolette FAQs
Aged Gouda, Edam, and Parmesan offer similar nutty, firm qualities
Yes! It is definitely safe to eat because the mites are food-grade and cleaned off before packaging. But don’t recommend eating the rind itself because it is extremely tough and bitter. See below.
Technically yes, but I wouldn’t recommend it. It is very hard and earthy; most people don’t eat the rind. However, I have seen people use the rind in soups (similar to Parmigiano Reggiano) for added flavor.
It was temporarily banned, but it’s now widely available again.
It’s naturally colored with annatto, just like cheddar.
Check the label first—some producers use animal rennet, while others offer vegetarian versions.
Absolutely! Grate or melt it for bold flavor in cooked dishes.
Yes, especially younger wheels. Aged ones melt less smoothly.
Wrap it in a cheese bag or in wax paper, and keep it in your fridge’s cheese drawer. You can also use an airtight or covered container to store in the fridge.
Don’t let your leftovers go to waste. This cheese shines beyond a charcuterie board!
– Grate it over pasta, salads (like this one from The Defined Dish), soups, or roasted veggies for a savory boost.
– Bake into gougères, savory scones, or biscuits.
– Cube or crumble into salads for a pop of color and crunch.
– Melt into fondue or mac and cheese for a nutty twist.
(And yes — Mimolette does melt, though aged versions take a bit longer.)
You can find Mimolette in many grocery stores, fine food shops, and specialty markets. I usually pick mine up at Trader Joe’s.
Grocery stores that typically carry it:
– Whole Foods
– Trader Joe’s (for what might be a limited time)
– Gelson’s
– Local cheese shops
Online sources:
– Murray’s Cheese
– Amazon Gourmet
– iGourmet
– Red: Beaujolais, Pinot Noir
– White: Chardonnay, Viognier
– Other: Belgian ales or a crisp French cider
– Non-alcoholic: Sparkling apple cider, chai latte, honey-ginger fizz
Show Me Your Mimolette
I hope this roundup inspires you to use Mimolette on your next cheese board. Nothing makes me happier than seeing the festive food you create using my tips. If you make something inspired by this post, please tag me at @ainttooproudtomeg so I can see and share!
And, if you liked these recipes, please rate, and review.
