How to Eat Brie

Co-authored by Marcy Ragan

Last Updated: October 22, 2024 Approved

Brie is a soft French cheese made from cow’s milk that has a smooth and creamy texture. If you’re unfamiliar with the cheese, it also has a white rind over it that is edible. It is traditionally cut into small wedges and eaten with plain bread or crackers. You could also pair it with all sorts of toppings and drinks. If you’re looking to cook with brie, melt it into many different dishes to enjoy its unique, gooey deliciousness.

How to Eat Brie Cheese

Cut slices from the side of a wedge of brie, starting from the rind (which is edible) and going to the tip. In a wheel, make small, pie piece shaped cuts. Eat brie with crackers, preserves, fresh fruit, baked bread, candied nuts, and more!

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Cutting Brie

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1
Cut brie by the slice from the tip to the rind. Cutting the tip off, or “pointing” the cheese, is considered to be a faux pas. The tastiest part of the brie is the tip. When you cut that part off for yourself, you’re basically telling everyone else, “all mine!” Keep the brie triangular-shaped, cutting along its edge. ^{[1]
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- If the rind doesn’t appeal to you, cut the cheese at more of an angle to maximize the amount of “inside” you get. No one will notice as long as you preserve the triangular shape of the brie.
- Go on and take part of the rind! If you’re cutting brie the right way, each slice will have some on it. If you cut across the brie to remove the tip, you inevitably leave behind a slice that is all rind.
2
Eat the rind along with the rest of the cheese. Everyone wonders what they are supposed to do with that hard shell on cheese, but a brie rind is safe to eat. Don’t try scraping out the inside to avoid the rind. That would be like taking the meat out of a sandwich and throwing away the bread. Brie rind is crumbly and has a slightly bitter taste, but it isn’t too distracting from the cheese’s gooey goodness.
- If you haven’t tried the rind before, go for it! The rind isn’t for everyone. Keep in mind it tastes worse as the brie goes bad, so be sure to try it on a fresh slice.
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3
Peel the rind off a slice of cheese if you don’t want it. Some people don’t like the rind and that’s okay, but wait until you have the slice of cheese on your plate before removing it. Do your best to peel it off by hand. Brie is soft and sticky, so separating the rind isn’t the easiest thing in the world. Try cutting the top off to make the rest easier to remove or eat around it if you have to. ^{[2]
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- When you’re serving brie at home, you can cut off the rind ahead of time. Freeze the cheese for about 30 minutes, then slice off the rind with a sharp knife. Don’t remove the rind if you’re serving the cheese to guests, since some of them may want it.
4
Throw away the cheese if it smells like ammonia. Brie generally keeps for a couple of weeks until it is opened, and after that, it lasts a week or less. The rind turns gray and flaky as the cheese spoils. Green and pink mold spots are things you don’t want anywhere near your mouth. The inside of the cheese turns gooey and has a nasty chemical smell as it goes bad.
- Underripe brie feels hard to the touch. It has a hard outer rind with a springy inside. Overripe brie turns soft and runny.
- Brie stops aging after you slice it, so eat is as soon as possible to avoid having it spoil on you. If you have to store it, wrap it up in parchment or wax paper and keep it in a refrigerator drawer away from moisture.
- Freezing generally isn’t recommended unless you’re going to use it in dishes where the texture doesn’t matter, such as in soups and casseroles. It will last up to 6 months in a freezer-safe container. Thaw it in the refrigerator, cold water, or the microwave until it softens. ^{[3]
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Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Serving Brie

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Leave the brie out at room temperature for 1 hour. Take it out of your refrigerator and let it settle. It turns nice and creamy so you get the most out of its flavor. Warming it a little reduces any of the ammonia taste you might get from a slice you have had in the refrigerator for a few days.
- You could also heat it to make it gooey on the inside. Heat it for about 1 minute in a microwave on a high setting until it’s soft in the center. In an oven, heat it at 350 °F (177 °C) for about 5 minutes or until it reaches the consistency you desire.
2
Serve the brie by cutting it into a wedge. If you bought a wedge, it is simple enough to serve by plopping it on a tray with a knife. A lot of brie is sold as a wheel, so cut out a wedge to get the party started. Slice from the rind to the center of the brie with a narrow cheese knife. Keep the slice relatively small, about 1 in (2.5 cm) or less depending on the serving size you desire. ^{[4]
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- Cutting brie is a lot like cutting apple pie, but making the first cut into a beautiful wheel can be intimidating when you’re a guest. Cut a slice to give guests a sample to go by.
- When you’re cutting down a wedge of cheese, always cut along the sides from the center to the rind. Don’t cut off the pointed tip, the tastiest part of brie.
3
Place the cheese on plain bread or crackers to enjoy its basic taste. Rip off a piece of a baguette or another crusty bread and put the brie on top of it. The French traditionally eat brie this way since plain bread doesn’t compete with the delicious flavors of the cheese. Throw the cheese on top of the bread and pop it in your mouth. ^{[5]
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- You don’t need to spread the cheese at all. Brie is soft and creamy as is, so put it on something of a similar size and enjoy it.
4
Pair the cheese with sweet fruit or nuts to complement its flavors. If you can resist shoving an entire slice into your mouth as soon as you cut it, combine it with other delicious things. The most traditional pairing is a slightly acidic fruit like apples, grapes, and pears. Both fresh and dried fruit goes well with brie. You could also try unsalted pecans, candied walnuts, and a little honey.
- Preserves are always great to spread on brie. Any type of preserve or jam works, but the best kinds are sweet and acidic, such as cherries, mixed berries, and figs.
- If you’re looking for more party options, arrange your own charcuterie board. Create a tasting tour out of meats like salami and prosciutto. Add a variety of cheeses, such as a nutty manchego and a crumbly blue cheese.
5
Select a fruity or acidic drink to pair with brie. You’re eating a French cheese, so you can’t go wrong with a nice French champagne. Sweet, tart wines like pinot noir go well with brie, but you could also grab a hearty beer. If you’re not drinking alcohol, consider pouring a fruit juice like grape or apple to complement the cheese’s soft flavor. ^{[6]
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- Soft cheeses like brie tend to pair well with dry, fruity wines like riesling, marsannnay, or viognier. A lighter red wine like a pinot noir works well too on account of its delicate yet rich flavor that contrasts the mellow cheese.
- If you’re more of a white wine kind of person, look for something dry and acidic. The herby taste of a nice sauvignon blanc goes well with a slice of brie.
- For beers, strong but inoffensive brews like scotch ales, stouts, and porters are good choices. You could also go for something lighter and fruitier, such as a pilsner.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Cooking with Brie

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Bake brie to soften it and make it more spreadable. There are many ways to make a baked brie appetizer, but start off by putting a soft brie on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper preheated to 350 °F (177 °C). Wait for it to soften and bubble a little. If you leave it in for too long, it could liquefy into a mess, so check on it often. ^{[7]
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- Add toppings before or after you heat the brie in the oven. Some toppings to try include fruit preserves, honey, fresh herbs, and crumbled nuts.
- You could make a dippable brie by cutting the top rind off the cheese. Leave the rest of the rind intact so the brie keeps its wheel shape. Then, dip crackers into the molten goodness or scoop it out with a spoon.
2
Make brie en croute to create a pastry appetizer. Brie en croute is a dish where you cover a small wheel of brie with puff phyllo pastry and bake it until it is golden brown. There are many variations of toppings you can add to the brie before closing it in the pastry. Cut the rind off the top of the brie first before adding them. When you’re ready to bake it, beat an egg and brush the egg on the pastry dough to fold it closed over the brie. ^{[8]
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- For example, put some cranberry sauce on the brie for a holiday or cold-weather appetizer. Serve the brie by slicing it into wedges and eating as is or by putting it on crackers.
- You could add all sorts of toppings for an effortless but delicious brie appetizer. Try stirring ⅓ a cup (42 g) of chopped pecans in with 1 tablespoon (14.2 g) of melted butter, ¼ a cup (50 g) of brown sugar, and ¼ a teaspoon (0.6 g) of cinnamon.
3
Stuff salmon with brie and crab for a seafood dinner. The soft, creamy taste of brie goes well with the stronger flavors of seafood. Cut 4 salmon fillets lengthwise to open up a pocket to stuff. Then, fill them with 6 oz (170 g) of both crab and shrimp along with 6 oz (170 g) of brie chopped up into ¹ ⁄ ₂ in (1.3 cm) cubes. Bake the fish for about 10 minutes in an oven preheated to 400 °F (204 °C) to get a fish dinner with a gooey filling. ^{[9]
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- Brie doesn’t have to be a sweet treat. Consider stuffing the fish with peppers, onions, pine nuts, and other savory ingredients. You could also make a beurre blanc sauce for additional flavor.
4
Use the brie as a flavorful spread for snacking. Pesto is one of the many ways to flavor brie to spread over bread and crackers. It’s great for casual gatherings or a delicious snack all for yourself. Cut a wheel of brie in half, then slather some store-bought pesto between it. Bring plenty of pretzels, crackers, and bread for dipping. ^{[10]
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- You could make your own pesto, such as by blending together fresh basil leaves, cream cheese, pine nuts, and other ingredients. Mix the brie in as well if you want something closer to a dip than a solid wheel of cheese.
5
Put the brie on a sandwich for a simple way to use it. There is no simpler way to enjoy a good slice of brie besides eating it whole. Melt the brie over bread to enjoy a nice grilled cheese. You could also mix in some pesto or customize the flavor with other ingredients, such as bacon, avocado, and ham. Brie goes with all sorts of different ingredients. ^{[11]
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- If you want to get adventurous with a sweet grilled cheese, try spreading the brie with cranberries or other preserves. You could even add turkey and stuffing for a wild autumn or holiday sandwich.
Once you get accustomed to cooking with brie, there is no limit on what you can do with it. You could eat it plain, sprinkled on your salad. It goes well when melted on a burger or over french fries. Just be sure to save enough of it to use in your recipe! ^{[12]
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Food and Drink Pairings and Signs Brie is Bad

Food Pairings for Brie

Drink Pairings for Brie

Signs Brie is Bad

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What can I put with baked Brie?

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This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

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You can try a variety of different foods to go with baked Brie. For example, you might like to try adding some of the following as accompaniments: Mini toasts or toast slices, a bunch of grapes, sliced pears, honey or jam, sliced stone fruits (like nectarines), baguette slices, salted nuts, chutney, pear jelly, pretzels, etc.

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How do you prepare Brie cheese?

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Remove the Brie from the refrigerator and leave to warm to room temperature for an hour before serving. You can serve the Brie whole with a knife set alongside it on a cheese cutting board or cut the Brie prior to serving (see the steps above for cutting instructions). The above article has many suggestions for serving the Brie or adding it to other foods if you want to make it more interesting.

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How long should Brie sit out before serving?

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Brie should sit out before serving for at least an hour, to allow it to come to room temperature and release its flavors, as well as soften. In France, the home of delicious soft cheeses, Brie may be left out all day if it’s to be eaten that day and the weather is not too warm.

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Brie is relatively high in saturated fat, so it is best enjoyed as a once in a while treat if you’re on a diet. ^{[13]
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When you cut your own brie, try not to alter the general shape and appearance of the cheese. Thin slices work best, and leaving someone else with all the rind is considered rude.

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Younger pieces of brie are softer in texture. Older brie is more crumbly and has a stronger flavor, so don’t age your cheese too much if a hint of ammonia throws you off.

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Buy pre-made croissant dough, press the serrated lines together, put a small wheel of Brie inside, cover it with jam, and loosely wrap and twist the top, leaving a little room for air to escape. Wash it with a beaten egg and bake until brown. You can put some finely chopped or sliced nuts inside. I have even sliced Brie horizontally and put fruit inside. Let cool to just warm before serving.

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Warnings

Because of the risk of bacteria, stay away from unpasteurized or raw milk brie unless it has been aged for 60 days. Younger unpasteurized cheese is said to taste better but is rarely imported for safety reasons.

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How to Eat Brie

How to Eat Brie Cheese

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Cutting Brie

Serving Brie

Cooking with Brie

Food and Drink Pairings and Signs Brie is Bad

Community Q&A

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Tips

Tips from our Readers

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