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Savory Tweaks: 5 BEST Catupiry Cheese Substitutes

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This article covers the five best substitutes for Catupiry cheese, a soft and creamy Brazilian cheese used in pastéis, pastries, and savory sauces. Each substitute includes an exact ratio, best-use context, and key tradeoffs to help you choose quickly. All five options are ready in under five minutes with no cooking required.
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 1 minute
Total Time 5 minutes
Servings: 1 recipe
Course: Substitutes
Cuisine: American, Brazilian
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 Cream Cheese 1:1 ratio, best for fillings, pastéis, and creamy sauces
  • 1 Ricotta-Cream Cheese Blend 1:1 ratio (50/50 blend), drain ricotta first, best for baked pastries and lighter fillings
  • 1 Mascarpone 1:1 ratio, best for rich baked goods and decadent fillings
  • 1 Neufchâtel 1:1 ratio, best for lower-fat everyday pastries and fillings
  • 1 Parmesan-Cream Blend 3 parts cream cheese to 1 part Parmesan, best for savory sauces and cheese-forward bakes; reduce added salt

Method
 

  1. Choose your substitute based on the dish type and desired flavor match. Use cream cheese or Neufchâtel for fried pastries, mascarpone or ricotta-cream blend for baked goods, and Parmesan-cream blend for savory, bold fillings.
  2. Prepare the substitute as directed: bring cream cheese, mascarpone, or Neufchâtel to room temperature before use. For the ricotta blend, drain the ricotta through a fine mesh strainer for 15 to 20 minutes, then combine with cream cheese in a food processor until smooth.
  3. Apply the substitution ratio carefully. All five substitutes use a 1:1 ratio by volume against the Catupiry called for in your recipe, except the Parmesan-cream blend which uses 3 parts cream cheese to 1 part Parmesan to equal 1 part Catupiry.
  4. Taste and adjust seasoning. The Parmesan-cream blend adds significant salt, so reduce or eliminate added salt in the recipe. All other substitutes require little to no seasoning adjustment.

Notes

  • Always bring soft cheeses to room temperature before using as a Catupiry substitute. Cold cheese is too stiff and can tear pastry dough.
  • For fried pastries, keep the filling at least half an inch away from the dough edge to prevent moisture from softening the seal during frying.

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