Fish + Cheese Is Actually a Great Combo

For some of you, this may be a very hot (and melty!) take: fish and cheese go together beautifully. 

I’m not just talking about cold smoked salmon and cream cheese on a bagel, a commonplace combo that may not even register to you as a true seafood + cheese pairing. I’m also thinking about cheddar cheese on a fish burger, all year long. Or nutty gruyere shredded into a dish of Dungeness mac & cheese. Or a fillet of Pacific halibut baked beneath a handful of feta and olives. Bright, creamy, salty, or tangy — when paired thoughtfully, the richness of cheese can highlight the delicate flavors of wild-caught seafood, helping to balance and complement a diverse range of flavors, revealing the versatility of Alaskan species.

To help inspire you to embrace this unexpected but effective culinary pairing, here are a few ideas from my WAC teammates, a small glimpse into how the team enjoys seafood in their own kitchens:

I made halibut enchiladas with green enchilada sauce, shredded cheese, avocado and crema, it was great! - Heather M., Member Experience Lead

Parm in a spot prawn scampi all day long. It adds more umami to the dish and binds the sauce. - Phil G., Studio Operations Manager

Love a good salmon on alfredo pasta or Wild Alaska Pollock Quick Cuts in cheesy ramen! - Tyler T., Data and Analytics Analyst

Cheese crusted fish, like Parmesan panko. Cheese/cracker/smoked fish hors d’oeuvres — it would be so good with pimento cheese. - Kayla M., Senior Member Experience Specialist

And a few of my personal favorite recipes that you can find on the blog as well as the WAC app: 

• Cheesy Salmon Melt with Fresh Dill & Lemon: It’s Alaska’s more flavorful version of a tuna melt, with American cheese (but cheddar is an acceptable cheese choice, too).

• Mediterranean Baked Halibut: A set-it-and-forget-it style dish of halibut baked with tomatoes and feta for a salty, tangy finish.

• 5-Minute Smoked Salmon Toast with Avocado & Feta: Another fish & cheese combo featuring feta — which adds creamy, savory contrast and a bit of texture. Also, this recipe doesn’t require cooking, just a bit of toasting. 

• Baked Macaroni and Cheese with Shrimp: Comfort food meets seafood — and great on any festive menu. I know some of my WAC teammates have made this for holiday dinners as a pescatarian addition to the table.

• Cheesy Crispy Cod Quesadillas This one’s perfect for picky eaters, owing to its crowd-pleasing texture and mild flavor, layered into a cheesy, melty tortilla.

What are some of your favorite ways to enjoy cheese with Alaskan seafood? Please send me any and all suggestions — we’d love to give some of your ideas a try.

P.S. Last week, I wrote a newsletter announcing Wild Alaskan Company’s donation matching initiative to help raise resources for the Western Alaska Disaster Relief 2025 Fund. I’m so moved to share that the initiative has raised well over $30,000 so far, in addition to a $10,000 dollar-for-dollar match from Wild Alaskan Company. Let’s keep it going! We’ll continue to amplify relief efforts through November 9th to help raise even more resources for coastal communities in the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta. Please consider joining this collective show of support by donating here: Western Alaska Disaster Relief 2025 Fund. 

Live Wild,

Monica

Pictured above: An open-faced fish melt, featuring flaked Pacific halibut and homemade cheese sauce generously drizzled over the top.