Trader Joe's Pesto Gouda Cheese

The pros: Trader Joe's Pesto Gouda Cheese looks different and tastes different. It is also an eye catching color.

The cons:  This pairing does not work well. It will go moldy quite quickly as well.

The verdict:  Don't adjust your screen. Yes, this cheese is green. On purpose. It's not mold either. Nope, this cheese gets its distinct hue from the natural colorings and pesto. However, in a few days this too will go moldy. But the mold will be of the white variety.

If you are a fan of Trader Joe's 1000 Day Gouda, then you might be quite disappointed in this product. I adored the nuttiness of that cheese. Even company at Christmas were enamored with that cheese. That cheese had great flavor and texture. So, if that cheese was so well done, then why wouldn't this gouda be good?

A slice of this cheese was all that was necessary. It took only a few bites and I knew this was not that great. In fact, I just don't like this. There are some cheeses that do very well with an additional flavor. But pesto just doesn't pair well with this cheese. There are just some things that are best left as an add-on.

Pesto, mozzarella, and tomato are an amazing pairing. This dried pesto infused cheese does no justice to pesto or gouda. For $4.41 or $10.49 per pound this was a bummer for me. It was neither cheap nor tasty. It is more dried herbs than fresh flavors. The cheese does not have any standout qualities either. So as a pairing it doesn't work for me on any level.

Here is the visual run down of what you get if you buy this product:

The package of Trader Joe's Pesto Gouda Cheese:

The nutritional information and the ingredients:

Would I buy this again? No, I would not buy Trader Joe's Pesto Gouda Cheese again.

Want to see more items I've reviewed from Trader Joe's? Click on Thoughts & Reviews of Trader Joe’s for a searchable list.

Did you try it? Let me know what you think in the comments section!