Queijo de Azeitão vs Ġbejna Cheese

Q: Is Queijo de Azeitão the same as Ġbejna Cheese?

No. Queijo de Azeitão and Ġbejna Cheese are distinct cheeses from Portugal and Malta respectively. See the side-by-side table for the specific differences in milk type, texture, and aging.

Q: Can I substitute Queijo de Azeitão for Ġbejna Cheese?

In most recipes you can swap Queijo de Azeitão for Ġbejna Cheese, though the result will shift in richness and milk character.

Q: Which should I choose, Queijo de Azeitão or Ġbejna Cheese?

It depends on the dish. The texture and flavor rows in the table above are the best guide. Pick the one whose profile fits your recipe or board.

Queijo de Azeitão

Ġbejna Cheese

Queijo de Azeitão is a semi-hard, buttery, creamy, unctuous, with infrequent or non-existent eyes sheep-milk cheese from Portugal, while Ġbejna Cheese is soft and made from goat or sheep milk, originating in Malta.

What Is Queijo de Azeitão?

Queijo de Azeitão is a Portuguese cheese from the town of Azeitão, produced in Setúbal, Palmela and Sesimbra. It holds EU PDO status and was named one of the 50 best gastronomic products in the world at the 2014 Great Taste Awards.

What Is Ġbejna Cheese?

Ġbejna is a small round cheese from Malta made with sheep milk, salt and rennet. It is sold fresh in its own whey, sundried, salt cured, or coated in crushed black pepper, and it shows up in Maltese soups, pasta and ħobż biż-żejt.

What's the Difference Between Queijo de Azeitão and Ġbejna Cheese?

Origin: Queijo de Azeitão (Portugal), Ġbejna Cheese (Malta)
Milk type: Queijo de Azeitão (Sheep), Ġbejna Cheese (goat's or sheep's milk)
Texture: Queijo de Azeitão (Semi-hard, buttery, creamy, unctuous, with infrequent or non-existent eyes), Ġbejna Cheese (Soft)
Rind: Queijo de Azeitão (Malleable, quite soft, whole, well-formed, smooth, fine, yellow, uniform), Ġbejna Cheese (None)
Aging: Queijo de Azeitão (Minimum curing time is 16 days), Ġbejna Cheese (Fresh within 24 hours)
Taste: Queijo de Azeitão (Slightly piquant, a mix of sharp and salty), Ġbejna Cheese (Savory)

Side-by-Side Comparison

	Queijo de Azeitão	Ġbejna Cheese
Country of Origin	Portugal	Malta
Specific Origin	Palmela, Setúbal, And Sesimbra Councils	Maltese Islands
Milk Type	Sheep	Goat's or sheep's milk
Milk Treatment	Raw	Raw
Texture	Semi-hard, buttery, creamy, unctuous, with infrequent or non-existent eyes	Soft
Rind	Malleable, quite soft, whole, well-formed, smooth, fine, yellow, uniform	None
Aging	Minimum curing time is 16 days	Fresh within 24 hours
Taste	Slightly piquant, a mix of sharp and salty	Savory

Taste Comparison: Does Queijo de Azeitão Taste Like Ġbejna Cheese?

Queijo de Azeitão reads as slightly piquant, a mix of sharp and salty, while Ġbejna Cheese brings savory character. More specifically, Queijo de Azeitão shows acidic, salty, slightly bitter, spicy, pungent, with grassy, herbaceous, and nutty aromas, while Ġbejna Cheese leans toward typical of sheep cheeses. Aging plays into this as well. Queijo de Azeitão at minimum curing time is 16 days develops a different profile than Ġbejna Cheese at fresh within 24 hours.

Can You Substitute Queijo de Azeitão for Ġbejna Cheese?

Queijo de Azeitão can stand in for Ġbejna Cheese in many dishes, but the switch will shift the overall character of the recipe. Expect semi-hard, buttery, creamy, unctuous, with infrequent or non-existent eyes bite and body where the recipe calls for soft. Flavor-wise, Queijo de Azeitão reads as slightly piquant, a mix of sharp and salty while Ġbejna Cheese brings savory notes.

Which Is Better, Queijo de Azeitão or Ġbejna Cheese?

There's no single winner. It depends on your recipe and the profile you want. If you want a semi-hard, buttery, creamy, unctuous, with infrequent or non-existent eyes cheese, go with Queijo de Azeitão. For a soft profile, Ġbejna Cheese is the better fit. Flavor-wise, Queijo de Azeitão suits recipes that want slightly piquant, a mix of sharp and salty notes, while Ġbejna Cheese fits dishes calling for savory.

Which is your favorite?

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is Queijo de Azeitão the same as Ġbejna Cheese?

No, they're distinct cheeses. Queijo de Azeitão originates in Portugal, while Ġbejna Cheese comes from Malta. Queijo de Azeitão is made from sheep milk; Ġbejna Cheese uses goat or sheep. Aging also differs: Queijo de Azeitão is typically aged minimum curing time is 16 days, Ġbejna Cheese fresh within 24 hours.

Is Queijo de Azeitão similar to Ġbejna Cheese?

Not closely. They use different milk bases and have distinct profiles.

Can I substitute Queijo de Azeitão for Ġbejna Cheese?

You can, but expect a shift in richness and milk character.

Does Queijo de Azeitão taste like Ġbejna Cheese?

Queijo de Azeitão reads as slightly piquant, a mix of sharp and salty, while Ġbejna Cheese is savory.

What is Queijo de Azeitão made of?

Queijo de Azeitão is made from sheep milk (raw), using cardoon (cynara cardunculus l.) preparation rennet. It's typically aged minimum curing time is 16 days. It originates in Portugal.

What is Ġbejna Cheese made of?

Ġbejna Cheese is made from goat or sheep milk (raw), using natural animal rennet. It's typically aged fresh within 24 hours. It originates in Malta.

Which should I choose, Queijo de Azeitão or Ġbejna Cheese?

It depends on the dish. The texture difference is the biggest practical tell. Queijo de Azeitão is semi-hard, buttery, creamy, unctuous, with infrequent or non-existent eyes, while Ġbejna Cheese is soft.