Queijo de Azeitão vs Romano Cheese

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

No. Queijo de Azeitão and Romano Cheese are distinct cheeses from Portugal and Italy 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 Romano Cheese?

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

Q: Which should I choose, Queijo de Azeitão or Romano 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

Romano Cheese

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

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 Romano Cheese?

Romano is the North American name for a class of hard, salty cheese made mainly for grating, from cow, goat and/or sheep's milk. It imitates Italian pecorino romano and must hold at least 38% milkfat and under 34% water.

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

Origin: Queijo de Azeitão (Portugal), Romano Cheese (Italy)
Milk type: Queijo de Azeitão (Sheep), Romano Cheese (cow's, goat's or sheep's milk)
Milk treatment: Queijo de Azeitão (Raw), Romano Cheese (pasteurized or unpasteurized)
Texture: Queijo de Azeitão (Semi-hard, buttery, creamy, unctuous, with infrequent or non-existent eyes), Romano Cheese (hard)
Rind: Queijo de Azeitão (Malleable, quite soft, whole, well-formed, smooth, fine, yellow, uniform), Romano Cheese (natural)
Taste: Queijo de Azeitão (Slightly piquant, a mix of sharp and salty), Romano Cheese (mild, sharp, tangy)

Side-by-Side Comparison

	Queijo de Azeitão	Romano Cheese
Country of Origin	Portugal	Italy
Specific Origin	Palmela, Setúbal, And Sesimbra Councils	The U.S. And Canada
Milk Type	Sheep	Cow's, goat's or sheep's milk
Milk Treatment	Raw	Pasteurized or unpasteurized
Texture	Semi-hard, buttery, creamy, unctuous, with infrequent or non-existent eyes	Hard
Rind	Malleable, quite soft, whole, well-formed, smooth, fine, yellow, uniform	Natural
Aging	Minimum curing time is 16 days	—
Taste	Slightly piquant, a mix of sharp and salty	Mild, sharp, tangy

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

Queijo de Azeitão reads as slightly piquant, a mix of sharp and salty, while Romano Cheese brings mild, sharp, tangy character. On the nose, Queijo de Azeitão offers mild, delicate, contrasted with Romano Cheese's strong. More specifically, Queijo de Azeitão shows acidic, salty, slightly bitter, spicy, pungent, with grassy, herbaceous, and nutty aromas, while Romano Cheese leans toward salty.

Can You Substitute Queijo de Azeitão for Romano Cheese?

Queijo de Azeitão can stand in for Romano 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 hard. Flavor-wise, Queijo de Azeitão reads as slightly piquant, a mix of sharp and salty while Romano Cheese brings mild, sharp, tangy notes.

Which Is Better, Queijo de Azeitão or Romano 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 hard profile, Romano Cheese is the better fit. Flavor-wise, Queijo de Azeitão suits recipes that want slightly piquant, a mix of sharp and salty notes, while Romano Cheese fits dishes calling for mild, sharp, tangy.

Which is your favorite?

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is Queijo de Azeitão the same as Romano Cheese?

No, they're distinct cheeses. Queijo de Azeitão originates in Portugal, while Romano Cheese comes from Italy. Queijo de Azeitão is made from sheep milk; Romano Cheese uses cow, goat, or sheep.

Is Queijo de Azeitão similar to Romano Cheese?

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

Can I substitute Queijo de Azeitão for Romano Cheese?

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

Does Queijo de Azeitão taste like Romano Cheese?

Queijo de Azeitão reads as slightly piquant, a mix of sharp and salty, while Romano Cheese is mild, sharp, tangy. Aromas also diverge. Queijo de Azeitão leans mild, delicate, and Romano Cheese is closer to strong.

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 Romano Cheese made of?

Romano Cheese is made from cow, goat, or sheep milk (pasteurized or unpasteurized), using rennet not required; any suitable milk-clotting enzym rennet. It originates in Italy.

Which should I choose, Queijo de Azeitão or Romano 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 Romano Cheese is hard.