Blue Cheese vs Feta Cheese
Blue Cheese
Feta Cheese
Blue Cheese is a crumbly, creamy, semi-soft cow, goat, or sheep-milk cheese from France, while Feta Cheese is soft, white, aged in brine and made from goat and sheep milk, originating in Greece.
What Is Blue Cheese?
Blue cheese is any cheese made with edible mold cultures that form blue-green spots and veins through the paste. It ranges from mild and slightly sweet to salty and sharp, and from almost liquid to hard.
What Is Feta Cheese?
Feta is a Greek brined white cheese made from sheep's milk or a mix of sheep and goat's milk. It is crumbly and slightly grainy, tangy and salty, and it anchors dishes like Greek salad and spanakopita.
What's the Difference Between Blue Cheese and Feta Cheese?
- Origin: Blue Cheese (France), Feta Cheese (Greece)
- Milk type: Blue Cheese (Cow, Sheep, Goat), Feta Cheese (goat's and sheep's milk)
- Texture: Blue Cheese (Crumbly, Creamy, Semi-Soft), Feta Cheese (Soft, white, aged in brine)
- Rind: Blue Cheese (Natural), Feta Cheese (None)
- Aging: Blue Cheese (Typically aged 2-6 months), Feta Cheese (2 months to longer)
- Taste: Blue Cheese (Sharp, Tangy, Savory, Salty, Pungent), Feta Cheese (Sharp to mild)
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Blue Cheese | Feta Cheese | |
|---|---|---|
| Country of Origin | France | Greece |
| Specific Origin | — | Mainland Greece And Lesbos Prefecture |
| Milk Type | Cow, Sheep, Goat | Goat's and sheep's milk |
| Milk Treatment | Pasteurized or Raw | Pasteurized, sometimes raw |
| Texture | Crumbly, Creamy, Semi-Soft | Soft, white, aged in brine |
| Rind | Natural | None |
| Aging | Typically aged 2-6 months | 2 months to longer |
| Taste | Sharp, Tangy, Savory, Salty, Pungent | Sharp to mild |
Pairing Comparison
What works with each cheese: wines, foods, breads and more.
| Blue Cheese | Feta Cheese | |
|---|---|---|
| Pairs well with | Amaro, Apricot, Asian Pear, Cabernet Sauvignon, Dirty Martini, Dried Figs, Fig Jam, German Riesling, Green Apple, Hard Cider, Honey, Honeycomb and more | Albariño, Asparagus, Avocado, Cod, Dirty Martini, Green Tea, Kiwi, Kolsch, Kombucha, Mangoes, Muscat, Pesto and more |
Taste Comparison: Does Blue Cheese Taste Like Feta Cheese?
Blue Cheese reads as sharp, tangy, savory, salty, pungent, while Feta Cheese brings sharp to mild character. On the nose, Blue Cheese offers strong, pungent, earthy, funky, contrasted with Feta Cheese's ewe's milk, butter, yoghurt. More specifically, Blue Cheese shows earthy, spicy, peppery, slightly sweet, umami, nutty, bitter, while Feta Cheese leans toward sharp, dry, hard to mild, rich, creamy depending on production methods, breed of animals, season, and diet. can be tangy or creamy. flavors of sheep’s milk, grass, and clover. variety ranges from region to region, and producer to producer.. Aging plays into this as well. Blue Cheese at typically aged 2-6 months develops a different profile than Feta Cheese at 2 months to longer.
Can You Substitute Blue Cheese for Feta Cheese?
Blue Cheese can stand in for Feta Cheese in many dishes, but the switch will shift the overall character of the recipe. Expect crumbly, creamy, semi-soft bite and body where the recipe calls for soft, white, aged in brine. Flavor-wise, Blue Cheese reads as sharp, tangy, savory, salty, pungent while Feta Cheese brings sharp to mild notes.
Which Is Better, Blue Cheese or Feta Cheese?
There's no single winner. It depends on your recipe and the profile you want. If you want a crumbly, creamy, semi-soft cheese, go with Blue Cheese. For a soft, white, aged in brine profile, Feta Cheese is the better fit. Flavor-wise, Blue Cheese suits recipes that want sharp, tangy, savory, salty, pungent notes, while Feta Cheese fits dishes calling for sharp to mild.
Which is your favorite?
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is Blue Cheese the same as Feta Cheese?
No, they're distinct cheeses. Blue Cheese originates in France, while Feta Cheese comes from Greece. Blue Cheese is made from cow, goat, or sheep milk; Feta Cheese uses goat and sheep. Aging also differs: Blue Cheese is typically aged typically aged 2-6 months, Feta Cheese 2 months to longer.
Is Blue Cheese similar to Feta Cheese?
Not closely. They use different milk bases and have distinct profiles.
Can I substitute Blue Cheese for Feta Cheese?
You can, but expect a shift in richness and milk character.
Does Blue Cheese taste like Feta Cheese?
Blue Cheese reads as sharp, tangy, savory, salty, pungent, while Feta Cheese is sharp to mild. Aromas also diverge. Blue Cheese leans strong, pungent, earthy, funky, and Feta Cheese is closer to ewe's milk, butter, yoghurt.
What is Blue Cheese made of?
Blue Cheese is made from cow, goat, or sheep milk (pasteurized or raw), using traditional (animal rennet) or microbial (varies by producer) rennet. It's typically aged typically aged 2-6 months. It originates in France.
What is Feta Cheese made of?
Feta Cheese is made from goat and sheep milk (pasteurized, sometimes raw), using rennet. It's typically aged 2 months to longer. It originates in Greece.
Which should I choose, Blue Cheese or Feta Cheese?
It depends on the dish. The texture difference is the biggest practical tell. Blue Cheese is crumbly, creamy, semi-soft, while Feta Cheese is soft, white, aged in brine.