Blue Cheese vs Maroilles / Marolles Cheese
Blue Cheese is a crumbly, creamy, semi-soft cow, goat, or sheep-milk cheese from France, while Maroilles / Marolles Cheese is soft paste with small mechanical and fermentation openings and made from cow milk.
What Is Blue Cheese?
A type of cheese injected or inoculated with Penicillium mold to create blue or green veins, resulting in a tangy, sharp flavor and creamy or crumbly texture.
What Is Maroilles / Marolles Cheese?
Maroilles, also known as Marolles, is a cheese made exclusively from cow's milk. It originates from the Thiérache region in France, specifically in the departments of Nord and Aisne. The cheese is known for its square shape and washed rind with a homogeneous red-orange color. It has a soft paste with a white to cream color and small mechanical and fermentation openings. Maroilles has a strong aroma reminiscent of cellar, damp brick, and undergrowth, with a slightly ammoniac scent. The flavor is slightly salty and milky, with notes of acidity, bitterness, hazelnut, and alliums. The cheese is matured for a minimum of 21 to 35 days, depending on the format. It is a Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) product, ensuring its unique characteristics are tied to its geographical area.
What's the Difference Between Blue Cheese and Maroilles / Marolles Cheese?
- Milk type: Blue Cheese (Cow, Sheep, Goat), Maroilles / Marolles Cheese (Cow's milk)
- Milk treatment: Blue Cheese (Pasteurized or Raw), Maroilles / Marolles Cheese (Raw, thermised, or pasteurised)
- Texture: Blue Cheese (Crumbly, Creamy, Semi-Soft), Maroilles / Marolles Cheese (Soft paste with small mechanical and fermentation openings)
- Rind: Blue Cheese (Natural), Maroilles / Marolles Cheese (Washed rind with a homogeneous red-orange color)
- Aging: Blue Cheese (Typically aged 2-6 months), Maroilles / Marolles Cheese (Minimum of 21 to 35 days, depending on the format)
- Taste: Blue Cheese (Sharp, Tangy, Savory, Salty, Pungent), Maroilles / Marolles Cheese (Slightly salty milky taste with acidity and slight bitterness)
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Blue Cheese | Maroilles / Marolles Cheese | |
|---|---|---|
| Country of Origin | France | — |
| Specific Origin | — | Thiérache Region, Departments Of Nord And Aisne |
| Milk Type | Cow, Sheep, Goat | Cow's milk |
| Milk Treatment | Pasteurized or Raw | Raw, thermised, or pasteurised |
| Texture | Crumbly, Creamy, Semi-Soft | Soft paste with small mechanical and fermentation openings |
| Rind | Natural | Washed rind with a homogeneous red-orange color |
| Aging | Typically aged 2-6 months | Minimum of 21 to 35 days, depending on the format |
| Taste | Sharp, Tangy, Savory, Salty, Pungent | Slightly salty milky taste with acidity and slight bitterness |
Pairing Comparison
What works with each cheese — wines, foods, breads, and more.
| Blue Cheese | Maroilles / Marolles Cheese | |
|---|---|---|
| Best Pairings | Amaro, Apricot, Asian Pear, Cabernet Sauvignon, Dirty Martini, Dried Figs, Fig Jam, German Riesling, Green Apple, Hard Cider, Honey, Honeycomb, IPA, Malbec, Muscat, Pear, Pecans, Port, Scotch, Steak | — |
| Other Good Pairings | Almonds, Apples, Belgian Blonde, Bordeaux, Burgundy Red, California Viogniers, Dried Cranberries, Grapes, Merlot, Mushrooms, Olives, Prosciutto, Roast Beef | — |
Which would you pick?
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Where to buy Blue Cheese and Maroilles / Marolles Cheese
Blue Cheese
Maroilles / Marolles Cheese
Taste Comparison: Does Blue Cheese Taste Like Maroilles / Marolles Cheese?
Blue Cheese reads as sharp, tangy, savory, salty, pungent, while Maroilles / Marolles Cheese brings slightly salty milky taste with acidity and slight bitterness character. On the nose, Blue Cheese offers strong, pungent, earthy, funky, contrasted with Maroilles / Marolles Cheese's strong smell of cellar, damp brick, undergrowth, slightly ammoniac. More specifically, Blue Cheese shows earthy, spicy, peppery, slightly sweet, umami, nutty, bitter, while Maroilles / Marolles Cheese leans toward hazelnut, notes of alliums, flavors of curd. Aging plays into this as well. Blue Cheese at typically aged 2-6 months develops a different profile than Maroilles / Marolles Cheese at minimum of 21 to 35 days, depending on the format.
Can You Substitute Blue Cheese for Maroilles / Marolles Cheese?
Blue Cheese can stand in for Maroilles / Marolles 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 paste with small mechanical and fermentation openings. Flavor-wise, Blue Cheese reads as sharp, tangy, savory, salty, pungent while Maroilles / Marolles Cheese brings slightly salty milky taste with acidity and slight bitterness notes.
Which Is Better, Blue Cheese or Maroilles / Marolles 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 paste with small mechanical and fermentation openings profile, Maroilles / Marolles Cheese is the better fit. Flavor-wise, Blue Cheese suits recipes that want sharp, tangy, savory, salty, pungent notes, while Maroilles / Marolles Cheese fits dishes calling for slightly salty milky taste with acidity and slight bitterness.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Blue Cheese the same as Maroilles / Marolles Cheese?
No, they're distinct cheeses. Blue Cheese is made from cow, goat, or sheep milk; Maroilles / Marolles Cheese uses cow. Aging also differs: Blue Cheese is typically aged typically aged 2-6 months, Maroilles / Marolles Cheese minimum of 21 to 35 days, depending on the format.
Is Blue Cheese similar to Maroilles / Marolles Cheese?
Not closely. They use different milk bases and have distinct profiles.
Can I substitute Blue Cheese for Maroilles / Marolles Cheese?
You can, but expect a shift in richness and milk character.
Does Blue Cheese taste like Maroilles / Marolles Cheese?
Blue Cheese reads as sharp, tangy, savory, salty, pungent, while Maroilles / Marolles Cheese is slightly salty milky taste with acidity and slight bitterness. Aromas also diverge. Blue Cheese leans strong, pungent, earthy, funky, and Maroilles / Marolles Cheese is closer to strong smell of cellar, damp brick, undergrowth, slightly ammoniac.
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 Maroilles / Marolles Cheese made of?
Maroilles / Marolles Cheese is made from cow milk (raw, thermised, or pasteurised), using calf whey rennet (vegetable or microbial rennet prohibited) rennet. It's typically aged minimum of 21 to 35 days, depending on the format.
Which should I choose, Blue Cheese or Maroilles / Marolles Cheese?
It depends on the dish. The texture difference is the biggest practical tell. Blue Cheese is crumbly, creamy, semi-soft, while Maroilles / Marolles Cheese is soft paste with small mechanical and fermentation openings.
See full profiles: Blue Cheese and Maroilles / Marolles Cheese.