Blue Cheese vs Red Leicester Cheese

Blue Cheese is a crumbly, creamy, semi-soft cow, goat, or sheep-milk cheese from France, while Red Leicester Cheese is hard, similar to cheddar but more moist, crumbly and made from cow milk, originating in United Kingdom.

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 Red Leicester Cheese?

Red Leicester is an English cow's milk cheese from Leicestershire, close to Cheddar but crumblier. Annatto gives it its orange colour, and four to nine months of ageing takes it from mild and mellow to tangy and slightly nutty.

What's the Difference Between Blue Cheese and Red Leicester Cheese?

• Origin: Blue Cheese (France), Red Leicester Cheese (United Kingdom)
• Milk type: Blue Cheese (Cow, Sheep, Goat), Red Leicester Cheese (cow's milk)
• Milk treatment: Blue Cheese (Pasteurized or Raw), Red Leicester Cheese (Unpasteurized (Sparkenhoe Farm), Pasteurized (others))
• Texture: Blue Cheese (Crumbly, Creamy, Semi-Soft), Red Leicester Cheese (Hard, similar to Cheddar but more moist, crumbly)
• Rind: Blue Cheese (Natural), Red Leicester Cheese (Clothbound (Sparkenhoe Farm), Plastic (industrial))
• Aging: Blue Cheese (Typically aged 2-6 months), Red Leicester Cheese (6 months (traditional), varies for industrial)
• Taste: Blue Cheese (Sharp, Tangy, Savory, Salty, Pungent), Red Leicester Cheese (caramel, sweet)

Side-by-Side Comparison

Taste Comparison: Does Blue Cheese Taste Like Red Leicester Cheese?

Blue Cheese reads as sharp, tangy, savory, salty, pungent, while Red Leicester Cheese brings caramel, sweet character. On the nose, Blue Cheese offers strong, pungent, earthy, funky, contrasted with Red Leicester Cheese's mild. More specifically, Blue Cheese shows earthy, spicy, peppery, slightly sweet, umami, nutty, bitter, while Red Leicester Cheese leans toward mild and mellow when young, stronger and tangier with age, slightly nutty with a sweet aftertaste. Aging plays into this as well. Blue Cheese at typically aged 2-6 months develops a different profile than Red Leicester Cheese at 6 months (traditional), varies for industrial.

Can You Substitute Blue Cheese for Red Leicester Cheese?

Blue Cheese can stand in for Red Leicester 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 hard, similar to cheddar but more moist, crumbly. Flavor-wise, Blue Cheese reads as sharp, tangy, savory, salty, pungent while Red Leicester Cheese brings caramel, sweet notes.

Which Is Better, Blue Cheese or Red Leicester 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 hard, similar to cheddar but more moist, crumbly profile, Red Leicester Cheese is the better fit. Flavor-wise, Blue Cheese suits recipes that want sharp, tangy, savory, salty, pungent notes, while Red Leicester Cheese fits dishes calling for caramel, sweet.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Blue Cheese the same as Red Leicester Cheese?

No, they're distinct cheeses. Blue Cheese originates in France, while Red Leicester Cheese comes from United Kingdom. Blue Cheese is made from cow, goat, or sheep milk; Red Leicester Cheese uses cow. Aging also differs: Blue Cheese is typically aged typically aged 2-6 months, Red Leicester Cheese 6 months (traditional), varies for industrial.

Is Blue Cheese similar to Red Leicester Cheese?

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

Can I substitute Blue Cheese for Red Leicester Cheese?

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

Does Blue Cheese taste like Red Leicester Cheese?

Blue Cheese reads as sharp, tangy, savory, salty, pungent, while Red Leicester Cheese is caramel, sweet. Aromas also diverge. Blue Cheese leans strong, pungent, earthy, funky, and Red Leicester Cheese is closer to mild.

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 Red Leicester Cheese made of?

Red Leicester Cheese is made from cow milk (unpasteurized (sparkenhoe farm), pasteurized (others)), using animal rennet. It's typically aged 6 months (traditional), varies for industrial. It originates in United Kingdom.

Which should I choose, Blue Cheese or Red Leicester Cheese?

It depends on the dish. The texture difference is the biggest practical tell. Blue Cheese is crumbly, creamy, semi-soft, while Red Leicester Cheese is hard, similar to cheddar but more moist, crumbly.