Burrata Cheese vs Wagashi Cheese

Burrata Cheese is a soft, creamy cow or buffalo-milk cheese from Italy, while Wagashi Cheese is compact and made from cow milk.

What Is Burrata Cheese?

Burrata is a fresh Italian cheese from Puglia with a pouch of stretched mozzarella curd around a filling of stracciatella and cream. Cut it open and the soft centre spills out, which is what it is known for.

What Is Wagashi Cheese?

Wagashi is a soft cow's milk cheese from northern Benin, sold in quantity in Parakou and across the West African savanna. It is mild in flavor and almost always cooked, usually in a sauce eaten with pounded yams or millet or maize pâte.

What's the Difference Between Burrata Cheese and Wagashi Cheese?

• Milk type: Burrata Cheese (cow, occasionally water buffalo), Wagashi Cheese (Cow’s milk)
• Milk treatment: Burrata Cheese (pasteurized or unpasteurized), Wagashi Cheese (Heated)
• Texture: Burrata Cheese (Soft, creamy), Wagashi Cheese (Compact)
• Rind: Burrata Cheese (Thin), Wagashi Cheese (red wax coating)
• Aging: Burrata Cheese (Within 48 hours), Wagashi Cheese (Fresh or dried)
• Taste: Burrata Cheese (Mild, lactic), Wagashi Cheese (mild)

Side-by-Side Comparison

Taste Comparison: Does Burrata Cheese Taste Like Wagashi Cheese?

Burrata Cheese reads as mild, lactic, while Wagashi Cheese brings mild character. More specifically, Burrata Cheese shows creamy, rich, delicate; best enjoyed fresh, while Wagashi Cheese leans toward consumed fried or cooked in sauces, rarely fresh. Aging plays into this as well. Burrata Cheese at within 48 hours develops a different profile than Wagashi Cheese at fresh or dried.

Can You Substitute Burrata Cheese for Wagashi Cheese?

Burrata Cheese can stand in for Wagashi Cheese in many dishes, but the switch will shift the overall character of the recipe. Expect soft, creamy bite and body where the recipe calls for compact. Flavor-wise, Burrata Cheese reads as mild, lactic while Wagashi Cheese brings mild notes.

Which Is Better, Burrata Cheese or Wagashi Cheese?

There's no single winner. It depends on your recipe and the profile you want. If you want a soft, creamy cheese, go with Burrata Cheese. For a compact profile, Wagashi Cheese is the better fit. Flavor-wise, Burrata Cheese suits recipes that want mild, lactic notes, while Wagashi Cheese fits dishes calling for mild.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Burrata Cheese the same as Wagashi Cheese?

No, they're distinct cheeses. Burrata Cheese is made from cow or buffalo milk; Wagashi Cheese uses cow. Aging also differs: Burrata Cheese is typically aged within 48 hours, Wagashi Cheese fresh or dried.

Is Burrata Cheese similar to Wagashi Cheese?

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

Can I substitute Burrata Cheese for Wagashi Cheese?

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

Does Burrata Cheese taste like Wagashi Cheese?

Burrata Cheese reads as mild, lactic, while Wagashi Cheese is mild.

What is Burrata Cheese made of?

Burrata Cheese is made from cow or buffalo milk (pasteurized or unpasteurized), using animal rennet. It's typically aged within 48 hours. It originates in Italy.

What is Wagashi Cheese made of?

Wagashi Cheese is made from cow milk (heated), using calotropis procera latex rennet. It's typically aged fresh or dried.

Which should I choose, Burrata Cheese or Wagashi Cheese?

It depends on the dish. The texture difference is the biggest practical tell. Burrata Cheese is soft, creamy, while Wagashi Cheese is compact.