Cabrales Cheese vs Emmental Cheese

Cabrales Cheese is a unctuous, compact, no eyes cow-milk cheese from Spain, while Emmental Cheese is hard or medium-hard and made from cow milk, originating in Switzerland.

What Is Cabrales Cheese?

Cabrales is a blue cheese made by rural dairy farmers in the Asturias mountains of Spain, from raw cow's milk alone or blended with goat and sheep milk. It is known for its strong, sometimes sharply acidic flavor and for ripening in limestone caves.

What Is Emmental Cheese?

Emmental is a yellow, medium-hard Swiss cheese from the Emme Valley, known for the natural holes that run through it. The taste is savoury but mild. It is eaten cold in chunks or slices and melted into dishes such as gratins.

What's the Difference Between Cabrales Cheese and Emmental Cheese?

• Origin: Cabrales Cheese (Spain), Emmental Cheese (Switzerland)
• Milk treatment: Cabrales Cheese (unpasteurized), Emmental Cheese (Raw)
• Texture: Cabrales Cheese (unctuous, compact, no eyes), Emmental Cheese (Hard or medium-hard)
• Rind: Cabrales Cheese (Natural), Emmental Cheese (natural)
• Aging: Cabrales Cheese (2 to 3 months), Emmental Cheese (4 months to over 1 year)
• Taste: Cabrales Cheese (Intense, piquant), Emmental Cheese (Nutty, sweet)

Side-by-Side Comparison

Taste Comparison: Does Cabrales Cheese Taste Like Emmental Cheese?

Cabrales Cheese reads as intense, piquant, while Emmental Cheese brings nutty, sweet character. More specifically, Cabrales Cheese shows hints of hazelnuts, dark cocoa, sharp, metallic finish; intensely acid curd, while Emmental Cheese leans toward characterized by its holes ("eyes"), sweet and slightly rubbery, crystalline when aged. Aging plays into this as well. Cabrales Cheese at 2 to 3 months develops a different profile than Emmental Cheese at 4 months to over 1 year.

Can You Substitute Cabrales Cheese for Emmental Cheese?

In most recipes, Cabrales Cheese and Emmental Cheese can be swapped with reasonable results. Both are cow-milk cheeses, so the base character carries over. Expect unctuous, compact, no eyes bite and body where the recipe calls for hard or medium-hard. Flavor-wise, Cabrales Cheese reads as intense, piquant while Emmental Cheese brings nutty, sweet notes.

Which Is Better, Cabrales Cheese or Emmental Cheese?

There's no single winner. It depends on your recipe and the profile you want. If you want a unctuous, compact, no eyes cheese, go with Cabrales Cheese. For a hard or medium-hard profile, Emmental Cheese is the better fit. Flavor-wise, Cabrales Cheese suits recipes that want intense, piquant notes, while Emmental Cheese fits dishes calling for nutty, sweet.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Cabrales Cheese the same as Emmental Cheese?

No, they're distinct cheeses. Cabrales Cheese originates in Spain, while Emmental Cheese comes from Switzerland. Aging also differs: Cabrales Cheese is typically aged 2 to 3 months, Emmental Cheese 4 months to over 1 year.

Is Cabrales Cheese similar to Emmental Cheese?

Somewhat. They share a cow-milk base but diverge in texture and flavor.

Can I substitute Cabrales Cheese for Emmental Cheese?

You can, but expect a shift in bite and mouthfeel.

Does Cabrales Cheese taste like Emmental Cheese?

Cabrales Cheese reads as intense, piquant, while Emmental Cheese is nutty, sweet.

What is Cabrales Cheese made of?

Cabrales Cheese is made from cow milk (unpasteurized), using kid rennet. It's typically aged 2 to 3 months. It originates in Spain.

What is Emmental Cheese made of?

Emmental Cheese is made from cow milk (raw). It's typically aged 4 months to over 1 year. It originates in Switzerland.

Which should I choose, Cabrales Cheese or Emmental Cheese?

It depends on the dish. The texture difference is the biggest practical tell. Cabrales Cheese is unctuous, compact, no eyes, while Emmental Cheese is hard or medium-hard.