Cabrales Cheese vs Gouda Cheese

Cabrales Cheese is a unctuous, compact, no eyes cow-milk cheese from Spain, while Gouda Cheese is solid and springy; smooth when young, firm and crumbly when aged and made from cow milk, originating in Netherlands.

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 Gouda Cheese?

Gouda is a yellow cow's milk cheese from the Netherlands, named after the city of Gouda in South Holland. It runs from young and elastic to old and hard, picking up a caramel sweetness and small crunchy crystals with age.

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

• Origin: Cabrales Cheese (Spain), Gouda Cheese (Netherlands)
• Milk treatment: Cabrales Cheese (unpasteurized), Gouda Cheese (pasteurized or unpasteurized)
• Texture: Cabrales Cheese (unctuous, compact, no eyes), Gouda Cheese (solid and springy; smooth when young, firm and crumbly when aged)
• Rind: Cabrales Cheese (Natural), Gouda Cheese (Durable)
• Aging: Cabrales Cheese (2 to 3 months), Gouda Cheese (4 weeks to 21 months)
• Taste: Cabrales Cheese (Intense, piquant), Gouda Cheese (Sweet to nutty)

Side-by-Side Comparison

Taste Comparison: Does Cabrales Cheese Taste Like Gouda Cheese?

Cabrales Cheese reads as intense, piquant, while Gouda Cheese brings sweet to nutty character. On the nose, Cabrales Cheese offers strong, contrasted with Gouda Cheese's sour aromatics with a cooked, milky note. More specifically, Cabrales Cheese shows hints of hazelnuts, dark cocoa, sharp, metallic finish; intensely acid curd, while Gouda Cheese leans toward young: mellow, fruity, sweet. aged: nutty, herbaceous, notes of chocolate, brazil nut, butterscotch.. Aging plays into this as well. Cabrales Cheese at 2 to 3 months develops a different profile than Gouda Cheese at 4 weeks to 21 months.

Can You Substitute Cabrales Cheese for Gouda Cheese?

In most recipes, Cabrales Cheese and Gouda 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 solid and springy; smooth when young, firm and crumbly when aged. Flavor-wise, Cabrales Cheese reads as intense, piquant while Gouda Cheese brings sweet to nutty notes.

Which Is Better, Cabrales Cheese or Gouda 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 solid and springy; smooth when young, firm and crumbly when aged profile, Gouda Cheese is the better fit. Flavor-wise, Cabrales Cheese suits recipes that want intense, piquant notes, while Gouda Cheese fits dishes calling for sweet to nutty.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Cabrales Cheese the same as Gouda Cheese?

No, they're distinct cheeses. Cabrales Cheese originates in Spain, while Gouda Cheese comes from Netherlands. Aging also differs: Cabrales Cheese is typically aged 2 to 3 months, Gouda Cheese 4 weeks to 21 months.

Is Cabrales Cheese similar to Gouda Cheese?

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

Can I substitute Cabrales Cheese for Gouda Cheese?

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

Does Cabrales Cheese taste like Gouda Cheese?

Cabrales Cheese reads as intense, piquant, while Gouda Cheese is sweet to nutty. Aromas also diverge. Cabrales Cheese leans strong, and Gouda Cheese is closer to sour aromatics with a cooked, milky note.

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 Gouda Cheese made of?

Gouda Cheese is made from cow milk (pasteurized or unpasteurized). It's typically aged 4 weeks to 21 months. It originates in Netherlands.

Which should I choose, Cabrales Cheese or Gouda Cheese?

It depends on the dish. The texture difference is the biggest practical tell. Cabrales Cheese is unctuous, compact, no eyes, while Gouda Cheese is solid and springy; smooth when young, firm and crumbly when aged.