Cabrales Cheese vs Queso Manchego

Cabrales Cheese is a unctuous, compact, no eyes cow-milk cheese from Spain, while Queso Manchego is compact and made from sheep milk, originating in Spain.

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 Queso Manchego?

Manchego is a PDO sheep milk cheese from the La Mancha region of Spain, made only with whole milk from Manchega sheep. It is firm and buttery, aged between 60 days and two years, with a creamy, slightly piquant flavor and a sheep milk aftertaste.

What's the Difference Between Cabrales Cheese and Queso Manchego?

• Milk type: Cabrales Cheese (cow's milk), Queso Manchego (sheep's milk)
• Milk treatment: Cabrales Cheese (unpasteurized), Queso Manchego (raw or pasteurized, raw labelled artesano)
• Texture: Cabrales Cheese (unctuous, compact, no eyes), Queso Manchego (Compact)
• Rind: Cabrales Cheese (Natural), Queso Manchego (Pleita and flor imprints)
• Aging: Cabrales Cheese (2 to 3 months), Queso Manchego (Fresco (2 weeks), Semi-curado (3 weeks to 4 months), Curado (3-6 months), Viejo or Anejo (1 year))
• Taste: Cabrales Cheese (Intense, piquant), Queso Manchego (Slightly acidic)

Side-by-Side Comparison

Taste Comparison: Does Cabrales Cheese Taste Like Queso Manchego?

Cabrales Cheese reads as intense, piquant, while Queso Manchego brings slightly acidic character. More specifically, Cabrales Cheese shows hints of hazelnuts, dark cocoa, sharp, metallic finish; intensely acid curd, while Queso Manchego leans toward slightly acidic with a sharp background of ovine milk components, increases over ripening and develops piquant notes. Aging plays into this as well. Cabrales Cheese at 2 to 3 months develops a different profile than Queso Manchego at fresco (2 weeks), semi-curado (3 weeks to 4 months), curado (3-6 months), viejo or anejo (1 year).

Can You Substitute Cabrales Cheese for Queso Manchego?

Cabrales Cheese can stand in for Queso Manchego in many dishes, but the switch will shift the overall character of the recipe. Expect unctuous, compact, no eyes bite and body where the recipe calls for compact. Flavor-wise, Cabrales Cheese reads as intense, piquant while Queso Manchego brings slightly acidic notes.

Which Is Better, Cabrales Cheese or Queso Manchego?

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 compact profile, Queso Manchego is the better fit. Flavor-wise, Cabrales Cheese suits recipes that want intense, piquant notes, while Queso Manchego fits dishes calling for slightly acidic.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Cabrales Cheese the same as Queso Manchego?

No, they're distinct cheeses. Cabrales Cheese is made from cow milk; Queso Manchego uses sheep. Aging also differs: Cabrales Cheese is typically aged 2 to 3 months, Queso Manchego fresco (2 weeks), semi-curado (3 weeks to 4 months), curado (3-6 months), viejo or anejo (1 year).

Is Cabrales Cheese similar to Queso Manchego?

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

Can I substitute Cabrales Cheese for Queso Manchego?

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

Does Cabrales Cheese taste like Queso Manchego?

Cabrales Cheese reads as intense, piquant, while Queso Manchego is slightly acidic.

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 Queso Manchego made of?

Queso Manchego is made from sheep milk (raw or pasteurized, raw labelled artesano), using animal rennet. It's typically aged fresco (2 weeks), semi-curado (3 weeks to 4 months), curado (3-6 months), viejo or anejo (1 year). It originates in Spain.

Which should I choose, Cabrales Cheese or Queso Manchego?

It depends on the dish. The texture difference is the biggest practical tell. Cabrales Cheese is unctuous, compact, no eyes, while Queso Manchego is compact.