Cabrales Cheese vs Soft Cheese
Cabrales Cheese is a unctuous, compact, no eyes cow-milk cheese from Spain, while Soft Cheese is spreadable, smooth to runny and made from cow, goat, or sheep milk.
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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 Soft Cheese?
Soft cheese is the moisture category at the wet end of the scale, holding 55 to 80 percent moisture against its dry weight. It covers soft-ripened cheeses like Brie and Camembert, some blue and pasta filata cheeses, and fresh cheeses, and it is known for being spreadable.
What's the Difference Between Cabrales Cheese and Soft Cheese?
- Milk type: Cabrales Cheese (cow's milk), Soft Cheese (cow, goat, sheep)
- Texture: Cabrales Cheese (unctuous, compact, no eyes), Soft Cheese (spreadable, smooth to runny)
- Rind: Cabrales Cheese (Natural), Soft Cheese (bloomy white mold rind, or washed)
- Aging: Cabrales Cheese (2 to 3 months), Soft Cheese (unmatured to about 1 month)
- Taste: Cabrales Cheese (Intense, piquant), Soft Cheese (mild)
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Cabrales Cheese | Soft Cheese | |
|---|---|---|
| Country of Origin | Spain | — |
| Specific Origin | Asturias | — |
| Milk Type | Cow's milk | Cow, goat, sheep |
| Milk Treatment | Unpasteurized | — |
| Texture | Unctuous, compact, no eyes | Spreadable, smooth to runny |
| Rind | Natural | Bloomy white mold rind, or washed |
| Aging | 2 to 3 months | Unmatured to about 1 month |
| Taste | Intense, piquant | Mild |
Taste Comparison: Does Cabrales Cheese Taste Like Soft Cheese?
Cabrales Cheese reads as intense, piquant, while Soft Cheese brings mild character. Aging plays into this as well. Cabrales Cheese at 2 to 3 months develops a different profile than Soft Cheese at unmatured to about 1 month.
Can You Substitute Cabrales Cheese for Soft Cheese?
Cabrales Cheese can stand in for Soft Cheese 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 spreadable, smooth to runny. Flavor-wise, Cabrales Cheese reads as intense, piquant while Soft Cheese brings mild notes.
Which Is Better, Cabrales Cheese or Soft 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 spreadable, smooth to runny profile, Soft Cheese is the better fit. Flavor-wise, Cabrales Cheese suits recipes that want intense, piquant notes, while Soft Cheese fits dishes calling for mild.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cabrales Cheese the same as Soft Cheese?
No, they're distinct cheeses. Cabrales Cheese is made from cow milk; Soft Cheese uses cow, goat, or sheep. Aging also differs: Cabrales Cheese is typically aged 2 to 3 months, Soft Cheese unmatured to about 1 month.
Is Cabrales Cheese similar to Soft Cheese?
Not closely. They use different milk bases and have distinct profiles.
Can I substitute Cabrales Cheese for Soft Cheese?
You can, but expect a shift in richness and milk character.
Does Cabrales Cheese taste like Soft Cheese?
Cabrales Cheese reads as intense, piquant, while Soft Cheese is mild.
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 Soft Cheese made of?
Soft Cheese is made from cow, goat, or sheep milk. It's typically aged unmatured to about 1 month.
Which should I choose, Cabrales Cheese or Soft Cheese?
It depends on the dish. The texture difference is the biggest practical tell. Cabrales Cheese is unctuous, compact, no eyes, while Soft Cheese is spreadable, smooth to runny.