Cantal Cheese vs Kasseri Cheese

Cantal Cheese is a semi-hard cow-milk cheese from France, while Kasseri Cheese is hard and made from goat or sheep milk, originating in Greece.

What Is Cantal Cheese?

Cantal is a firm, uncooked cow's milk cheese from the Auvergne region of central France and one of the oldest cheeses in the country. Its tangy, buttery flavor recalls Cheddar and sharpens with age, from the mild jeune to the hard, nutty vieux.

What Is Kasseri Cheese?

Kasseri is a pale yellow, medium-hard to hard Greek cheese made from sheep milk with at most 20% goat's milk. It belongs to the pasta filata family and is best known as the cheese in saganaki and kasseropita.

What's the Difference Between Cantal Cheese and Kasseri Cheese?

• Origin: Cantal Cheese (France), Kasseri Cheese (Greece)
• Milk type: Cantal Cheese (Cow's milk), Kasseri Cheese (Sheep's milk, sometimes with goat's milk)
• Milk treatment: Cantal Cheese (Raw), Kasseri Cheese (Traditionally raw, increasingly pasteurized)
• Texture: Cantal Cheese (Semi-hard), Kasseri Cheese (Hard)
• Rind: Cantal Cheese (Gray-white to golden), Kasseri Cheese (Develops as ages)
• Aging: Cantal Cheese (Jeune: 30-60 days, Entre-Deux: 90-210 days, Vieux: >8 months), Kasseri Cheese (at least 3 months)

Side-by-Side Comparison

Taste Comparison: Does Cantal Cheese Taste Like Kasseri Cheese?

Their flavor profiles are distinct. More specifically, Cantal Cheese shows jeune: soft, milk-and-butter. entre-deux: balanced, intense. vieux: powerful, spicy. diversity of grasslands contributes to flavor., while Kasseri Cheese leans toward rich, complex flavors, buttery texture, flowery aroma when aged. similar to asiago and parmigiano reggiano when aged 10+ months.. Aging plays into this as well. Cantal Cheese at jeune: 30-60 days, entre-deux: 90-210 days, vieux: >8 months develops a different profile than Kasseri Cheese at at least 3 months.

Can You Substitute Cantal Cheese for Kasseri Cheese?

Cantal Cheese can stand in for Kasseri Cheese in many dishes, but the switch will shift the overall character of the recipe. Expect semi-hard bite and body where the recipe calls for hard.

Which Is Better, Cantal Cheese or Kasseri Cheese?

There's no single winner. It depends on your recipe and the profile you want. If you want a semi-hard cheese, go with Cantal Cheese. For a hard profile, Kasseri Cheese is the better fit.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Cantal Cheese the same as Kasseri Cheese?

No, they're distinct cheeses. Cantal Cheese originates in France, while Kasseri Cheese comes from Greece. Cantal Cheese is made from cow milk; Kasseri Cheese uses goat or sheep. Aging also differs: Cantal Cheese is typically aged jeune: 30-60 days, entre-deux: 90-210 days, vieux: >8 months, Kasseri Cheese at least 3 months.

Is Cantal Cheese similar to Kasseri Cheese?

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

Can I substitute Cantal Cheese for Kasseri Cheese?

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

Does Cantal Cheese taste like Kasseri Cheese?

They have distinct flavor profiles. The taste row in the table above is the best direct comparison.

What is Cantal Cheese made of?

Cantal Cheese is made from cow milk (raw), using rennet rennet. It's typically aged jeune: 30-60 days, entre-deux: 90-210 days, vieux: >8 months. It originates in France.

What is Kasseri Cheese made of?

Kasseri Cheese is made from goat or sheep milk (traditionally raw, increasingly pasteurized), using natural rennet. It's typically aged at least 3 months. It originates in Greece.

Which should I choose, Cantal Cheese or Kasseri Cheese?

It depends on the dish. The texture difference is the biggest practical tell. Cantal Cheese is semi-hard, while Kasseri Cheese is hard.