Fontina Cheese vs Montasio Cheese

Fontina Cheese is a semi-soft cow-milk cheese from Italy, while Montasio Cheese is hard and made from cow milk, originating in Italy.

What Is Fontina Cheese?

Fontina is a cow's milk cheese from Italy's Aosta Valley, made there since the 12th century. It runs semisoft to hard, tastes creamy and nutty with earthy, mushroomy notes, and melts well enough to carry a fondue.

What Is Montasio Cheese?

Montasio is a cow's milk mountain cheese from Friuli-Venezia Giulia and Veneto in northeastern Italy, made on the Montasio plateau since 1200. It is semi-hard and creamy when young, and harder after longer aging.

What's the Difference Between Fontina Cheese and Montasio Cheese?

• Milk treatment: Fontina Cheese (Raw (for traditional Italian Fontina), Pasteurized (for most American versions)), Montasio Cheese (unpasteurized)
• Texture: Fontina Cheese (Semi-soft), Montasio Cheese (Hard)
• Rind: Fontina Cheese (Natural, Often Washed), Montasio Cheese (natural)
• Aging: Fontina Cheese (Typically 2-3 months (can be aged longer for stronger flavor)), Montasio Cheese (Fresco: 60-120 days; Mezzano: 120 days-10 months; Stagionato: 10-18 months; Stravecchio: over 18 months)
• Taste: Fontina Cheese (Mild, Buttery, Nutty), Montasio Cheese (Mild, creamy, and fruity to savory, piquant, with hints of spice)

Side-by-Side Comparison

Taste Comparison: Does Fontina Cheese Taste Like Montasio Cheese?

Fontina Cheese reads as mild, buttery, nutty, while Montasio Cheese brings mild, creamy, and fruity to savory, piquant, with hints of spice character. On the nose, Fontina Cheese offers mild to pungent (earthier in aged versions), contrasted with Montasio Cheese's aromatic, pleasant. More specifically, Fontina Cheese shows buttery, earthy, mildly nutty, slightly fruity, while Montasio Cheese leans toward evolves from mild, creamy, and fruity to fuller, more savory and piquant, with hints of spice as it ages. Aging plays into this as well. Fontina Cheese at typically 2-3 months (can be aged longer for stronger flavor) develops a different profile than Montasio Cheese at fresco: 60-120 days; mezzano: 120 days-10 months; stagionato: 10-18 months; stravecchio: over 18 months.

Can You Substitute Fontina Cheese for Montasio Cheese?

In most recipes, Fontina Cheese and Montasio Cheese can be swapped with reasonable results. Both are cow-milk cheeses, so the base character carries over. Expect semi-soft bite and body where the recipe calls for hard. Flavor-wise, Fontina Cheese reads as mild, buttery, nutty while Montasio Cheese brings mild, creamy, and fruity to savory, piquant, with hints of spice notes.

Which Is Better, Fontina Cheese or Montasio Cheese?

There's no single winner. It depends on your recipe and the profile you want. If you want a semi-soft cheese, go with Fontina Cheese. For a hard profile, Montasio Cheese is the better fit. Flavor-wise, Fontina Cheese suits recipes that want mild, buttery, nutty notes, while Montasio Cheese fits dishes calling for mild, creamy, and fruity to savory, piquant, with hints of spice.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Fontina Cheese the same as Montasio Cheese?

No, they're distinct cheeses. Aging also differs: Fontina Cheese is typically aged typically 2-3 months (can be aged longer for stronger flavor), Montasio Cheese fresco: 60-120 days; mezzano: 120 days-10 months; stagionato: 10-18 months; stravecchio: over 18 months.

Is Fontina Cheese similar to Montasio Cheese?

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

Can I substitute Fontina Cheese for Montasio Cheese?

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

Does Fontina Cheese taste like Montasio Cheese?

Fontina Cheese reads as mild, buttery, nutty, while Montasio Cheese is mild, creamy, and fruity to savory, piquant, with hints of spice. Aromas also diverge. Fontina Cheese leans mild to pungent (earthier in aged versions), and Montasio Cheese is closer to aromatic, pleasant.

What is Fontina Cheese made of?

Fontina Cheese is made from cow milk (raw (for traditional italian fontina), pasteurized (for most american versions)), using traditional (animal) or microbial (varies by producer) rennet. It's typically aged typically 2-3 months (can be aged longer for stronger flavor). It originates in Italy.

What is Montasio Cheese made of?

Montasio Cheese is made from cow milk (unpasteurized), using animal rennet. It's typically aged fresco: 60-120 days; mezzano: 120 days-10 months; stagionato: 10-18 months; stravecchio: over 18 months. It originates in Italy.

Which should I choose, Fontina Cheese or Montasio Cheese?

It depends on the dish. The texture difference is the biggest practical tell. Fontina Cheese is semi-soft, while Montasio Cheese is hard.