Fontina Cheese vs Montasio Cheese
Fontina Cheese
Montasio Cheese
Fontina Cheese is a semi-soft cow-milk cheese from Italy, while Montasio Cheese is elastic to crumbly and hard and made from cow milk, originating in Italy.
What Is Fontina Cheese?
Fontina is a classic Italian cheese from the Aosta Valley, with a dense, smooth texture and a nutty, earthy flavor. It is made from cow's milk and has a slightly elastic feel. Fontina is excellent for melting and is often used in dishes like risotto, fonduta, and as a table cheese.
What Is Montasio Cheese?
Montasio is a mountain cheese from northeastern Italy, with a PDO designation. It has a firm texture and can vary in flavor from mild and milky in younger cheeses to richer and more robust in aged varieties. Montasio is often enjoyed grated over pasta and risotto or sliced in sandwiches.
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 (Elastic to crumbly and hard)
- 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
| Fontina Cheese | Montasio Cheese | |
|---|---|---|
| Country of Origin | Italy | Italy |
| Specific Origin | — | Fruili-Venezia Giulia And Parts Of Belluno, Treviso, Padua, And Venice In Veneto |
| Milk Type | Cow's milk | Cow's milk |
| Milk Treatment | Raw (for traditional Italian Fontina), Pasteurized (for most American versions) | Unpasteurized |
| Texture | Semi-Soft | Elastic to crumbly and hard |
| Rind | Natural, Often Washed | — |
| Aging | Typically 2-3 months (can be aged longer for stronger flavor) | Fresco: 60-120 days; Mezzano: 120 days-10 months; Stagionato: 10-18 months; Stravecchio: over 18 months |
| Taste | Mild, Buttery, Nutty | Mild, creamy, and fruity to savory, piquant, with hints of spice |
Pairing Comparison
What works with each cheese — wines, foods, breads, and more.
| Fontina Cheese | Montasio Cheese | |
|---|---|---|
| Best Pairings | Chardonnay | — |
| Other Good Pairings | Grilled Cheese, Macaroni and Cheese, Mushrooms, Prosciutto, Sangiovese | — |
Which would you pick?
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Where to buy Fontina Cheese and Montasio Cheese
Fontina Cheese
Montasio Cheese
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 elastic to crumbly and 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 elastic to crumbly and 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 elastic to crumbly and hard.
See full profiles: Fontina Cheese and Montasio Cheese.