Fontina Cheese vs Red Leicester Cheese

Fontina Cheese is a semi-soft cow-milk cheese from Italy, while Red Leicester Cheese is hard, similar to cheddar but more moist, crumbly and made from cow milk, originating in United Kingdom.

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 Red Leicester Cheese?

Red Leicester is an English cow's milk cheese from Leicestershire, close to Cheddar but crumblier. Annatto gives it its orange colour, and four to nine months of ageing takes it from mild and mellow to tangy and slightly nutty.

What's the Difference Between Fontina Cheese and Red Leicester Cheese?

• Origin: Fontina Cheese (Italy), Red Leicester Cheese (United Kingdom)
• Milk treatment: Fontina Cheese (Raw (for traditional Italian Fontina), Pasteurized (for most American versions)), Red Leicester Cheese (Unpasteurized (Sparkenhoe Farm), Pasteurized (others))
• Texture: Fontina Cheese (Semi-Soft), Red Leicester Cheese (Hard, similar to Cheddar but more moist, crumbly)
• Rind: Fontina Cheese (Natural, Often Washed), Red Leicester Cheese (Clothbound (Sparkenhoe Farm), Plastic (industrial))
• Aging: Fontina Cheese (Typically 2-3 months (can be aged longer for stronger flavor)), Red Leicester Cheese (6 months (traditional), varies for industrial)
• Taste: Fontina Cheese (Mild, Buttery, Nutty), Red Leicester Cheese (caramel, sweet)

Side-by-Side Comparison

Taste Comparison: Does Fontina Cheese Taste Like Red Leicester Cheese?

Fontina Cheese reads as mild, buttery, nutty, while Red Leicester Cheese brings caramel, sweet character. On the nose, Fontina Cheese offers mild to pungent (earthier in aged versions), contrasted with Red Leicester Cheese's mild. More specifically, Fontina Cheese shows buttery, earthy, mildly nutty, slightly fruity, while Red Leicester Cheese leans toward mild and mellow when young, stronger and tangier with age, slightly nutty with a sweet aftertaste. 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 Red Leicester Cheese at 6 months (traditional), varies for industrial.

Can You Substitute Fontina Cheese for Red Leicester Cheese?

In most recipes, Fontina Cheese and Red Leicester 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, similar to cheddar but more moist, crumbly. Flavor-wise, Fontina Cheese reads as mild, buttery, nutty while Red Leicester Cheese brings caramel, sweet notes.

Which Is Better, Fontina Cheese or Red Leicester 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, similar to cheddar but more moist, crumbly profile, Red Leicester Cheese is the better fit. Flavor-wise, Fontina Cheese suits recipes that want mild, buttery, nutty notes, while Red Leicester Cheese fits dishes calling for caramel, sweet.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Fontina Cheese the same as Red Leicester Cheese?

No, they're distinct cheeses. Fontina Cheese originates in Italy, while Red Leicester Cheese comes from United Kingdom. Aging also differs: Fontina Cheese is typically aged typically 2-3 months (can be aged longer for stronger flavor), Red Leicester Cheese 6 months (traditional), varies for industrial.

Is Fontina Cheese similar to Red Leicester Cheese?

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

Can I substitute Fontina Cheese for Red Leicester Cheese?

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

Does Fontina Cheese taste like Red Leicester Cheese?

Fontina Cheese reads as mild, buttery, nutty, while Red Leicester Cheese is caramel, sweet. Aromas also diverge. Fontina Cheese leans mild to pungent (earthier in aged versions), and Red Leicester Cheese is closer to mild.

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 Red Leicester Cheese made of?

Red Leicester Cheese is made from cow milk (unpasteurized (sparkenhoe farm), pasteurized (others)), using animal rennet. It's typically aged 6 months (traditional), varies for industrial. It originates in United Kingdom.

Which should I choose, Fontina Cheese or Red Leicester Cheese?

It depends on the dish. The texture difference is the biggest practical tell. Fontina Cheese is semi-soft, while Red Leicester Cheese is hard, similar to cheddar but more moist, crumbly.