Fontina Cheese vs Romano Cheese

Fontina Cheese is a semi-soft cow-milk cheese from Italy, while Romano Cheese is hard and made from cow, goat, or sheep 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 Romano Cheese?

Romano is the North American name for a class of hard, salty cheese made mainly for grating, from cow, goat and/or sheep's milk. It imitates Italian pecorino romano and must hold at least 38% milkfat and under 34% water.

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

• Milk type: Fontina Cheese (cow's milk), Romano Cheese (cow's, goat's or sheep's milk)
• Milk treatment: Fontina Cheese (Raw (for traditional Italian Fontina), Pasteurized (for most American versions)), Romano Cheese (pasteurized or unpasteurized)
• Texture: Fontina Cheese (Semi-Soft), Romano Cheese (hard)
• Rind: Fontina Cheese (Natural, Often Washed), Romano Cheese (natural)
• Taste: Fontina Cheese (Mild, Buttery, Nutty), Romano Cheese (mild, sharp, tangy)

Side-by-Side Comparison

Taste Comparison: Does Fontina Cheese Taste Like Romano Cheese?

Fontina Cheese reads as mild, buttery, nutty, while Romano Cheese brings mild, sharp, tangy character. On the nose, Fontina Cheese offers mild to pungent (earthier in aged versions), contrasted with Romano Cheese's strong. More specifically, Fontina Cheese shows buttery, earthy, mildly nutty, slightly fruity, while Romano Cheese leans toward salty.

Can You Substitute Fontina Cheese for Romano Cheese?

Fontina Cheese can stand in for Romano Cheese in many dishes, but the switch will shift the overall character of the recipe. Expect semi-soft bite and body where the recipe calls for hard. Flavor-wise, Fontina Cheese reads as mild, buttery, nutty while Romano Cheese brings mild, sharp, tangy notes.

Which Is Better, Fontina Cheese or Romano 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, Romano Cheese is the better fit. Flavor-wise, Fontina Cheese suits recipes that want mild, buttery, nutty notes, while Romano Cheese fits dishes calling for mild, sharp, tangy.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Fontina Cheese the same as Romano Cheese?

No, they're distinct cheeses. Fontina Cheese is made from cow milk; Romano Cheese uses cow, goat, or sheep.

Is Fontina Cheese similar to Romano Cheese?

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

Can I substitute Fontina Cheese for Romano Cheese?

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

Does Fontina Cheese taste like Romano Cheese?

Fontina Cheese reads as mild, buttery, nutty, while Romano Cheese is mild, sharp, tangy. Aromas also diverge. Fontina Cheese leans mild to pungent (earthier in aged versions), and Romano Cheese is closer to strong.

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 Romano Cheese made of?

Romano Cheese is made from cow, goat, or sheep milk (pasteurized or unpasteurized), using rennet not required; any suitable milk-clotting enzym rennet. It originates in Italy.

Which should I choose, Fontina Cheese or Romano Cheese?

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