Gorgonzola Cheese vs Provolone Valpadana Cheese
Gorgonzola Cheese is a soft to crumbly cow-milk cheese from Italy, while Provolone Valpadana Cheese is compact, may have slight and rare holes and made from cow milk, originating in Italy.
What Is Gorgonzola Cheese?
Gorgonzola is an Italian blue cheese made from unskimmed cow's milk, named for a town near Milan. It comes in two styles: dolce, mild and buttery, and piccante, sharper with a firm, crumbly body.
What Is Provolone Valpadana Cheese?
Provolone Valpadana is an Italian semi-hard cheese made from cow's milk by the pasta filata method. It holds protected designation of origin status in the European Union and comes in a mild dolce version and a sharp piccante version, some of them smoked.
What's the Difference Between Gorgonzola Cheese and Provolone Valpadana Cheese?
- Milk treatment: Gorgonzola Cheese (pasteurized), Provolone Valpadana Cheese (Pasteurized or thermized)
- Texture: Gorgonzola Cheese (Soft to crumbly), Provolone Valpadana Cheese (Compact, may have slight and rare holes)
- Rind: Gorgonzola Cheese (None), Provolone Valpadana Cheese (Smooth, thin, light yellow, golden, or sometimes yellow-brown (smoked version allows for paraffin use))
- Aging: Gorgonzola Cheese (2 to 3 months), Provolone Valpadana Cheese (Two to three months for Dolce, minimum of three months to more than a year for Piccante)
- Taste: Gorgonzola Cheese (Sweet to savory), Provolone Valpadana Cheese (Delicate for sweet cheeses, pronounced with longer maturation for sharp cheeses)
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Gorgonzola Cheese | Provolone Valpadana Cheese | |
|---|---|---|
| Country of Origin | Italy | Italy |
| Specific Origin | Lombardy, Piedmont | Lombardy, Veneto, Emilia-Romagna, Province Of Trento |
| Milk Type | Cow's milk | Cow's milk |
| Milk Treatment | Pasteurized | Pasteurized or thermized |
| Texture | Soft to crumbly | Compact, may have slight and rare holes |
| Rind | None | Smooth, thin, light yellow, golden, or sometimes yellow-brown (smoked version allows for paraffin use) |
| Aging | 2 to 3 months | Two to three months for Dolce, minimum of three months to more than a year for Piccante |
| Taste | Sweet to savory | Delicate for sweet cheeses, pronounced with longer maturation for sharp cheeses |
Taste Comparison: Does Gorgonzola Cheese Taste Like Provolone Valpadana Cheese?
Gorgonzola Cheese reads as sweet to savory, while Provolone Valpadana Cheese brings delicate for sweet cheeses, pronounced with longer maturation for sharp cheeses character. On the nose, Gorgonzola Cheese offers nutty, contrasted with Provolone Valpadana Cheese's rich. More specifically, Gorgonzola Cheese shows dolce: creamy, slightly spicy, delicate. piccante: blue-veined, crumbly, strong, with widespread bluish-green marbling, while Provolone Valpadana Cheese leans toward delicate to pronounced depending on variety and age, with a possibility of exfoliation in long-aged cheese. Aging plays into this as well. Gorgonzola Cheese at 2 to 3 months develops a different profile than Provolone Valpadana Cheese at two to three months for dolce, minimum of three months to more than a year for piccante.
Can You Substitute Gorgonzola Cheese for Provolone Valpadana Cheese?
In most recipes, Gorgonzola Cheese and Provolone Valpadana Cheese can be swapped with reasonable results. Both are cow-milk cheeses, so the base character carries over. Expect soft to crumbly bite and body where the recipe calls for compact, may have slight and rare holes. Flavor-wise, Gorgonzola Cheese reads as sweet to savory while Provolone Valpadana Cheese brings delicate for sweet cheeses, pronounced with longer maturation for sharp cheeses notes.
Which Is Better, Gorgonzola Cheese or Provolone Valpadana Cheese?
There's no single winner. It depends on your recipe and the profile you want. If you want a soft to crumbly cheese, go with Gorgonzola Cheese. For a compact, may have slight and rare holes profile, Provolone Valpadana Cheese is the better fit. Flavor-wise, Gorgonzola Cheese suits recipes that want sweet to savory notes, while Provolone Valpadana Cheese fits dishes calling for delicate for sweet cheeses, pronounced with longer maturation for sharp cheeses.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is Gorgonzola Cheese the same as Provolone Valpadana Cheese?
No, they're distinct cheeses. Aging also differs: Gorgonzola Cheese is typically aged 2 to 3 months, Provolone Valpadana Cheese two to three months for dolce, minimum of three months to more than a year for piccante.
Is Gorgonzola Cheese similar to Provolone Valpadana Cheese?
Somewhat. They share a cow-milk base but diverge in texture and flavor.
Can I substitute Gorgonzola Cheese for Provolone Valpadana Cheese?
You can, but expect a shift in bite and mouthfeel.
Does Gorgonzola Cheese taste like Provolone Valpadana Cheese?
Gorgonzola Cheese reads as sweet to savory, while Provolone Valpadana Cheese is delicate for sweet cheeses, pronounced with longer maturation for sharp cheeses. Aromas also diverge. Gorgonzola Cheese leans nutty, and Provolone Valpadana Cheese is closer to rich.
What is Gorgonzola Cheese made of?
Gorgonzola Cheese is made from cow milk (pasteurized). It's typically aged 2 to 3 months. It originates in Italy.
What is Provolone Valpadana Cheese made of?
Provolone Valpadana Cheese is made from cow milk (pasteurized or thermized), using calf rennet for dolce, kid or lamb rennet for picca rennet. It's typically aged two to three months for dolce, minimum of three months to more than a year for piccante. It originates in Italy.
Which should I choose, Gorgonzola Cheese or Provolone Valpadana Cheese?
It depends on the dish. The texture difference is the biggest practical tell. Gorgonzola Cheese is soft to crumbly, while Provolone Valpadana Cheese is compact, may have slight and rare holes.