Kasseri Cheese vs Provolone Cheese

Kasseri Cheese is a firm to hard goat and sheep-milk cheese from Greece, while Provolone Cheese is semi-hard, artisan and made from cow milk, originating in Italy.

What Is Kasseri Cheese?

Kasseri is a pale yellow, medium-hard to hard Greek cheese made from sheep milk with at most 20% goat's milk. It belongs to the pasta filata family and is best known as the cheese in saganaki and kasseropita.

What Is Provolone Cheese?

Provolone is an Italian semi-hard cheese made from cow's milk with a stretched curd. It runs from the very sharp piccante, aged at least four months, to the mild dolce.

What's the Difference Between Kasseri Cheese and Provolone Cheese?

• Origin: Kasseri Cheese (Greece), Provolone Cheese (Italy)
• Milk type: Kasseri Cheese (goat's and sheep's milk), Provolone Cheese (cow's milk)
• Texture: Kasseri Cheese (Firm to hard), Provolone Cheese (semi-hard, artisan)
• Aging: Kasseri Cheese (at least 3 months), Provolone Cheese (at least 4 months for piccante)
• Taste: Kasseri Cheese (Rich), Provolone Cheese (tangy)

Side-by-Side Comparison

Taste Comparison: Does Kasseri Cheese Taste Like Provolone Cheese?

Kasseri Cheese reads as rich, while Provolone Cheese brings tangy character. On the nose, Kasseri Cheese offers flowery, contrasted with Provolone Cheese's pleasant. Aging plays into this as well. Kasseri Cheese at at least 3 months develops a different profile than Provolone Cheese at at least 4 months for piccante.

Can You Substitute Kasseri Cheese for Provolone Cheese?

Kasseri Cheese can stand in for Provolone Cheese in many dishes, but the switch will shift the overall character of the recipe. Expect firm to hard bite and body where the recipe calls for semi-hard, artisan. Flavor-wise, Kasseri Cheese reads as rich while Provolone Cheese brings tangy notes.

Which Is Better, Kasseri Cheese or Provolone Cheese?

There's no single winner. It depends on your recipe and the profile you want. If you want a firm to hard cheese, go with Kasseri Cheese. For a semi-hard, artisan profile, Provolone Cheese is the better fit. Flavor-wise, Kasseri Cheese suits recipes that want rich notes, while Provolone Cheese fits dishes calling for tangy.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Kasseri Cheese the same as Provolone Cheese?

No, they're distinct cheeses. Kasseri Cheese originates in Greece, while Provolone Cheese comes from Italy. Kasseri Cheese is made from goat and sheep milk; Provolone Cheese uses cow. Aging also differs: Kasseri Cheese is typically aged at least 3 months, Provolone Cheese at least 4 months for piccante.

Is Kasseri Cheese similar to Provolone Cheese?

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

Can I substitute Kasseri Cheese for Provolone Cheese?

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

Does Kasseri Cheese taste like Provolone Cheese?

Kasseri Cheese reads as rich, while Provolone Cheese is tangy. Aromas also diverge. Kasseri Cheese leans flowery, and Provolone Cheese is closer to pleasant.

What is Kasseri Cheese made of?

Kasseri Cheese is made from goat and sheep milk (traditionally raw, increasingly pasteurized), using natural rennet. It's typically aged at least 3 months. It originates in Greece.

What is Provolone Cheese made of?

Provolone Cheese is made from cow milk. It's typically aged at least 4 months for piccante. It originates in Italy.

Which should I choose, Kasseri Cheese or Provolone Cheese?

It depends on the dish. The texture difference is the biggest practical tell. Kasseri Cheese is firm to hard, while Provolone Cheese is semi-hard, artisan.