Kasseri Cheese vs Roumy Cheese
Kasseri Cheese is a firm to hard goat and sheep-milk cheese from Greece, while Roumy Cheese is hard and made from cow and buffalo milk, originating in Egypt.
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 Roumy Cheese?
Rumi, also spelled Roumy, is the main hard cheese of Egypt, made from cow's or buffalo milk with no starter culture. Three to four months of aging give it an open texture, a pungent smell and a sharp flavor that gets saltier with age.
What's the Difference Between Kasseri Cheese and Roumy Cheese?
- Origin: Kasseri Cheese (Greece), Roumy Cheese (Egypt)
- Milk type: Kasseri Cheese (goat's and sheep's milk), Roumy Cheese (cow's and water buffalo's milk)
- Texture: Kasseri Cheese (Firm to hard), Roumy Cheese (hard)
- Rind: Kasseri Cheese (Develops as ages), Roumy Cheese (natural)
- Aging: Kasseri Cheese (at least 3 months), Roumy Cheese (3 to 4 months)
- Taste: Kasseri Cheese (Rich), Roumy Cheese (salty, sharp, strong)
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Kasseri Cheese | Roumy Cheese | |
|---|---|---|
| Country of Origin | Greece | Egypt |
| Specific Origin | Thrace, Macedonia, Thessaly, Lesbos | Egypt |
| Milk Type | Goat's and sheep's milk | Cow's and water buffalo's milk |
| Milk Treatment | Traditionally raw, increasingly pasteurized | — |
| Texture | Firm to hard | Hard |
| Rind | Develops as ages | Natural |
| Aging | At least 3 months | 3 to 4 months |
| Taste | Rich | Salty, sharp, strong |
Taste Comparison: Does Kasseri Cheese Taste Like Roumy Cheese?
Kasseri Cheese reads as rich, while Roumy Cheese brings salty, sharp, strong character. On the nose, Kasseri Cheese offers flowery, contrasted with Roumy Cheese's pungent. Aging plays into this as well. Kasseri Cheese at at least 3 months develops a different profile than Roumy Cheese at 3 to 4 months.
Can You Substitute Kasseri Cheese for Roumy Cheese?
Kasseri Cheese can stand in for Roumy 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 hard. Flavor-wise, Kasseri Cheese reads as rich while Roumy Cheese brings salty, sharp, strong notes.
Which Is Better, Kasseri Cheese or Roumy 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 hard profile, Roumy Cheese is the better fit. Flavor-wise, Kasseri Cheese suits recipes that want rich notes, while Roumy Cheese fits dishes calling for salty, sharp, strong.
Which is your favorite?
One click, anonymous. See what others chose.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Kasseri Cheese the same as Roumy Cheese?
No, they're distinct cheeses. Kasseri Cheese originates in Greece, while Roumy Cheese comes from Egypt. Kasseri Cheese is made from goat and sheep milk; Roumy Cheese uses cow and buffalo. Aging also differs: Kasseri Cheese is typically aged at least 3 months, Roumy Cheese 3 to 4 months.
Is Kasseri Cheese similar to Roumy Cheese?
Not closely. They use different milk bases and have distinct profiles.
Can I substitute Kasseri Cheese for Roumy Cheese?
You can, but expect a shift in richness and milk character.
Does Kasseri Cheese taste like Roumy Cheese?
Kasseri Cheese reads as rich, while Roumy Cheese is salty, sharp, strong. Aromas also diverge. Kasseri Cheese leans flowery, and Roumy Cheese is closer to pungent.
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 Roumy Cheese made of?
Roumy Cheese is made from cow and buffalo milk. It's typically aged 3 to 4 months. It originates in Egypt.
Which should I choose, Kasseri Cheese or Roumy Cheese?
It depends on the dish. The texture difference is the biggest practical tell. Kasseri Cheese is firm to hard, while Roumy Cheese is hard.