Pecorino Cheese vs Wagashi Cheese

Pecorino Cheese is a hard sheep-milk cheese from Italy, while Wagashi Cheese is compact and made from cow milk.

What Is Pecorino Cheese?

Pecorino is an Italian hard cheese made from sheep's milk, and its name comes from pecora, the Italian word for sheep. Six main varieties carry PDO status, with Pecorino Romano the best known outside Italy.

What Is Wagashi Cheese?

Wagashi is a soft cow's milk cheese from northern Benin, sold in quantity in Parakou and across the West African savanna. It is mild in flavor and almost always cooked, usually in a sauce eaten with pounded yams or millet or maize pâte.

What's the Difference Between Pecorino Cheese and Wagashi Cheese?

• Milk type: Pecorino Cheese (sheep's milk), Wagashi Cheese (Cow’s milk)
• Texture: Pecorino Cheese (hard), Wagashi Cheese (Compact)
• Aging: Pecorino Cheese (fresco, semi-stagionato or stagionato), Wagashi Cheese (Fresh or dried)

Side-by-Side Comparison

Taste Comparison: Does Pecorino Cheese Taste Like Wagashi Cheese?

Their flavor profiles are distinct. More specifically, Pecorino Cheese shows buttery, nutty, mild cream and milk, while Wagashi Cheese leans toward consumed fried or cooked in sauces, rarely fresh. Aging plays into this as well. Pecorino Cheese at fresco, semi-stagionato or stagionato develops a different profile than Wagashi Cheese at fresh or dried.

Can You Substitute Pecorino Cheese for Wagashi Cheese?

Pecorino Cheese can stand in for Wagashi Cheese in many dishes, but the switch will shift the overall character of the recipe. Expect hard bite and body where the recipe calls for compact.

Which Is Better, Pecorino Cheese or Wagashi Cheese?

There's no single winner. It depends on your recipe and the profile you want. If you want a hard cheese, go with Pecorino Cheese. For a compact profile, Wagashi Cheese is the better fit.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Pecorino Cheese the same as Wagashi Cheese?

No, they're distinct cheeses. Pecorino Cheese is made from sheep milk; Wagashi Cheese uses cow. Aging also differs: Pecorino Cheese is typically aged fresco, semi-stagionato or stagionato, Wagashi Cheese fresh or dried.

Is Pecorino Cheese similar to Wagashi Cheese?

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

Can I substitute Pecorino Cheese for Wagashi Cheese?

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

Does Pecorino Cheese taste like Wagashi Cheese?

They have distinct flavor profiles. The taste row in the table above is the best direct comparison.

What is Pecorino Cheese made of?

Pecorino Cheese is made from sheep milk. It's typically aged fresco, semi-stagionato or stagionato. It originates in Italy.

What is Wagashi Cheese made of?

Wagashi Cheese is made from cow milk (heated), using calotropis procera latex rennet. It's typically aged fresh or dried.

Which should I choose, Pecorino Cheese or Wagashi Cheese?

It depends on the dish. The texture difference is the biggest practical tell. Pecorino Cheese is hard, while Wagashi Cheese is compact.