Queso de Guía vs Ricotta Cheese

Q: Is Queso de Guía the same as Ricotta Cheese?

No. Queso de Guía and Ricotta Cheese are distinct cheeses. See the side-by-side table for the specific differences in milk type, texture, and aging.

Q: Can I substitute Queso de Guía for Ricotta Cheese?

In most recipes you can swap Queso de Guía for Ricotta Cheese, though the result will shift in richness and milk character.

Q: Which should I choose, Queso de Guía or Ricotta Cheese?

It depends on the dish. The texture and flavor rows in the table above are the best guide. Pick the one whose profile fits your recipe or board.

Queso de Guía

Ricotta Cheese

Queso de Guía is a dense, compact, sometimes creamy cow, goat, and sheep-milk cheese, while Ricotta Cheese is soft, moist and made from cow, goat, sheep, or buffalo milk, originating in Italy.

What Is Queso de Guía?

Queso de Guía is a Spanish cheese from Gran Canaria, made mostly from sheep's milk with some cow and goat milk added. It carries a protected designation of origin granted in 2006 and is sold either soft and creamy or hard and sharp.

What Is Ricotta Cheese?

Ricotta is an Italian whey cheese made from the leftover whey of sheep, cow, goat, or water buffalo milk cheesemaking. The fresh curds are creamy white and slightly sweet, and they turn up in cannoli and cheesecakes as readily as in lasagne and ravioli.

What's the Difference Between Queso de Guía and Ricotta Cheese?

Milk type: Queso de Guía (Sheep (Canary Island breed), with up to 40% cow and 10% goat milk), Ricotta Cheese (cow's, goat's, sheep's or water buffalo's milk)
Milk treatment: Queso de Guía (raw, for the artesano designation), Ricotta Cheese (Whey)
Texture: Queso de Guía (Dense, compact, sometimes creamy), Ricotta Cheese (Soft, moist)
Rind: Queso de Guía (Ivory when young, thick and dark brown when mature), Ricotta Cheese (None)
Aging: Queso de Guía (15+ days (semi-mature), 60+ days (mature)), Ricotta Cheese (Fresh)
Taste: Queso de Guía (Salty and acidic, with occasional bitterness and sharpness), Ricotta Cheese (Sweet, slightly creamy)

Side-by-Side Comparison

	Queso de Guía	Ricotta Cheese
Country of Origin	—	Italy
Specific Origin	Gran Canaria, Canary Islands, Spain	Italy
Milk Type	Sheep (Canary Island breed), with up to 40% cow and 10% goat milk	Cow's, goat's, sheep's or water buffalo's milk
Milk Treatment	Raw, for the artesano designation	Whey
Texture	Dense, compact, sometimes creamy	Soft, moist
Rind	Ivory when young, thick and dark brown when mature	None
Aging	15+ days (semi-mature), 60+ days (mature)	Fresh
Taste	Salty and acidic, with occasional bitterness and sharpness	Sweet, slightly creamy

Taste Comparison: Does Queso de Guía Taste Like Ricotta Cheese?

Queso de Guía reads as salty and acidic, with occasional bitterness and sharpness, while Ricotta Cheese brings sweet, slightly creamy character. On the nose, Queso de Guía offers medium intensity, mainly lactic, contrasted with Ricotta Cheese's mild. More specifically, Queso de Guía shows predominantly lactic, with animal notes, while Ricotta Cheese leans toward depending on milk source. Aging plays into this as well. Queso de Guía at 15+ days (semi-mature), 60+ days (mature) develops a different profile than Ricotta Cheese at fresh.

Can You Substitute Queso de Guía for Ricotta Cheese?

Queso de Guía can stand in for Ricotta Cheese in many dishes, but the switch will shift the overall character of the recipe. Expect dense, compact, sometimes creamy bite and body where the recipe calls for soft, moist. Flavor-wise, Queso de Guía reads as salty and acidic, with occasional bitterness and sharpness while Ricotta Cheese brings sweet, slightly creamy notes.

Which Is Better, Queso de Guía or Ricotta Cheese?

There's no single winner. It depends on your recipe and the profile you want. If you want a dense, compact, sometimes creamy cheese, go with Queso de Guía. For a soft, moist profile, Ricotta Cheese is the better fit. Flavor-wise, Queso de Guía suits recipes that want salty and acidic, with occasional bitterness and sharpness notes, while Ricotta Cheese fits dishes calling for sweet, slightly creamy.

Which is your favorite?

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is Queso de Guía the same as Ricotta Cheese?

No, they're distinct cheeses. Queso de Guía is made from cow, goat, and sheep milk; Ricotta Cheese uses cow, goat, sheep, or buffalo. Aging also differs: Queso de Guía is typically aged 15+ days (semi-mature), 60+ days (mature), Ricotta Cheese fresh.

Is Queso de Guía similar to Ricotta Cheese?

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

Can I substitute Queso de Guía for Ricotta Cheese?

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

Does Queso de Guía taste like Ricotta Cheese?

Queso de Guía reads as salty and acidic, with occasional bitterness and sharpness, while Ricotta Cheese is sweet, slightly creamy. Aromas also diverge. Queso de Guía leans medium intensity, mainly lactic, and Ricotta Cheese is closer to mild.

What is Queso de Guía made of?

Queso de Guía is made from cow, goat, and sheep milk (raw, for the artesano designation), using animal rennet and/or vegetable rennet (cynara cardunculus var. ferocissima, cynara scolymus) and/or starter cultures rennet. It's typically aged 15+ days (semi-mature), 60+ days (mature).

What is Ricotta Cheese made of?

Ricotta Cheese is made from cow, goat, sheep, or buffalo milk (whey), using animal or microbial rennet. It's typically aged fresh. It originates in Italy.

Which should I choose, Queso de Guía or Ricotta Cheese?

It depends on the dish. The texture difference is the biggest practical tell. Queso de Guía is dense, compact, sometimes creamy, while Ricotta Cheese is soft, moist.