Cheddar Cheese vs Soft Cheese
Cheddar Cheese is a varies (rubbery to friable and crystalline) cow-milk cheese from England, while Soft Cheese is spreadable, smooth to runny and made from cow, goat, or sheep milk.
What Is Cheddar Cheese?
Cheddar is a relatively hard, off-white to orange cow's milk cheese from the village of Cheddar in Somerset, South West England. The name is not protected, so it is made worldwide, and it is the UK's most popular cheese at 51% of the national cheese market.
What Is Soft Cheese?
Soft cheese is the moisture category at the wet end of the scale, holding 55 to 80 percent moisture against its dry weight. It covers soft-ripened cheeses like Brie and Camembert, some blue and pasta filata cheeses, and fresh cheeses, and it is known for being spreadable.
What's the Difference Between Cheddar Cheese and Soft Cheese?
- Milk type: Cheddar Cheese (cow's milk), Soft Cheese (cow, goat, sheep)
- Texture: Cheddar Cheese (Varies (rubbery to friable and crystalline)), Soft Cheese (spreadable, smooth to runny)
- Rind: Cheddar Cheese (Varies (natural, cloth, wax, plastic)), Soft Cheese (bloomy white mold rind, or washed)
- Aging: Cheddar Cheese (A few months to several years), Soft Cheese (unmatured to about 1 month)
- Taste: Cheddar Cheese (Mild to sharp, buttery to brothy and savory), Soft Cheese (mild)
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Cheddar Cheese | Soft Cheese | |
|---|---|---|
| Country of Origin | England | — |
| Specific Origin | Southwest (Somerset, Gloucester) | — |
| Milk Type | Cow's milk | Cow, goat, sheep |
| Milk Treatment | Raw, Thermized, Pasteurized | — |
| Texture | Varies (rubbery to friable and crystalline) | Spreadable, smooth to runny |
| Rind | Varies (natural, cloth, wax, plastic) | Bloomy white mold rind, or washed |
| Aging | A few months to several years | Unmatured to about 1 month |
| Taste | Mild to sharp, buttery to brothy and savory | Mild |
Taste Comparison: Does Cheddar Cheese Taste Like Soft Cheese?
Cheddar Cheese reads as mild to sharp, buttery to brothy and savory, while Soft Cheese brings mild character. Aging plays into this as well. Cheddar Cheese at a few months to several years develops a different profile than Soft Cheese at unmatured to about 1 month.
Can You Substitute Cheddar Cheese for Soft Cheese?
Cheddar Cheese can stand in for Soft Cheese in many dishes, but the switch will shift the overall character of the recipe. Expect varies (rubbery to friable and crystalline) bite and body where the recipe calls for spreadable, smooth to runny. Flavor-wise, Cheddar Cheese reads as mild to sharp, buttery to brothy and savory while Soft Cheese brings mild notes.
Which Is Better, Cheddar Cheese or Soft Cheese?
There's no single winner. It depends on your recipe and the profile you want. If you want a varies (rubbery to friable and crystalline) cheese, go with Cheddar Cheese. For a spreadable, smooth to runny profile, Soft Cheese is the better fit. Flavor-wise, Cheddar Cheese suits recipes that want mild to sharp, buttery to brothy and savory notes, while Soft Cheese fits dishes calling for mild.
Which is your favorite?
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cheddar Cheese the same as Soft Cheese?
No, they're distinct cheeses. Cheddar Cheese is made from cow milk; Soft Cheese uses cow, goat, or sheep. Aging also differs: Cheddar Cheese is typically aged a few months to several years, Soft Cheese unmatured to about 1 month.
Is Cheddar Cheese similar to Soft Cheese?
Not closely. They use different milk bases and have distinct profiles.
Can I substitute Cheddar Cheese for Soft Cheese?
You can, but expect a shift in richness and milk character.
Does Cheddar Cheese taste like Soft Cheese?
Cheddar Cheese reads as mild to sharp, buttery to brothy and savory, while Soft Cheese is mild.
What is Cheddar Cheese made of?
Cheddar Cheese is made from cow milk (raw, thermized, pasteurized), using animal; microbial chymosin in vegetarian and kosher versions rennet. It's typically aged a few months to several years. It originates in England.
What is Soft Cheese made of?
Soft Cheese is made from cow, goat, or sheep milk. It's typically aged unmatured to about 1 month.
Which should I choose, Cheddar Cheese or Soft Cheese?
It depends on the dish. The texture difference is the biggest practical tell. Cheddar Cheese is varies (rubbery to friable and crystalline), while Soft Cheese is spreadable, smooth to runny.