Goat Milk Cheese vs. Cow Milk Cheese: What’s the Difference?

Goat cheese, often called by its French name, chèvre, is any cheese made entirely from goat’s milk. Goat milk is low in casein, a milk protein that curdles, so it produces a very small, soft curds that crumble easily. When young, goat cheese tends to be soft, spreadable, and tangy; aged goat cheese can be chalky, crumbly, and earthy. Goat’s cheese has high levels of vitamin A—which actually makes goat cheese slightly whiter in color—along with high amounts of vitamins E, K, B6, and B3 (niacin). Goat cheese gets its distinctive flavor and smell from medium-chain fatty acids, including caprylic acid and capric acid.

The most obvious difference between goat cheese and cow cheese is that they come from two different animals. Beyond that there are three key differences:

1. 1. Availability: In terms of availability, cow’s milk cheese is much more common. Cow’s milk is affordable and mass-produced, whereas goat’s milk is typically produced locally in small batches.
2. 2. Flavor: Cow’s milk has a mild, neutral flavor and a more cohesive protein structure that makes it popular for cheesemaking. Goat cheese tends to be softer and tangier than cow’s milk cheese.
3. 3. Nutrition: Nutritionally, goat milk is slightly higher in fat and minerals and contains less lactose, vitamin D, and riboflavin than cow milk. Cow’s milk contains larger fat molecules, making it harder to digest than goat’s cheese and giving it a heavier mouthfeel. Because cheese made from goat’s milk contains smaller fat molecules and less lactose than cow’s milk, it may be suitable for people with lactose intolerance.

Many common types of cheese are made from cow’s milk. These varieties include:

1. 1. Fresh cow cheeses: Fresh cheeses are soft and spreadable. Some fresh cheeses that are typically made with cow’s milk include cottage cheese and pot cheese (USA); cream cheese (UK); mascarpone (Italy); fromage blanc (France); quark (Austria, Germany); paneer (India); skyr (Iceland); and queso fresco (Mexico).
2. 2. Soft and semisoft cow cheeses: These cheeses have a creamy texture that they hold their shape. These include Brie, Camembert, and Port Salut (France). Wisconsin brick and Monterey Jack cheeses (USA) fall into this category as well.
3. 3. Blue cheeses: Blue cheese has distinctive veins of blue mold. Stilton (UK) and gorgonzola (Italy) are the most famous blue cheeses made with cow’s milk.
4. 4. Hard and semi-hard cow cheeses: These cheeses have a sold texture ideal for slicing and grating, and the best ones are given time to age. Hard cow cheeses include swiss and Colby (USA); cheddar (UK); Gouda and Edam (Netherlands); Gruyère and Comté (France); Emmental (Switzerland); and Parmesan and Provolone (Italy).
5. 5. High-fat cheeses: High-fat cheeses include double cream (fat content over 60 percent) and triple cream (fat content over 72 percent), both of which look similar to Brie but are much richer: Within the rind is a soft, cream-like substance. These include the French Fin-de-Siècle, Explorateur, Gratte-Paille, and Brillat-Savarin cheeses.

When we think of goat’s milk cheese, we often think of a log of soft, spreadable fresh cheese called chèvre. But goat’s milk can be made into almost any kind of cheese, including:

• Hard goat cheeses: An example would be Crottin de Chavignol (France).
• Soft goat cheeses: These include Chabichou, Cabécou, and Banon (France)
• Blue goat cheeses: Notable blue goat cheeses are Valençay (France) and Humboldt Fog (USA).

Although some cheeses are traditionally made with milk from one animal, the name or style of the cheese isn’t the best way to know which animal’s milk it came from. There is a lot of overlap: It’s not uncommon to find goat Brie, goat cheddar, and goat Gouda at the grocery store. Some cheeses are made with a blend of goat and cow milk, such as Mont d’Or and Saint-Marcellin (France) and Gjetost (Scandinavia); while others are versatile and can be made with either type of cheese. Here are some cheeses often made with goat’s milk:

1. 1. Fresh cheeses: Fresh cheese that can be made from either cow or goat milk include farmer’s cheese (USA); ricotta (technically a whey cheese; Italy); and labneh (Middle East).
2. 2. Hard cheeses: Hard cheeses that can be made from either cow or goat milk include Bra (Italy).
3. 3. Blue cheeses: Blue cheeses that can be made from either cow or goat milk include Cabrales (Spain) and Castelmagno (Italy).

Become a better chef with the MasterClass Annual Membership. Gain access to exclusive video lessons taught by culinary masters, including Gabriela Cámara, Chef Thomas Keller, Massimo Bottura, Dominique Ansel, Gordon Ramsay, Alice Waters, and more.