Last Updated on November 5, 2022 by Aaron
Are gorgonzola and goat cheese the same? Can you substitute goat cheese for gorgonzola?
Here’s the key takeaway. Goat cheese refers to all cheeses made from or partly from goat’s milk. Gorgonzola is made from cow’s milk; Goat cheese is common in white or straw color, whereas gorgonzola is a blue cheese with blue veins. Goat cheese is generally softer and tastes tangier than gorgonzola, with a distinctive “goaty” flavor.
No, gorgonzola is not a goat cheese and they are not the same.
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The traditional and authentic PDO-certified gorgonzola that produced for centuries in Italy is made using the whole cow milk. But other varieties of gorgonzola from other producers might use goat milk or partly mixed with it.
Compared to gorgonzola, goat cheese has a higher satiety which is ideal for weight control. It also has a slightly lower lactose content – 8.7% lesser as claimed. So it could be good if you have lactose intolerance.
For goat cheese example, feta cheese is made from goat milk. If you’re allergic to goat cheese, please read these 5 reasons why allergic to feta.
Yes, you can absolutely substitute goat cheese for gorgonzola, in fact many recipes have used gorgonzola and goat cheese interchangeably. They’re both creamy, soft and delicious. But do take note that goat cheese is having a tart and earthy flavor where gorgonzola tend to taste stronger and sharper.
How Gorgonzola is Different From Goat Cheese
Gorgonzola is an Italian cheese originated from the northern Italy.
It’s considered one of the top five most popular
This cheese has a pretty attractive look of ivory color with blue-green veins. Contradict to common believe, the holes is not for the injection of blue molds into the cheese. During the production, the cheesemakers will use a metal spike to spike the gorgonzola to help oxygen getting inside and to form blue veins.
Gorgonzola is made from cow’s milk. Gorgonzola tastes buttery, salty, rich, slightly sweet, sharp and with a nutty aroma.
It is named after a town called Gorgonzola in Milan which has been producing the cheese since 13th century. The cheese was originally called “Stracchino di Gorgonzola” where “Stracchino” means “tired”, and refers to the cow’s milk cheese.
Gorgonzola was made from the alpine cow’s milk. Whereby the alpine cows moved from highland to the lowland, and alpine farmers found the milk produced from these cows actually contain more butterfat than their own pasture-fed cow’s milk. Thus, the “cow culture” began.
Gorgonzola used to be aged in caves for at least a year. But It’s now typically aged for 3 months minimum.
Not just the strong taste but there’s also an oddly satisfying pungent smell.
Some said it’s actually smell like vomit or unwashed feet after a long day of work as in feta cheese here.
The younger gorgonzola called gorgonzola dolce which aged for about 3-6 months. For the 6 months and above, they are called gorgonzola
It’s often eaten with bread or fruit, go with pasta, risotto, or make into gorgonzola sauce. The texture is semi-soft with a little moist but not quite runny, and it melts quite nicely.
Goat Cheese in Comparison
When it comes to goat cheese, there is no strict rules. It can be 100% goat milk made, or partial goat milk, or mixed milk. There are a lot of different types of goat cheese you can find in grocery stores, especially the local one if there is any in your area.
Goat cheese also called chévre, which means “female goat” in French. Any goat cheese can be called chévre, some are lightly ripened for a few weeks up to a few years, and often very soft and creamy.
You can get some local goat cheese in the US to your doorstep, from the these cheesemakers – Vermont Creamery and Montchevre Goat Cheese. I looked into their story and background, they made goat cheese from their own farm. Haven’t try them yet, but they sure looks great to try.
Goat cheese is a good choice for those who has lactose intolerance and in weight control.
It has a relatively low lactose content compared to gorgonzola, or cow milk cheese in general. The protein structure are different from the cow’s as well, so if your body react to cow cheese, why not give goat cheese a try? the calcium is higher in goat milk cheese too.
Goat cheese can be beneficial to your digestive health too. It contains a substance called capric acid, which is a type of fatty acid that helps to develop good bacteria in the intestines.
Also, there is more medium-chain fatty acids in goat milk than cow milk, so our body get to digest and absorb quicker. If you eat parmesan too, I discussed more about the beneficial bacteria that promote good gut health in this article.
That is also what gave goat cheese the “goaty” flavor. If you’re kind of into that taste, you can go for a younger goat cheese as the taste is tangier in younger ones.
The longer it aged, the milder the taste.
Young goat cheese is very soft and spread easily, while matured goat cheese is firm, creamy taste and crumbly texture but not hard.
Goat cheese has a unique bitter flavor that pairs well with fruit, or any recipes that go with olive oil
Nutritional comparison of Gorgonzola and Goat cheese
*1 slice (1 oz) serving of gorgonzola and goat cheese
| Gorgonzola | Goat Cheese | |
| Calories (Kcal) | 104 | 108 |
| Protein | 6 g | 7 g |
| Calcium | 130 mg | 200 mg |
| Carbohydrates | 0 g | 0 g |
| Total Fat | 9 g | 9 g |
| Saturated Fat | 5 g | 6 g |
| Sodium | 305 mg | 190 mg |
| Cholesterol | 28 mg | 27 mg |
| Vitamin A (IU, International Unit) | 200 IU | 501 IU |
| Vitamin C | 0 mg | 1.2 mg |
From the glance, you can already tell the goat cheese is “better” than gorgonzola. From the 1 slice serving, it provides significantly higher calcium, less sodium which means not as salty, and also more than doubling of the vitamin A. The data is obtained on USDA website, links above, where It’s Sartori for gorgonzola and Abbey Farms for goat cheese.
So, which cheese is Ideally better?
That depends on which aspect we discuss.
Some people like the smell and taste of gorgonzola while others prefer goat cheese. I mean, taste are kind of a subjective thing aren’t it?
But for those on a low-sodium diet and under weight control, goat cheese might be a better option for you.
If you’re lactose intolerance or trying to improve your digestive health, goat cheese maybe be on a slightly upper hand this round. you may want to try to see if it fits you.
Apart from all that, cheese is all about the taste. If you’re a bit adventurous like me, or prefer a sharp and tangy cheese, try the gorgonzola. Otherwise, go for a goat cheese which has milder flavor such as a well matured goat cheese. My idea? Get both and let your tongue decide! Here is a cheese assortment with 8 cheeses I found on Amazon, goat cheese is in it. Give it a try, good luck and bon appétit!
