Goat milk and cow milk are both commonly used to produce cheese, yet the resulting products have some notable differences.
Key Differences in Taste and Texture
The most obvious contrast between goat cheese and cow cheese is the flavor. Goat cheese imparts a tangy, strong, and even sour taste. Cow milk cheese has a more neutral and mild profile.
Beyond taste, the two cheeses differ distinctly in texture:
- Goat Cheese: Tender, soft, spreadable, and supple
- Cow Cheese: Dense, firm, sliceable, and hard
So goat cheese is lighter and cow cheese is heavier. Why such a textural divergence? The reasons trace back to the composition of the original milk.
Goat milk has less casein, the milk protein that helps form cheese curds. So the curds end up smaller and more delicate. Cow milk, conversely, has more casein to create those big, sturdy curds that then get pressed into dense blocks.
Key Takeaway: Goat cheese tastes tangy and sour, while cow cheese is milder in flavor.
Nutrition and Health Factors
When comparing nutritional values, goat cheese and cow cheese each have their advantages:
| Nutrient | Goat Cheese | Cow Cheese |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | Lower | Higher |
| Fat | Lower | Higher |
| Protein | Lower | Higher |
| Calcium | Lower | Higher |
| Vitamin A | Higher | Lower |
| Lactose | Lower | Higher |
| Other Vitamins | Higher B vitamins | Lower B vitamins |
So goat cheese contains less fat and calories, but more vitamin A. Cow cheese has more protein, calcium, and a range of B vitamins.
However, the biggest health factor is digestibility. Goat cheese gets broken down more easily thanks to:
- Smaller fat molecules
- Lower lactose content
- Different protein composition
For anyone with lactose sensitivity, goat cheese will likely sit better in their stomach. That's why goat products get touted as more gut-friendly overall.
Availability and Affordability
Without a doubt, cow milk reigns supreme in availability and affordability. Dairy cows are bred specifically for mass milk production at low costs. Goats produce much less milk naturally, so supplies are smaller.
You'll find cow cheese everywhere from the local grocery store to restaurants across the globe. Goat cheese has a more artisanal status, usually made regionally in small batches. That rarity comes at a price too—most goat cheeses cost noticeably more than cow.
Key Takeaway: Cow cheese is cheap and everywhere, while the limited goat cheese supply makes it a pricier specialty item.
Making the Cheeses
Both cow and goat milk get turned into cheese through the same basic process. First, starter bacteria acidify the milk to develop flavors and coagulate the proteins. Then rennet is added to fully separate the curds from the whey. The curds get cut, cooked, drained, pressed, and aged into those familiar cheese blocks we love.
However, goat curds and cow curds behave differently:
- Goat Curds: Small, soft, crumbly, and high moisture
- Cow Curds: Big, firm, sliceable, lower moisture
So goat curds yield those soft spreadable cheeses like chèvre. Cow curds hold up to pressing for hard styles like cheddar. But in capable hands, cheesemakers can coax a wide spectrum of textures from both milk bases.
Pairing with Wine and Beer
The savory, tangy qualities of goat cheese make it a natural to pair with beverages. Light and zesty wines like sauvignon blanc, pinot gris, and vinho verde taste fantastic alongside a log of chèvre. For cow cheese, the fuller nutty flavors of chardonnay or even red wines make better matches.
In the beer world, fruit-forward Belgian lambics and sour ales complement soft goat cheeses beautifully. Cow cheeses with some age on them pair better with malty brews like dubbels, brown ales, and bocks.
Key Takeaway: Goat cheese fits lighter wines and funky beers, while bolder dry wines and malty beers suit cow cheese better.
Common Types of Each
The following tables outline several popular varieties of goat and cow milk cheese:
Goat Cheese Types
| Type of Goat Cheese | Description |
|---|---|
| Chèvre | Fresh, spreadable goat cheese |
| Crottin de Chavignol | Aged, crumbly disk from France |
| Valençay | Pyramid-shaped, ash-coated goat cheese |
| Garrotxa | Catalonian goat cheese with hazelnutty flavor |
Cow Cheese Types
| Type of Cow Cheese | Description |
|---|---|
| Cheddar | Aged, sharp cow cheese from England |
| Gouda | Smooth, nutty Dutch cow cheese |
| Parmesan | Hard Italian cheese made from skimmed cow milk |
| Havarti | Creamy, buttery Danish cow cheese |
While those represent some of the best-known styles, cheesemakers continue innovating new varieties of both goat and cow milk cheeses.
FAQs
Is goat cheese healthier than cow cheese?
Yes, goat cheese contains less fat and lactose than cow cheese, meaning it gets digested more easily. Goat cheese also provides higher amounts of certain vitamins and minerals.
Can people intolerant to cow milk eat goat cheese?
Often yes, thanks to the lower lactose levels in goat milk. But for those with severe dairy issues, goat products could still cause problems too.
Does goat cheese taste like cow cheese?
No, goat cheese has a notably tangier, stronger flavor compared to milder cow cheeses. The tastes vary quite a bit between the two.
Is goat cheese better for keto and paleo diets?
Potentially yes. With less carbs and sugar than cow dairy, goat cheese aligns better with low-carb eating patterns. But as with any diet, personal tolerances vary.
Conclusion
While goat and cow dairy products share similarities, several key differences give each cheese distinctive traits. Goat cheese brings a tangy tartness, soft texture, stellar nutrition, and easier digestion compared to cow varieties.
However, cows remain bigger milk producers overall, making cow cheese widely available and affordable across the globe. With an understanding of how these cheeses contrast, cheese lovers can better match their tastes, nutrition needs, and budgets.