10 Most Common Soft Cheese

Soft cheeses are beloved for their creamy textures, delicate flavors, and versatility in culinary applications. They encompass a diverse range of cheeses from around the world, each with its own unique characteristics and cultural significance.

Let’s dive into the world of cheese. Here’s a deeper look at some iconic types of cheese to tantalize your taste buds and spark your culinary curiosity.

Feta

Feta cheese is a beloved Greek cheese known for its salty and tangy taste, often used in various culinary creations. Here are some key points about feta cheese:

• Description: Feta is a soft, crumbly brined cheese traditionally made from sheep’s milk, sometimes blended with up to 30% goat’s milk.

• Tasting Profile: It has a full-flavored, salty, and tangy taste with a nutty and strong aroma.

• Varieties: Feta can vary in texture and flavor depending on the region it comes from. Cheeses from different regions in Greece offer unique characteristics.

• Usage: Feta is versatile and can be used in a variety of dishes. It can be enjoyed on its own, melted on salads, pizzas, or pies, or paired with olive oil, roasted red peppers, and nuts.

• Pairings: Feta pairs well with beer, Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc, and Zinfandel due to its salty flavor profile.

• Storage: To maintain freshness, feta should be kept submerged in brine. It dries out quickly if not stored properly.

Ricotta cheese 

Ricotta cheese is a versatile Italian whey cheese known for its creamy texture and mild flavor. Here are some key points about ricotta cheese:

• Description: Ricotta is made from the whey of sheep, cow, goat, or Italian water buffalo milk left over from the production of other cheeses. It is a fresh cheese with a soft, spongy texture.
• Tasting Profile: Ricotta has a mild, creamy flavor that complements both sweet and savory dishes. It is often described as light, moist, and slightly sweet.
• Varieties: Ricotta comes in various forms, including ricotta salata (salted, dried, and aged), ricotta informant (baked ricotta), ricotta affumicata (smoked ricotta), and ricotta forte (aged with a pungent taste).
• Culinary Uses: Ricotta is a versatile ingredient used in both savory and sweet dishes. It is commonly used in pasta dishes like lasagna, stuffed shells, and ravioli. It can also be used in desserts like cheesecakes, cannoli, and cookies.
• Homemade Ricotta: Making homemade ricotta is simple and requires basic ingredients like milk, cream, salt, and an acid like vinegar or lemon juice. The process involves heating the milk, adding the acid to coagulate the curds, and straining the curds to form ricotta cheese.
• Storage: Fresh ricotta should be consumed within a few days as it is highly perishable due to its high moisture content. Leftover ricotta can be refrigerated for up to 5 days or frozen for later use.

Cream cheese 

Cream cheese is a versatile and creamy cheese that is popular for its mild flavor and smooth texture. Here are some key points about cream cheese:

• Description: Cream cheese is a fresh, soft cheese made from a mixture of cream and milk. It has a high fat content, giving it a rich and creamy consistency.
• Tasting Profile: Cream cheese has a mild and slightly tangy flavor. It is often used as a spread due to its smooth texture and neutral taste that pairs well with both sweet and savory dishes.
• Culinary Uses: Cream cheese is a versatile ingredient used in both sweet and savory recipes. It is commonly used in cheesecakes, frostings, dips, spreads, and as a filling for pastries like danishes and bagels.
• Homemade Cream Cheese: Making cream cheese at home is possible with simple ingredients like milk, cream, lemon juice or vinegar, and salt. The process involves heating the milk, adding acid to curdle it, straining the curds, and blending them into a smooth consistency.
• Storage: Store-bought cream cheese should be refrigerated to maintain its freshness. Homemade cream cheese can also be stored in the refrigerator for a few days. It is important to follow proper storage guidelines to prevent spoilage.

Mozzarella Cheese

Mozzarella is a semi-soft, non-aged cheese originating from southern Italy, known for its mild flavor and stretchy texture. Here are some key points about mozzarella cheese:

• Description: Mozzarella is prepared using the pasta filata method and is made from Italian Mediterranean buffalo milk or cow’s milk. It has a semi-soft texture with a fat content of around 22%.
• Varieties: There are different types of mozzarella, including “Mozzarella fior di latte” made from cow’s milk and “Mozzarella di bufala” made from Italian buffalo’s milk. Fresh mozzarella is generally white but can turn light yellow when seasoned.
• Culinary Uses: Mozzarella is a versatile cheese used in various dishes like pizza, pasta, salads (such as Caprese salad), and sandwiches. It can also be enjoyed on its own or paired with tomatoes and basil.
• Storage: Fresh mozzarella is best consumed the day after it is made but can be kept in brine for up to a week. Low-moisture mozzarella can be refrigerated for up to a month, with some varieties having a shelf life of up to six months.
• Homemade Mozzarella: Making mozzarella at home is possible with simple ingredients like milk, citric acid, rennet, and cheese salt. The process involves heating the milk, adding citric acid and rennet to form curds, draining the whey, and stretching the curds into mozzarella cheese.

Paneer

Paneer is a fresh cheese commonly used in Indian cuisine, known for its mild flavor and versatile nature. Here are some key points about paneer:

• Description: Paneer is a type of unaged cheese made by curdling hot milk with an acidic ingredient like lemon juice, vinegar, or yogurt. The curds are then drained and pressed to form a firm block of cheese that can be cut into cubes or slices.
• Tasting Profile: Paneer has a mild, slightly tangy taste with a soft and crumbly texture. It does not melt like other cheeses, making it ideal for cooking in curries, stir-fries, or grilling.
• Culinary Uses: Paneer is a versatile ingredient used in various Indian dishes such as palak paneer (spinach and paneer curry), paneer tikka (grilled paneer skewers), and matar paneer (paneer and pea curry). It can also be used in desserts like rasgulla or Sandesh.
• Homemade Paneer: Making paneer at home is simple and requires only a few ingredients like milk and an acidic agent. The process involves heating the milk, adding the acidic agent to curdle it, straining the curds, and pressing them into a block of cheese.
• Storage: Fresh paneer should be refrigerated and consumed within a few days for optimal freshness. It can also be frozen for longer storage, though the texture may change slightly upon thawing.

Camembert cheese

Camembert cheese is a renowned French cheese with a luscious, buttery texture and a bloomy rind, originating from the village of Camembert in Normandy. Here are some key details about Camembert cheese:

• Origin: Camembert cheese has historical roots dating back to the early 18th century in Normandy. The original Camembert, known as Camembert de Normandie, is made from raw milk and holds a Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) status, ensuring it is produced in specific regions with specific criteria.
• Production: The cheese-making process involves culturing pasteurized milk, coagulating it with rennet, cutting the curd into cubes, molding it into small cylindrical shapes, salting, and ripening for about two weeks. During ripening, the cheese develops its signature white edible rind through the action of beneficial microbes like Penicillium candidum.
• Taste Profile: Camembert offers a range of flavors from milky and buttery when young to mushroomy, brothy, or vegetal as it ages. Overripened Camembert may develop an unpleasant ammonia aroma and a cracked rind.
• Pairings: Camembert pairs well with various accompaniments like honey, fresh berries, fruit preserves, cured meats, sautéed mushrooms, or roasted garlic. It complements dry carbonated beverages like Champagne or prosecco and can also be enjoyed with fizzy gin cocktails or non-alcoholic options like fruity kombucha.

Vacherin Mont d’Or Cheese

Vacherin Mont d’Or, also known as Vacherin, is a cow’s milk cheese originating from France and Switzerland. Here are some key details about Vacherin Mont d’Or cheese:

• Origin: Vacherin Mont d’Or is a soft, rich, seasonal cheese made from cow’s milk in Switzerland and France. It has a grayish-yellow washed rind and is traditionally wrapped in a “sangle” made from the cambium of a Norway spruce tree for at least two weeks, imparting a unique flavor to the cheese.
• Production: The Swiss Vacherin Mont d’Or is typically made with thermized milk, while the French Vacherin du Haut-Doubs is unpasteurized. It is produced between August 15 and March 15 and sold between September 10 and May 10. The cheese is marketed in round boxes made of spruce strips harvested by specialists called “sanglier”.
• Taste Profile: Vacherin Mont d’Or contains 45 to 50 percent milk fat (in dry matter) and has a creamy, delicate texture. It offers a rich and flavorful experience, especially when served warmed in its original packaging and eaten like fondue.
• Pairings: Vacherin Mont d’Or can be enjoyed with various accompaniments such as honey, garlic, white wine, new potatoes, or crunchy bread. It pairs well with good white wines like Arbois, Chasselas, Sancerre, Chardonnay, or Gewürztraminer, Champagne, or beer.
• Availability: The cheese is produced between October and spring due to the lack of milk before this period caused by the production of large Gruyère wheels. Nowadays, it is available from the end of September to April. Thermised cow’s milk is used in making Vacherin Mont d’Or AOP.

Saint Albray Cheese

Saint Albray is a classic French cheese with a distinctive creamy texture, fine flavor, and a unique flower shape. Here are some key details about Saint Albray cheese:

• Origin: Originally produced over 40 years ago in the Béarn area in the Pyrenean foothills in Jurançon, Saint Albray has become a beloved classic among French cheeses. It is made from cow’s milk, with 70% of the milk sourced from local producers within a 90 km radius of the dairy.
• Description: Saint Albray is a semi-soft cheese known for its creamy and smooth texture. It has a pretty red and white rind that gives off a subtle aroma, making it visually appealing. The cheese is available in various formats, including family size and mini portions for convenient snacking.
• Taste Profile: This French cheese offers a mild, slightly sweet flavor with a hint of nuttiness. It has a creamy, smooth, and supple texture that melts in your mouth. The rind of Saint Albray is edible and slightly grainy, adding to the overall experience.
• Pairings: Saint Albray pairs well with red wine, fruits, crusty bread, and various accompaniments like nuts, meats, jams, vegetables, and desserts. It is versatile and can be enjoyed in different culinary settings.
• Storage: To preserve the quality of Saint Albray cheese, it should be kept refrigerated. After opening, it is recommended to wrap it in wax paper or cheese paper to maintain its freshness and flavors.

Reblochon Cheese

Reblochon cheese is a soft washed-rind and smear-ripened French cheese made in the Alpine region of Haute-Savoie from raw cow’s milk. Here are some key details about Reblochon cheese:

• Description: Reblochon is a smallish cheese, about 7-8 inches in diameter, that collapses to about an inch when ripe. It has a creamy to rose blush surface with a beautiful dusting of mold growth. The cheese offers a velvety taste of ripe cream with a nutty aftertaste and has a soft and supple consistency. When sliced, it flows slowly from its shell, showcasing its unique texture and flavor profile.
• Origin: Reblochon was first produced in the Thônes and Arly valleys in the Aravis massif. Thônes remains the center of Reblochon production, where the cheeses are still made in local cooperatives. The cheese has its own Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée (AOC) designation, highlighting its traditional production methods and regional significance.
• Culinary Uses: Reblochon is an essential ingredient in dishes like tartiflette, a Savoyard gratin made with potatoes, bacon (lardons), and onions. It is also used in various recipes to add a creamy and nutty flavor to dishes. The cheese is best enjoyed between May and September after aging for six to eight weeks, although it remains excellent from March to December.
• Substitutes: In the United States where Reblochon is not available due to unpasteurized regulations, cheeses like Delice du Jura, Raclette, Taleggio, or Camembert are suggested as substitutes for recipes like tartiflette.
• Recipes: Reblochon can be used in various recipes beyond tartiflette. From cauliflower and Diots tartiflette to Croziflette with Diots, there are numerous creative ways to incorporate Reblochon into dishes. Other recipes include Reblochon chaussons, turnip tartiflette, and leek-bacon-mushroom tart with Reblochon, showcasing the versatility of this cheese in culinary creations.

Gouda Cheese

Gouda cheese is a popular Dutch cheese known for its rich, creamy texture and mild, nutty flavor. Here are some key details about Gouda cheese:

• Description: Gouda is a semi-hard cheese made from cow’s milk that ranges in flavor from mild and creamy to sharp and tangy, depending on its age. It has a smooth, yellow wax rind and a firm yet supple texture that makes it versatile for slicing, grating, or melting.
• Origin: Gouda cheese originates from the Netherlands and is named after the city of Gouda. It is one of the most consumed cheeses globally and comes in various ages such as young (jong), matured (belegen), old (oud), and extra-old (overjarig), each offering distinct flavor profiles.
• Culinary Uses: Gouda cheese is a versatile ingredient used in a variety of dishes. It can be enjoyed on cheese platters, sandwiches, salads, or melted in dishes like grilled cheese sandwiches, macaroni and cheese, or fondue. Its creamy texture and mild taste make it a favorite for both cooking and snacking.
• Pairings: Gouda pairs well with fruits like apples and pears, nuts, crusty bread, crackers, and wines such as Chardonnay, Merlot, or Riesling. Its versatility allows it to complement a wide range of flavors and textures in both sweet and savory dishes.
• Varieties: Besides traditional Gouda, there are variations like smoked Gouda that add a smoky flavor to the cheese. Some versions may also include herbs or spices for added complexity. These variations offer unique taste experiences while maintaining the essence of classic Gouda.