Soft Cheeses Category

Soft Cheeses

Cheeses in this category are often spread on bread or crackers to be served as snacks. They're usually not used for cooking. Most soft cheeses should be used within a few days of purchase--they spoil faster than firmer cheeses.

Most soft cheeses are made with cow's milk. Cheeses made with sheep's milk, like feta, Brinza, and ricotta salata, have more butterfat, which make them richer and creamier. Cheeses made with goat's milk, like Humboldt Fog, tend to have a tangy, earthy, and sometimes barnyard flavor.

boursault

This is a soft-ripened, triple crème French cow's milk cheese that is very rich and mild. For best flavor, serve at room temperature.

brie

This French cow's milk cheese is rich, mild, and creamy, and it's soft enough to spread easily on crackers or bread. As with Camembert cheese, the Brie name isn't protected so there are lots of mediocre knock-offs on the market. Look for French Bries--they're usually much better than their American counterparts. The rind is edible. For best flavor, wait until it's perfectly ripe and warmed to room temperature before serving it.

Brillat Savarin cheese

Brillat Savarin cheese

This soft triple crème French cow's milk cheese is rich, buttery, and mild, though some find it a bit sour and salty.

Brinza cheese, Bryndza cheese, Brynza cheese

Look for this salty sheep's milk cheese in Eastern European markets. It's spreadable when young, but becomes crumbly as it ages. Like Feta, it's good in salads or melted on pizza

Camembert

This popular soft-ripened cow's milk cheese is buttery rich and wonderful to spread on hot French bread. The name's not protected, so there are lots of Camemberts of varying quality on the market. Try to get a French raw milk Camembert--our pasteurized domestic versions are bland in comparison. Use within a few days after purchasing. For best flavor, serve at room temperature.

Caprice des Dieux

This oval French cow's milk cheese resembles Camembert and Brie.

Carré de l'est

This is a square washed rind, moderately stinky cow's milk cheese from the Lorraine region of France.

Chaource cheese

Chaource cheese

This French cow's milk cheese is similar to Brie and Camembert, but creamier and more acidic. It's good with champagne.

chaumes

Delicious strong cow's milk Cheese.

Coulommiers

This soft-ripened French cow's milk cheese resembles Brie and Camembert.

Thsi is a rich double cream cow's milk cheese from Denmark.

Epoisses, Epoisses de Bourgogne

This well-regarded French cow's milk cheese is a member of the washed-rind or "stinky" family of cheeses, but it's more subtle than Limburger, Livarot, or other siblings. It's a little runny when ripe. The rind is edible--taste it to see if you like it.

Excelsior Learn more

Explorateur, l'Explorateur

This soft, creamy French cow's milk cheese is rich and complex.

feta

This salty, crumbly cheese is common in Greek cuisine. It is made from sheep's milk sometimes combined with goat's milk. It's often stored in brine; if so, you might want to rinse it before using to remove some of the saltiness. Use within a few days after purchasing. For best flavor, serve at room temperature.

hand, handkase, handkäse, harzer kase, harzer käse

This German washed rind cow's milk cheese is pungent and stinky. It's good with beer, but it would over-power most wines.

Harz

This is a strong German cow's milk cheese. Use within a few days after purchasing. For best flavor, serve at room temperature.

Humboldt Fog cheese

Humboldt Fog cheese

This excellent soft-ripened goat cheese has a layer of vegetable ash running down the middle. It's an excellent table cheese. The rind is edible, and fairly good.

kochkäse, kochkase

This German cheese is easy to spread. It's great on crackers and rye bread.

This cow's milk cheese was invented by German-American Emil Frey, who wanted to make a domestic version of Limburger cheese. Borden acquired the brand after Frey died, and later sold the brand to a New Zealand outfit. Use within a few days after purchasing. For best flavor, serve at room temperature. It's hard, and perhaps impossible, to find in the United States.

Livarot

This excellent French cow's milk cheese is in the washed-rind or "stinky" family. Though pungent, it's not as overpowering as Limburger. The rind is edible, but it's not for faint-hearted.

This is a German cow's milk aromatic cheese. Use within a few days after purchasing. For best flavor, serve at room temperature.

Manouri cheese

This Greek sheep's and goat's milk cheese is similar to feta, only creamier and less salty. This is made with sheep or goat’s milk.

Maroilles

This is a stinky washed-rind cow's milk cheese from France that smells worse than it tastes. You probably don't want to eat the pungent rind. Use within a few days after purchasing. For best flavor, serve at room temperature.

Paglietta

This soft Italian cow's milk cheese resembles Brie and Camembert. Use it within a few days after purchasing. For best flavor, serve at room temperature.

Pont-l'Evêque, Pont l'Eveque

This ancient and well-regarded French cow's milk cheese isn't as stinky as other washed rind cheeses. It's best not to eat the rind.

Reblochon cheese

Reblochon cheese

This rich and creamy French cow's milk cheese is quite mild for a washed rind cheese, but it's complex enough to be popular with gourmets. The rind is edible, but too pungent for many people.

ricotta salata

This mild sheep's milk cheese is used more for cooking than snacking. It's great in salads or in pasta dishes. Look for it in Italian markets.

robiola

Two distinctly different cheeses go by the name robiola: Robiola Piemonte is a fresh cheese that's often used on pizza, while robiola Lombardia is an aged, tan-colored soft cheese used for snacking. They are made from mixture of cow, sheep and goat’s milk.

robiola Lombardia cheese, robiola cheese (aged), Robiola della Valsassina

robiola Lombardia cheese

Robiola Lombardia is an aged, tan-colored soft cheese used for snacking. It is made from mixture of cow, sheep and goat’s milk.

Saint André cheese, St. Andre cheese

Saint André cheese

It is a rich triple cream cow's milk cheese. Use within a few days after purchasing. For best flavor, serve at room temperature.

Saint Marcellin cheese, St. Marcellin cheese

Saint Marcellin cheese

A young version of this French cow's milk cheese is so runny it's sold in small pots; a more aged version is wrapped in leaves. Both are rich and exquisite on French bread. This was originally made from goat's milk.

Schloss, castle cheese, Schlosskase, Schlosskäse

This Austrian cow's milk cheese is a marvelous choice for people who like strong "stinky" cheeses. It's good with beer, but it would overpower most wines.

Stracchino, Crescenza, Stracchino di Crescenza

This soft Italian cow's milk cheese is mild and spreadable. It's great on pizza. Use within a few days after purchasing and, for best flavor, serve at room temperature.

Teleme

This is an ancient Middle Eastern cheese made from goat or sheep's milk.