Goat Cheese Guide: From Fresh Chèvre to Aged Crottin
Goat cheese is the bright, tangy, sometimes underrated heart of the cheese world. It covers everything from soft, spreadable fresh chèvre to firm, aged wheels with a nutty depth. For anyone who finds cow’s milk cheese too rich, or simply wants something livelier on the board, goat cheese is the answer.
Why goat’s milk is different
Goat’s milk has smaller fat globules and a slightly different protein structure from cow’s milk, which makes it easier to digest for many people and gives the cheese its characteristic tangy, grassy, “caprine” flavour. It is also naturally lower in the fat that produces the yellow colour of cow’s milk cheeses — so goat cheese is usually brilliant white.
The range of goat cheese
Fresh chèvre
Soft, moist, snowy-white and spreadable, with a fresh, lemony tang. Use it on toast, in salads, whipped with herbs, or in pasta.
Crottin de Chavignol
A small, round Loire valley cheese with a protected name. It comes in stages: young and fresh (mild, creamy), then wrapped in a white rind (firmer), then aged (dry, dense, intensely nutty). Pick your stage.
Chèvre logs and bûches
The soft, ash-dusted logs common on supermarket shelves. They can be eaten fresh or allowed to mature into a firmer, tangier cheese.
Aged goat cheeses
Some goat cheeses are aged for months, developing a firm, dense paste with notes of nuts, caramel and — at their best — a rich savoury depth that surprises anyone who thinks goat cheese is only tangy and soft.
What goat cheese tastes like
At its freshest, goat cheese is bright, lemony and slightly sour. As it ages, the tang softens into nuttiness and depth. The rind, especially on aged versions, can be earthy and barnyardy.
How to use goat cheese
- Fresh: spread on bruschetta, crumble into salads, whip with honey and herbs, stir into pasta
- Aged: slice onto a board, shave over greens, bake with herbs
- Classic: warm goat cheese salad — the pairing of the cheese’s acidity with a vinaigrette is perfect
Pairings
- Wine: Sauvignon Blanc, Sancerre, or a dry rosé
- Beer: a wheat beer or a fruity Belgian ale
- Food: honey, figs, thyme, walnuts, beetroot
Frequently asked questions
Is goat cheese healthier than cow’s milk cheese?
It is lower in fat and calories than most cow’s milk cheeses, and easier for some to digest. It is not automatically “healthier” — it is a different cheese with different qualities.
Can I eat the rind?
On fresh chèvre there is no real rind. On aged goat cheeses the rind is edible but can be intensely earthy — taste it and decide.
How long does it keep?
Fresh chèvre for about a week; aged goat cheese for weeks or longer, wrapped in paper in the fridge.
Explore the other families in our guide to types of cheese.
