We are independent & ad-supported. We may earn a commission for purchases made through our links.
Advertiser Disclosure
Our website is an independent, advertising-supported platform. We provide our content free of charge to our readers, and to keep it that way, we rely on revenue generated through advertisements and affiliate partnerships. This means that when you click on certain links on our site and make a purchase, we may earn a commission. Learn more.
How We Make Money
We sustain our operations through affiliate commissions and advertising. If you click on an affiliate link and make a purchase, we may receive a commission from the merchant at no additional cost to you. We also display advertisements on our website, which help generate revenue to support our work and keep our content free for readers. Our editorial team operates independently of our advertising and affiliate partnerships to ensure that our content remains unbiased and focused on providing you with the best information and recommendations based on thorough research and honest evaluations. To remain transparent, we’ve provided a list of our current affiliate partners here.
Food

Our Promise to you

Founded in 2002, our company has been a trusted resource for readers seeking informative and engaging content. Our dedication to quality remains unwavering—and will never change. We follow a strict editorial policy, ensuring that our content is authored by highly qualified professionals and edited by subject matter experts. This guarantees that everything we publish is objective, accurate, and trustworthy.

Over the years, we've refined our approach to cover a wide range of topics, providing readers with reliable and practical advice to enhance their knowledge and skills. That's why millions of readers turn to us each year. Join us in celebrating the joy of learning, guided by standards you can trust.

What is ChèVre Cheese?

Tricia Christensen
By
Updated: May 16, 2024
Views: 50,767
Share

Chèvre is the French word for goat, and chèvre cheese refers to cheese made from goat’s milk. Many of these cheeses are created exclusively from the milk of goats and do not include cow or sheep’s milk. Chèvre cheese is extremely common in many places in the world, including France, and more and more, you’ll see delicious types of goat cheese made in the US, with many small local dairies producing excellent cheeses.

In the US, many people think of a light soft, somewhat crumbly cheese, similar in consistency to cream cheese as chèvre cheese. Actually, there are numerous wonderful forms of goat cheese, including semi-soft versions that taste like jack cheese, and hard versions, which may be smoked, and taste like gouda, or aged to make an excellent substitute for parmesan.

Chèvre cheese, in soft forms, has a sharper taste than does cream cheese. It may be paired with herbs, covered in black pepper, and comes in a variety of sizes and shapes. The cheese is easily molded into small rounds, log shapes, or large rounds that are sliced. You can use this form of chèvre cheese in a variety of ways. It melts wonderfully, making it delicious on pizzas or in calzones. It can merely be eaten on crackers or bread, or spread onto bagels for a delicious alternative to cream cheese. Chunks of soft chèvre are excellent in salads or make a great addition on a cheese and fruit plate.

Harder forms of chèvre cheese are meant to be eaten very much in the same way you would eat their cow milk equivalents. Aged chèvre can be sprinkled onto popcorn, top pasta, or eaten in small slices. Hard goat cheese that has a similar taste to Gouda or cheddar can make great cheese sandwiches.

Substituting chèvre cheese for cow or sheep milk cheese is not exactly direct. You’ll find that the flavors in chèvre are much more diverse. For example, feta, generally made from sheep’s milk tends to be a great deal saltier than soft chèvre. In fact many people prefer the milder goat’s milk soft cheese to feta because it is less salty.

You’re likely to pay quite a bit more for chèvre cheese than you will for cow milk cheese, especially if you buy imported versions from France. In the US, there’s really no need to purchase imports, since so many goat dairies are producing different forms of chèvre that are equally as good as French versions. Still, even US made versions are likely to be more expensive ounce for ounce, by about a third, than would a cow milk cheese.

The price is often well worth it. In addition to complex flavors and styles, many people find they can more easily digest chèvre than they do cow milk cheese. The two “milks” are quite different. Goat milk tends to be more alkaline, while cow’s milk causes an acid response in the body. Milk from goats is also creamier than cow’s milk, and naturally higher in antioxidants.

Share
DelightedCooking is dedicated to providing accurate and trustworthy information. We carefully select reputable sources and employ a rigorous fact-checking process to maintain the highest standards. To learn more about our commitment to accuracy, read our editorial process.
Tricia Christensen
By Tricia Christensen
With a Literature degree from Sonoma State University and years of experience as a DelightedCooking contributor, Tricia Christensen is based in Northern California and brings a wealth of knowledge and passion to her writing. Her wide-ranging interests include reading, writing, medicine, art, film, history, politics, ethics, and religion, all of which she incorporates into her informative articles. Tricia is currently working on her first novel.
Discussion Comments
By anon86564 — On May 25, 2010

Do you eat the rind of chevre? The French chevre I bought has a dark ring inside the rind. Is this to be eaten?

By anon24701 — On Jan 16, 2009

what is a substitute for goat cheese?

Tricia Christensen
Tricia Christensen
With a Literature degree from Sonoma State University and years of experience as a DelightedCooking contributor, Tricia...
Learn more
Share
https://www.delightedcooking.com/what-is-chevre-cheese.htm
Copy this link
DelightedCooking, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.

DelightedCooking, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.