goat cheese
Also known as: Crumbled Goat Cheese
A soft, tangy cheese made from goat's milk, most often sold as a spreadable log that crumbles easily with a fork. Used crumbled cold over salads, melted into sauces, or worked into a filling for its distinctive sharp, slightly barnyard tang.
Buying guidance
Fresh, unaged goat cheese (chevre) is what "goat cheese" usually means unless a firmer aged style is specified -- check the label if unsure which is on the shelf, since aged goat cheeses behave more like a firm cheese and melt differently. It's highly perishable for a cheese; buy close to when it will be used rather than assuming the long shelf life of a hard cheese.
Substitutions
- Feta -- similarly tangy but firmer and saltier; taste before adding extra salt.
- Cream cheese -- much milder and smoother, with none of the tang; good for texture, not flavor.
- Fresh ricotta -- softer and less tangy; a mild, neutral stand-in where the crumbled texture matters more than the sharpness.
Tips & common mistakes
Fresh goat cheese doesn't melt into a smooth, stretchy pool the way cheddar or mozzarella does -- it softens and turns creamy while mostly holding its shape, so don't expect the same gooey stretch from it in a baked or melted dish.
Storage
Press plastic wrap directly against the cut face before rewrapping, since an exposed surface dries out and cracks quickly in the fridge. It's more perishable than most cheeses -- use it within about a week of opening, before it turns sour or slimy.