Types of Soft Cheese

Soft cheese is defined by how it yields rather than how long it ages. Across cultures, soft cheeses are designed to showcase moisture, creaminess, and the transformation of texture as cheese ripens or warms.

Their flavors often unfold gently, carried by fat and aroma rather than sharpness or salt.

From fresh, delicate styles to richly aromatic, spoonable cheeses, the different types of soft cheese reveal how softness becomes a vehicle for expression, allowing subtle milk character, earthiness, and savory depth to emerge through texture first and flavor second.

Types of Soft Cheese

1. Fresh soft cheeses

Fresh soft cheeses are unripened and defined by moisture and immediacy. Their texture is soft, moist, and sometimes lightly grainy or creamy, depending on how they are drained.

• Ricotta
• Cream Cheese
• Fromage Blanc

The flavor is clean, milky, and gently tangy, with very little salt or complexity. These cheeses add lightness and freshness, refreshing the palate and providing contrast to richer or more aromatic soft cheeses.

2. Bloomy-rind cheeses (white mold–ripened)

Bloomy-rind cheeses develop a white, velvety rind that ripens the cheese from the outside inward. As they age, the texture becomes silky and yielding, often turning creamy or runny just beneath the rind.

• Brie de Meaux
• Camembert de Normandie
• Chaource

Flavor evolves from mild and buttery to mushroomy and earthy. These cheeses add elegance and smoothness, delivering flavor through aroma and texture rather than sharpness.

3. Washed-rind cheeses

Washed-rind cheeses are regularly washed during aging, encouraging aromatic bacteria to grow on the surface. This creates a sticky rind and a soft, often spoonable interior.

• Époisses
• Munster
• Taleggio

While the aroma can be intense, the flavor is usually savory, meaty, and slightly sweet rather than harsh. These cheeses add depth and umami, bringing bold aroma and richness to a soft-cheese selection.

4. Semi-soft washed or smear-ripened cheeses

These cheeses sit between soft and semi-soft categories, retaining structure while developing surface ripening. Their texture is supple and smooth, with a gentle chew rather than complete softness.

• Port Salut
• Limburger
• Brick Cheese

Flavor is savory and earthy, often milder than fully washed-rind cheeses. They add balance and restraint, offering aromatic complexity without extreme softness or intensity.

5. Soft alpine cheeses

Soft alpine cheeses are produced in mountainous regions and reflect pasture-driven milk character.

• Reblochon
• Vacherin Mont d’Or
• Tomme Vaudoise

Their texture is elastic and creamy, melting easily on the palate without becoming runny.

Flavor tends to be buttery, nutty, and gently grassy. These cheeses add warmth and comfort, providing richness paired with subtle, pastoral depth.

6. Triple-cream and double-cream cheeses

Triple- and double-cream cheeses are enriched with extra cream, resulting in extremely high fat content. Their texture is dense yet melting, coating the mouth luxuriously.

• Brillat-Savarin
• Saint-André
• Délice de Bourgogne

Flavor is mild, buttery, and slightly tangy rather than complex. These cheeses add indulgence and mouthfeel, emphasizing richness and softness as the primary experience.

7. Soft goat cheeses

Soft goat cheeses range from fresh and spreadable to lightly aged and creamy. Their texture can be smooth or slightly crumbly depending on age.

• Sainte-Maure de Touraine
• Selles-sur-Cher
• Valençay

Flavor is bright, tangy, and fresh, often with citrus or herbal notes that mellow over time. These cheeses add sharpness and clarity, lifting heavier flavors and refreshing the palate.

8. Soft sheep’s milk cheeses

Soft sheep’s milk cheeses are richer and denser than cow’s or goat’s milk equivalents.

• Brebirousse d’Argental
• Pérail
• Torta del Casar

Their texture is creamy but substantial, and the flavor is savory, slightly sweet, and full-bodied.

These cheeses add depth and richness, delivering a concentrated dairy character while remaining soft and approachable.

9. Spoonable or runny soft cheeses

Spoonable soft cheeses are extremely ripe or naturally high in moisture, resulting in near-liquid interiors. Their texture flows rather than slices, creating an immersive eating experience.

• Vacherin Mont d’Or
• Époisses
• Harbison

Flavor is rich, aromatic, and often woodsy or savory. These cheeses add drama and indulgence, emphasizing texture as the dominant element of flavor delivery.

10. Soft melting cheeses

Soft melting cheeses are valued for how they behave under heat. Their texture softens smoothly without separating, becoming silky and cohesive.

• Taleggio
• Reblochon
• Stracchino

Flavor is usually mild and milky, allowing them to blend easily with other ingredients.

These cheeses add comfort and cohesion, contributing richness and fluidity in cooked dishes.