cheese vs. Butter - The Real Differences

Cheese and butter are highly prized foods that are used in a variety of ways to add flavor and richness to any dish. Commonly used around the world and in many types of dishes, it’s hard to find a recipe without cheese or butter as one of the ingredients.

Both cheese and butter are considered dairy products, meaning they come from milk. There their similarities end.

So what is the actual difference between cheese and butter? The main difference between cheese and butter is that cheese is made by coagulating the casein in milk, while butter is made by separating the butterfat from the whey.

In this article, we’ll go over the differences between cheese and butter, including how they’re made, nutrition facts, flavor, texture, and the best uses.

Read on to learn everything there is to know about cheese and butter.

The real differences between cheese and butter

Both cheese and butter are key ingredients in grilled cheese sandwiches. With gooey cheese melting on the inside and butter crunching the bread on the outside, it’s a perfect match.

So what’s the difference and why isn’t grilled cheese made upside down, with the cheese on the outside and the butter on the inside? The answer should be obvious: they are not the same.

But what is it that differentiates them? As we’ve said before, both cheese and butter start out as regular milk , but the manufacturing process they go through is what turns them into completely different final products.

Read on to learn how cheese and butter are made, as well as their flavor and texture profiles.

The complete guide to cheese

Cheese is a general term for a range of cheeses that vary based on the following factors

• flavor - mild, medium, hot and extra hot
• texture - soft, semi-soft and hard
• age - fresh or aged
• preparation - unripened, mold-ripened and bacteria-ripened
• type of milk - cow, buffalo, sheep, goat, etc.
• country and region - where it was produced

We’ll teach you everything you need to know about cheese (as it relates to butter), including how it’s made and how it’s used.

how cheese is made

Cheese is made by coagulating casein found in milk. In other words, cheese is curdled milk.

In the United States, we usually think of cow’s milk when we think of cheese, but cheese can be made from sheep, buffalo, reindeer, camel, and goat milk. In fact, there are more than a thousand types of cheeses.

Feta is traditionally made from sheep’s milk , but since cow’s milk is cheaper, it’s easier to find cow’s milk in your supermarket.

The mozzarella you’ll find on the classic Italian Margherita pizza is traditionally made with buffalo milk , hence why it’s called buffalo mozzarella.

The softer cheese is known as ricotta . You’ll find ricotta in many Italian recipes, such as lasagna and manicotti.

There are plenty of other things to know about cheese, but for the sake of this article, we’ll wrap up the best uses for cheese and move on to the next topic: butter.

Cheese flavor and texture

As we have said before, cheese is classified into several things, but for this article we will focus on flavor and texture.

The flavor of the cheese depends on the additives that have been introduced into the cheese culture to form a specific flavor.

The flavor of the cheese ranges from:

• Mild - Havarti, Baker’s Cheese, Brie, Cheddar
• Medium - Cheddar, Gouda
• Sharp (and extra-sharp) - Cheddar, Parmesan

You may have noticed that cheddar is in all three flavor profiles. This is because cheddar can be formulated to taste as mild or as sharp as you like.

The texture of the cheese depends on the maturation time and the additives that have been used, if any.

The texture of the cheese ranges from:

• Soft - Ricotta, Cottage Cheese
• Semi -soft - Brie, Havarti
• Hard - Parmesan, Cheddar

Soft cheese tends to have a mild flavor, while hard cheeses tend to have a more pronounced flavor. This is not the case for all cheeses, but it serves as a general guide.

The best uses of cheese

Here are our recommended uses for cheese:

• Sandwiched between two slices of buttered bread and grilled on the stove (yes, you guessed it: grilled cheese)
• Layered Over French Onion Soup
• An essential ingredient in macaroni and cheese
• Folded inside chicken enchiladas
• Use cream cheese to make cheesecake
• Sliced on a chopping board next to sausages and fruit to make a plate of sausages
• Breaded and fried (mozzarella sticks)
• Shredded and layered on a pizza

The Complete Guide to Butter

Learn how butter is made and its recommended uses in the sections below.

how butter is made

Butter is made by separating the milk fats (the solids) from the whey (the liquid). By mixing milk fat solids with casein (milk protein), water, and sometimes salt, you get the classic stick of butter.

Butter can be made with fermented or unfermented milk. The butter that you usually find in grocery stores is made with unfermented milk.

It can also be purchased with or without salt. People often prefer salted butter for its flavor, but if you’re trying to reduce the amount of sodium in your diet, it’s best to choose unsalted butter.

Butter flavor and texture

Butter is very spreadable, similar to cream cheese , and can be hard or runny depending on the temperature of the food.

It is common to spread butter on bread, toast, pancakes and baked potatoes. It is also a good option for sautéing vegetables or cooking meats.

Spoon it over salmon before baking, mix it into your macaroni and cheese, or blend it into your coffee along with MCT oil (known as bulletproof coffee).

The flavor of butter is mild and can be salty or spicy depending on the type of butter.

types of butter

• Salted and unsalted butter
• cultured butter
• Clarified butter and ghee
• vegan butter

The type of butter you choose depends on your goals and your palate. If you’re trying to limit your salt intake, unsalted butter is the best option for you.

If you are dairy intolerant then you can try clarified butter, ghee or vegan butter.

Cultured butter has bacteria added to it, giving it a tangy flavor and adding additional health benefits like better digestion.

The best uses for butter

Butter is a classic ingredient in many dishes. Our favorite uses for butter are

• Spread on bread and/or toast
• Mixed with macaroni and cheese for a more intense flavor
• Simmered with onions and a little brown sugar to make caramelized onions
• As a pancake topping along with maple syrup
• In rice dishes to add flavor and moisture

Make your own cheese and butter

Yes, you can make cheese and butter at home, and it’s relatively easy.

To make cheese and butter at home, this is what you will need

• Whole Milk – You can use milk from any of the animals listed above, but you’ll most likely find cow’s milk at the grocery store unless you have access to other farm animals.
• Strainer or cheesecloth - you can find the best cheesecloths to buy in this article.

Just for the cheese:

• Rennet - is what will coagulate the milk to form the cheese.
• Additives (optional) - this can include things like salt, colourings, herbs and spices.
• Calcium Chloride (optional) - helps form a hard curd and rebalances the calcium in pasteurized milk. Calcium chloride is not recommended for elastic cheeses such as mozzarella.
• Acids (optional) - helps the cheese develop that nice tart flavor we all love. You can choose citric acid or tartaric acid depending on the type of cheese you are making.

Now that you have everything you need, check out this video from How To Make Everything, which is a YouTube channel about, well, everything. Check it.

Related questions

Thanks for reading our article on the differences between butter and cheese. Although we have covered everything you need to know, there is still more that you may be interested in learning. That is why we have answered the related questions below.

Is butter better than cheese?

The answer to this question depends on who you ask.

There are some studies that show the dangers of casein (milk protein) which is found in large amounts in cheese. Plant-based researchers have found a link between casein and the development of cancerous tumors. It is important to be informed, so you can check this article on whether dairy causes cancer here.

However, cheese is also considered a nutritious food that provides sufficient amounts of calcium and protein to our diet.

If you look strictly at calories, cheese wins. Butter contains 100 calories per tablespoon, while cheese contains about 30 calories per tablespoon , making cheese a kinder choice for people watching their calorie intake.

Cheese has more protein content than butter.  In fact, butter is practically 100% fat, while cheese is more balanced, with a ratio of about 70-75% fat 25-30% protein (this will vary depending on the type of cheese).

Can we use cheese instead of butter?

If you try to substitute cheese for butter in a recipe like macaroni and cheese or grilled cheese, you’re in for a big disappointment.

Butter and cheese are meant to be used differently.

Are butter and cheese good for health?

Science has gone back and forth on whether cheese, butter, and dairy products in general are good for you.

The general consensus is that dairy products are healthy in moderation. This means no more than 1 cup of milk or yogurt or no more than 2 ounces of cheese each day.