Edam and Gouda are both originally Dutch cheeses which melt well making them good for sauces, soups and toppings. Edam (Edamer in Dutch) is a sweet-curd cheese made from part skimmed milk, originally form the Edam area of North Amsterdam, usually packaged in a waxy red or black skin. Gouda is also a sweet-curd cheese from Holland but from the Southwest region of Amsterdam and usually sold with a thinner yellow skin.
Comparison chart
| | Edam Cheese | Gouda Cheese |
|---|---|---|
| Preparation | Made from part-skimmed milk; 40% fat content. | Made from whole milk; 48% fat content. |
| Origin | Cheese from the Edam area of North Amsterdam. | Originally cheese from the area around the town of Gouda, Southwest of Amsterdam. |
| Properties | Drier, lighter and tarter than Gouda. Flows less when melted and browns better. | Creamy buttery texture. Available flavored with herbs, spices and pepper, or smoked. Flows better and resists browning. |
| Culinary uses | Sliceable, making it ideal for sandwiches. Also good for sauces, soups, roulades. | Crumbles, shreds and melts well easily making it ideal for toppings, sauces and soups. |
| Wine Pairing | Syrah(R) / Riesling(W) | Pinot Gris(W) / Rose(D) |
Composition and Texture
Edam is drier, lighter and tarter than Gouda, flows less when melted and browns better. It ages for a longer period of time without deteriorating.
Gouda is made from whole milk and has 8% more fat than Edam. This makes it flow when melted. Gouda has a creamy buttery texture due its higher fat content.
Export
The Netherlands exports 60% of the world's Gouda cheese and 40% of Edam.
Culinary uses
Since Edam is drier it is more sliceable making it perfect for sandwiches and ready to go snacks. Gouda is used in gourmet pizza toppings as it melts well. Both are good for making soups, roulades, casseroles and sauces.
Nutritional Information
Edam and Gouda cheese do not vary significantly in nutrition values. Gouda is a little richer, with a slightly higher calorie content and fat than Edam. The following table has nutritional information for 100 grams of Edam and Gouda Cheese.
| Edam Cheese (per 100g) | Gouda Cheese (per 100g) | |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 326 | 376 |
| Protein | 25.3 | 24 |
| Carbohydrate | 0 | 0 |
| Fat | 24.9 | 31.5 |
| Fiber | 0 | 0 |
| Sugar | 0 | 0 |
Price
Cheese prices vary, but a pound of gouda currently costs between $7.25 for plain and $16.99 for extra-sharp aged cheese.
Edam costs about $4.98 per pound.
Types of Cheese
In the following video, Chef Blake Landeau provides an overview of various types of cheese, what milk is used to make them, and what dishes they are good for:
Comments: Edam Cheese vs Gouda Cheese
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