Cottage cheese and farmers cheese are both varieties of fresh cheese; they are not aged but used immediately after making them.  

These soft textured white cheeses are versatile; they can be used in salads, served as dips, used as a filling or topping for pasta. They can also be used for baking  

Although they are very similar, there are slight differences in how these two fresh cheeses are produced  

In this post, we discuss the differences between farmer cheese and cottage cheese.

Difference between cottage cheese and farmers cheese

The main difference between these two cheeses ranges from how they are prepared, the type of milk used, their moisture and texture.

Preparation

The technique used to make these two cheeses varies slightly.

In farmer cheese, after the curds are formed and have been gathered, they are pressed to remove some of the remaining whey from the cheese. 

On the other hand, cottage cheese is only drained but not pressed which leaves behind a lot more whey.

Milk

Farmers cheese is made from the whole milk of goat, cow or sheep.

Cottage cheese is typically made with skimmed cow milk.

Skimmed milk is produced from whole milk by removing the milkfats in whole milk.

Moisture

Farmer cheese has less moisture content compared to cottage cheese. This is because farmers cheese is pressed after draining the curds.

The moisture content also affects the textures of these cheeses.

Texture

As cottage cheese has more moisture, it also has a looser texture compared to farmer’s cheese.

Farmer cheese is drier with a more crumbly texture than cottage cheese.

Fat

Farmers cheese has more fat compared to cottage cheese.

Since cottage cheese is made with skimmed milk, it has a far lesser fat content than farmers cheese which is made with whole cow milk.

What is farmer’s cheese?

A Soft textured cheese white cheese that is made from cow, sheep or goat milk 

It can be made with either pasteurized or raw milk. 

This cheese is relatively easy to make at home especially for beginners 

Vinegar, lemon juice or citric acid are added to the milk for curds to form.  

The curds are gathered while the whey is drained. Additionally, the curds are pressed to remove more moisture.

Once dried, the cheese is ready for use.

The consistency of farmers cheese may vary from one cheesemaker to another. The texture of the cheese can be crumbly; it can also be sliceable. 

This cheese has a mild flavor but also quite tangy 

Fruits, vegetables, herbs and also spices can be added in some recipes of this cheese to enhance its flavor 

This cheese can be eaten on its own, it can also be used in sandwiches  

Farmers cheese goes well with strong flavored ingredients, and it can also be used as a substitute for cottage cheese. 

Cottage cheese

Another name that this cheese is known by is curds and whey. It may also be known as Dutch cheese 

Cottage cheese originated from East and Central Europe.

It is a white colored cheese, it is moist, and it has a mild creamy and slightly tangy flavor

Cottage is a fresh cheese, which means that it is not aged but eaten right after it has been made.

This cheese is made from skimmed cow milk. The milk could be Pasteurized as well 

After the curds are formed, they are drained. However, some of the whey are still left in the cheese as it is not pressed.

Cream is often added to cottage cheese. Fruits and vegetables can also be added into the cheese for extra flavors.

Cottage cheese could be used in different ways. It can be eaten on its own, it can also be mixed with fruits.

This cheese can be used in pastry making as well.

Cottage cheese is low in fat. It has high protein and is also rich in calcium.

Conclusion

These fresh cheeses are eaten fresh and can be made within a short period of time 

Compared to aged cheese varieties, they have a shorter shelf life. 

They are best taken when fresh as they get bad quickly  

These fresh cheese varieties may last about a week, so it has to been eaten fast once opened