5 Best Robiola Cheese Substitute

The best Robiola cheese substitute is fresh goat cheese (chèvre) for boards and spreads, and mascarpone for pasta sauces and risotto. Both match either the tangy freshness or the silky, creamy richness that makes Robiola so special in Italian cooking.

I need to correct something before this article goes any further. The previous version of this guide described Robiola as a “plant-based” cheese. That is completely wrong, and I am sorry it was published that way.

Robiola is a premium Northern Italian dairy cheese made from cow’s, goat’s, and/or sheep’s milk, and it has been a jewel of Piedmontese cooking for centuries.

If you have been searching for a Robiola substitute because you cannot find it locally, you are in the right place. This guide covers what Robiola actually is, the varieties you might encounter, what it tastes like, and the 8 closest substitutes mapped to each use.

Key Takeaways

• Fresh goat cheese (chèvre) is the closest flavor match for Robiola’s tangy, creamy character on boards and crostini
• Mascarpone is the best substitute for Robiola pasta sauce and risotto, matching the silky, rich creaminess
• Stracchino or crescenza is the most structurally accurate substitute since it is in the same Italian cheese family as Robiola
• Brie works on cheese boards when you want the soft, spreadable, mild character without the tanginess
• Robiola Bosina (the famous “bosina cheese”) is a 50% cow / 50% sheep milk version from the Langhe and is the style most commonly available in the US
• Robiola di Roccaverano is the only DOP variety, and as of February 2023 it must be made from 100% goat’s milk
• In the US, Robiola is available at Eataly, Murray’s Cheese, Whole Foods specialty counters, and igourmet.com

What Is Robiola Cheese?

Robiola is a soft, fresh Italian cheese from the Langhe region of Piedmont and parts of Lombardy, belonging to the stracchino family of Northern Italian fresh cheeses. The name most likely comes from the Latin ruber (red), referring to the reddish color the rind develops when aged, though some sources trace it to the town of Robbio in Pavia province.

What makes Robiola distinctive is that it can be made from cow’s milk only, goat’s milk only, sheep’s milk only, or any combination of all three. The milk blend and the exact village where it is made determine whether you get a mild, buttery bite or something earthier, tangier, and more complex. The cheese is sold in small rounds or squares, typically with a soft paste that is spreadable when fresh and becomes slightly runnier just under the rind as it ages.

This is not one single cheese but a whole family of related cheeses united by their soft texture, fresh character, and Northern Italian origins. Janet Fletcher, writing on Planet Cheese, called exploring the Robiola family “a rabbit hole” because there are so many wonderful versions.

What Does Robiola Cheese Taste Like?

Fresh Robiola tastes mild, milky, creamy, and slightly tangy with a gentle sweetness that reminds many people of very good yogurt or crème fraîche. The texture is soft and spreadable with a clean, fresh-dairy character.

As it ages, Robiola becomes runnier just under the rind and develops more earthy, mushroomy, and nutty notes with a fuller acidity. Some wheels develop a light yeasty quality that makes them genuinely complex on a cheese board. The aroma is more assertive than the flavor, which is typical of soft-ripened Italian cheeses.

The milk type affects the taste significantly. Cow’s milk Robiola is the mildest and creamiest. Goat’s milk versions are tangier and more citrusy.

Sheep’s milk adds a richer, slightly gamier note. A tre latte (three-milk) version layers all of these qualities into a balanced, complex whole.

Robiola Varieties

Robiola di Roccaverano DOP

Robiola di Roccaverano is the only Robiola with protected DOP status, made in the Monferrato hills in the provinces of Asti and Alessandria. It is Italy’s only PDO-protected goat’s milk cheese.

In February 2023 the specification changed: the name was officially shortened to Roccaverano DOP and the cheese now requires 100% goat’s milk. Previously up to 50% cow or sheep milk was allowed, so older sources may state different ratios.

Production is tiny, roughly 400,000 units per year from around 15 mostly family-run producers. It is earthier, more acidic, and more assertive than commercial Robiola.

Robiola Bosina (Bosina Cheese)

Robiola Bosina is the most widely available Robiola in the US and the version most people encounter first. It is a “due latte” (two-milk) blend of 50% cow’s milk and 50% sheep’s milk, made by Caseificio dell’Alta Langa in the village of Bosia in the Langhe.

It is square-shaped, very creamy and mild, with notes of butter, hay, and a hint of mushroom. Murray’s Cheese describes it as having a balance between the roundness of cow’s milk and the more decisive character of sheep’s milk.

This is the one to seek out if you want to try Robiola for the first time.

Robiola Due Latti

Due latti means “two milks.” This style is typically a blend of cow and sheep milk or cow and goat milk, with a silky texture, mild tang, and a pleasantly soft paste. It is lighter and milder than the full tre latte version.

Robiola Tre Latte

Tre latte means “three milks,” combining cow, sheep, and goat milk for a more layered, complex flavor than either of the single-milk versions. Guffanti’s importer describes it as “buttery perfection, rich and seamless.”

Robiola Rocchetta

Robiola Rocchetta is a specific three-milk variety from Caseificio dell’Alta Langa. Cheese writer Janet Fletcher calls the Alta Langa Rocchetta “sublime, with hints of mushroom, earth and crème fraîche,” with a silky, cheesecake-like texture when perfectly ripe.

8 Best Robiola Cheese Substitutes

1. Fresh Goat Cheese (Chèvre)

Fresh goat cheese is the closest flavor match for Robiola when it is being used on a cheese board, spread on crostini, or dressed with honey and herbs. The tanginess, the spreadable texture, and the clean lactic dairy character are all very close to what Robiola delivers. The main difference is that chèvre has a more distinctly “goaty” flavor than mild Robiola Bosina, which balances sheep and cow milk.

Use it at a 1:1 ratio for boards, salads, and spreads. For a closer match to Robiola’s gentleness, blend the goat cheese with a small amount of cream cheese to soften the tanginess.

Montchevre French Goat Cheese Log 10oz is a soft, creamy log with a mild, approachable tang that works beautifully on a board or crumbled over salads. It is one of the most reliable fresh goat cheese options on Amazon.

Best for: Cheese boards, crostini, salads, spreads, any cold fresh application

2. Mascarpone

Mascarpone is the best substitute when Robiola is being used in a cooked dish. The famous Robiola pasta sauce (where the cheese is melted into hot pasta with a splash of pasta water) works beautifully with mascarpone since it is rich, silky, and does not break when heated. It is sweeter and richer than Robiola, so use slightly less than the recipe calls for and let the pasta water bring the right consistency.

For risotto, stir cold mascarpone in off the heat at the mantecatura stage. The result is genuinely luxurious.

BelGioioso Mascarpone 8oz is the gold standard US mascarpone and is confirmed active on Amazon. It is also available at Whole Foods and most good grocery stores.

Best for: Pasta sauce, risotto, filled pasta, desserts, any cooked cream-sauce application

3. Cream Cheese

Cream cheese is the most accessible substitute in the US and covers Robiola’s role as a spreadable, mildly tangy dairy cheese. It is firmer than Robiola, so thin it with a little whole milk or heavy cream (one tablespoon at a time) to get closer to Robiola’s soft, yielding texture.

For spreads, bagels, crostini, and dips, cream cheese works well at a 1:1 ratio. In pasta sauces, it melts adequately but can be slightly gluey without enough pasta water to loosen it.

Philadelphia Cream Cheese 8oz is always in stock, is the most neutral option, and gives you a clean base to work from. Add a squeeze of lemon juice to bring back some of Robiola’s characteristic tang.

Best for: Spreads, dips, crostini, baking, pasta (with added pasta water)

4. Brie

Brie is one of the most satisfying substitutes for Robiola on a cheese board. Both are soft, spreadable, bloomy, and mild with a buttery richness and a gentle tang from the lactic culture. Brie is nuttier and earthier than fresh Robiola, but they occupy the same general space on a board.

Remove the rind if you want a cleaner, milder flavor that reads closer to young Robiola. Leave it on if you are leaning into the earthier notes.

President Brie Foil Wrapped Wedge 7oz is a consistently stocked, reliable option that works well for boards without any fuss. For a larger format, look for the President Brie wheel at specialty cheese counters.

Best for: Cheese boards, crostini with honey and fig, baked appetizers, spreads

5. Camembert

Camembert has a more assertive, mushroomy, earthy flavor than Brie, which makes it a stronger match for the aged versions of Robiola that have developed more complexity. For a board where you want a soft, spreadable cheese with real character, Camembert delivers that.

It also melts well in baked dishes and dips. The earthiness pairs particularly well with walnuts, pears, and cured meats, which are natural Robiola companions.

For more on when Camembert is the right call and when it falls short, the substitute for Camembert cheese guide covers its full range of applications.

Best for: Cheese boards, baked dishes, dips, anywhere aged Robiola is the goal

6. Ricotta

Ricotta is the right Robiola substitute for baked dishes and pasta fillings. Both are mild, slightly sweet, and work well in dishes where the cheese acts as a creamy, white, soft filling rather than a feature ingredient. Ricotta is grainier and less tangy than Robiola, so the texture is different, but in stuffed pasta, lasagna, and baked vegetables, the result is genuinely satisfying.

For a closer texture match, drain the ricotta in a fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth for an hour before using. This tightens the paste and removes excess moisture.

Galbani Ricotta 15oz is a consistently available, clean-flavored ricotta that is the most reliable Amazon option for this application.

Best for: Stuffed pasta, lasagna, baked vegetables, pasta fillings, cheesecake

7. Taleggio

Taleggio is a washed-rind Italian cheese from Lombardy that is in the same broad Northern Italian soft-cheese tradition as Robiola, though with a stronger, funkier, more assertive character. For cooked dishes where the Robiola is melting into a sauce, Taleggio performs similarly and adds real depth.

It is considerably more pungent than Robiola on a cheese board, so it is a better substitute for cooking than for fresh eating. Use slightly less than the recipe calls for and taste as you go.

Best for: Pasta sauce, pizza, baked pasta, tartiflette-style baked potato dishes, risotto

8. Stracchino / Crescenza

Stracchino (also sold as crescenza) is technically the closest cheese to Robiola since both belong to the same Northern Italian stracchino family. It is soft, fresh, very mild, and slightly tangy, with a spreadable paste that is almost identical in texture to young Robiola. BelGioioso makes a US-produced Crescenza-Stracchino that is the most accessible version in North America.

The challenge is finding it. It is not at every grocery store, but Italian specialty shops and some Whole Foods carry it. When you can find it, use it at a 1:1 ratio in any Robiola application.

Best for: Every Robiola application; it is the most accurate overall match

Robiola Cheese Recipes

The most famous Robiola recipe is pasta with Robiola sauce (pasta alla Robiola), which is one of those deceptively simple dishes that tastes far more sophisticated than the effort required. Melt cubed Robiola into hot pasta with a splash of pasta water and a handful of grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, toss until creamy, and eat immediately. The natural fats in Robiola emulsify with the starchy water into a silky coating that no cream sauce can quite replicate.

Other classic uses include Robiola risotto (stirred in at the mantecatura stage), crostini with Robiola and honey, stuffed chicken breast with Robiola and herbs, and gnocchi alla Robiola from the Alta Langa. It also appears as a pizza bianca topping, dolloped on focaccia, or folded into crepes.

For any of these, the substitute depends on the application: mascarpone for the cooked sauce-based recipes, fresh goat cheese for the boards and crostini. The Castelmagno cheese substitutes guide covers the broader Piedmontese cheese family that Robiola belongs to, which is worth exploring if you are getting deeper into Northern Italian cooking.

Where to Buy Robiola Cheese in the US

Robiola is genuinely difficult to find at standard grocery stores. These are the most reliable US sources:

Eataly carries Guffanti Robiola Roccaverano and Caseificio dell’Alta Langa Robiola Bosina in-store and via same-day delivery at their US locations in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Boston, and Las Vegas.

Murray’s Cheese sells Robiola Bosina online and through their Kroger shop-in-shop locations, which are in many states.

igourmet.com ships Robiola nationally. They stock multiple styles and varieties with overnight cold-pack shipping.

Whole Foods occasionally carries artisan robiola-style cheeses at the specialty cheese counter, including domestic versions like Boxcarr’s Rosie’s Robiola from North Carolina.

Amazon note: The Robiola Bosina ASIN that appears in Amazon search results is currently listed as unavailable. Do not rely on Amazon for the actual cheese. For a beautiful exploration of the Italian soft cheese world that Robiola belongs to, the igourmet Italian Cheese Sampler with 8 regional Italian cheeses ships expedited and is a wonderful introduction.

Storing Robiola and Its Substitutes

Robiola is a highly perishable fresh cheese. Once you open it, eat it within a week. The paste oxidizes and dries quickly if left exposed to air.

Formaticum cheese storage bags work well for any soft, high-moisture cheese. The breathable paper keeps the moisture in without trapping the off-gases that make plastic-wrapped cheese taste sour. Pull Robiola out of the fridge 30 minutes before serving so the full buttery, tangy character opens up at room temperature.

The ChefSofi charcuterie board set includes four knives and ceramic bowls for honey, nuts, and accompaniments. Robiola on a board with fig jam, walnuts, and a drizzle of chestnut honey is one of the most effortlessly impressive cheese presentations in Italian cooking.

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