Explore Cheeses

Explore cheese varieties from around the world, categorized by texture, milk type, and region.

Pecorino Sardo

Pecorino Sardo, also known as Fiore Sardo, is a firm sheep’s milk cheese from Sardinia, Italy. It comes in two varieties: Dolce (sweet), which is younger and softer, and Maturo (mature), which is harder and has a more intense flavor. …

Country: Italy
Milk Type: Sheep's Milk
Texture: Firm but springy and elastic for Dolce, Hard and grainy for Maturo
Flavor: Mild and sweet for Dolce, More piquant and pronounced in salt for Maturo

Jarlsberg

Jarlsberg is a famous Norwegian cheese, known for its distinctive sweet and nutty taste. It is a semi-soft cheese with large, round holes. Jarlsberg is versatile and can be sliced, grilled, or melted. It is often used in sandwiches, as …

Country: Norway
Milk Type: Cow's milk
Texture: Semihard
Flavor: Mild, sweet, nutty

Queso de Acehúche

Queso de Acehúche is a traditional Spanish cheese made exclusively from raw goat’s milk from Murciana-Granadina, Florida, Malagueña, Retinta, and Verata breeds. It is produced in the province of Cáceres, Extremadura, using enzymatic coagulation and matures for at least 40 …

Milk Type: Goat
Texture: Semi-hard, elastic, slightly moist
Flavor: Low saltiness, moderate acidity, low bitterness, low pungency, more pronounced in aged cheeses

Halloumi

Halloumi is a semi-hard, unripened brined cheese from Cyprus, made from a mixture of goat’s and sheep’s milk, and sometimes also cow’s milk. Renowned for its high melting point, Halloumi can be grilled or fried to a crispy exterior with …

Country: Cyprus
Milk Type: Cow's, goat's and sheep's milk
Texture: Semihard
Flavor: Mild, salty

Beaufort

Beaufort is a smooth, creamy cheese from the Savoie region of France. Known for its distinct concave wheel shape, it is produced from raw cow's milk and aged in mountain caves for a minimum of five months. Beaufort has a …

Country: France
Milk Type: Cow's milk
Texture: Hard

Crottin-Style

Crottin-style cheese is a small, round goat cheese known for its dense texture and slightly tangy flavor. It is typically aged, developing a firm, crumbly interior and a natural rind that can range from white to speckled with blue molds. …

Paneer

Paneer is a fresh, unaged cheese common in Indian and Pakistani cuisine. Made from cow or buffalo milk, it has a mild flavor and a dense, crumbly texture that holds its shape when cooked. Paneer doesn't melt, making it ideal …

Country: Bangladesh and India
Milk Type: Cow's or water buffalo's milk
Texture: Semisoft, crumbly
Flavor: Mild, slightly milky

Queijo de Azeitão

Queijo de Azeitão is a traditional cheese from Portugal, specifically produced in the Palmela, Setúbal, and Sesimbra councils. It is a matured cheese made from raw sheep's milk, cardoon preparation, and salt. The cheese has a distinctive shape, being a …

Country: Portugal
Milk Type: Sheep
Texture: Semi-Soft
Flavor: Slightly piquant, a mix of sharp and salty

Queso Los Beyos

Queso Los Beyos is a traditional cheese from northern Spain, produced in the municipalities of Oseja de Sajambre (Castile-Leon) and Ponga and Amieva (Asturias). It is made from raw or pasteurized cow’s, sheep’s, or goat’s milk, but the milk types …

Milk Type: Cow’s, sheep’s, or goat’s milk (never mixed)
Texture: Hard to semi-hard, closed, friable, crumbly, minimal elasticity
Flavor: Mild (cow’s milk), more intense (sheep’s and goat’s milk)

Traditional Welsh Caerphilly

Traditional Welsh Caerphilly is a hard cheese made in Wales from locally sourced cow’s milk. It can be produced using raw or pasteurized milk and either organic or non-organic methods. The cheese has a mild, slightly lemony taste when young …

Milk Type: Cow
Texture: Hard
Flavor: Mild, slightly lemony when young, fuller but still mild when aged

Mâconnais

Mâconnais is a small cheese made from raw, full-fat goat's milk. It originates from France and is known for its distinctive truncated cone shape. The cheese is soft, creamy, and firm, with a cream color and a flavorsome taste. It …

Country: France
Milk Type: Goat's milk
Texture: Soft, homogenous, creamy, firm, smooth
Flavor: Salty, tangy

Kalathaki Limnou

Kalathaki Limnou is a PDO-certified cheese from the island of Lemnos in Greece. It is made primarily from sheep's milk, or a mixture of sheep's and goat's milk. This cheese has a soft texture and a mild, slightly salty flavor. …

Country: Greece
Milk Type: Pasteurized sheep's milk, Goat’s milk (up to 30%)
Texture: Soft
Flavor: Pleasant, slightly acidic

Trnič

Trnič is a pear-shaped cheese from Slovenia, traditionally made on the Velika Planina plateau. It is a hard cheese made from curdled cow's milk, with added cream and salt. Historically, it was made by shepherds as a token of love, …

Country: Slovenia
Milk Type: Cow’s milk
Texture: Hard
Flavor: Salty and slightly acidic

Traditional Ayrshire Dunlop

Traditional Ayrshire Dunlop is a hard cheese made in the parish of Dunlop, Scotland, using milk from Ayrshire cows. It has a natural pale yellow color and a smooth, close surface that feels moist when cut. The cheese develops a …

Milk Type: Cow
Texture: Hard
Flavor: Mild and nutty when young, develops creamier, stronger nutty flavors with age

Ossau-Iraty

Ossau-Iraty is a traditional cheese from the Basque and Béarn regions of France. Made from sheep's milk, it has a smooth, creamy texture and a rich, nutty flavor. This cheese is often enjoyed on its own or used in cooking, …

Country: France
Milk Type: Sheep's milk
Texture: Homogeneous, uncooked, pressed
Flavor: Fruity, herbaceous, nutty

Bandel

Bandel, originating from the Bandel region in West Bengal, India, is notable for its dry, crumbly texture and strong, salty flavor. This cheese is typically available in small, circular flats and is aged to develop its distinctive taste. Bandel is …

Country: India
Milk Type: Cow's milk
Texture: Crumbly
Flavor: Mild and slightly salty

Derby

Derby cheese originates from Derbyshire, England, and is made from cow's milk. It is a semi-firm, ivory-colored cheese that is known for its buttery and mild flavor, with a hint of sweetness. The aroma is gentle, making it an approachable …

Country: England and United Kingdom
Milk Type: Cow's milk
Texture: Semi-firm, artisan
Flavor: Buttery, mild, sweet

Cream Cheese

Cream cheese is a fresh, soft cheese made primarily from cow's milk. It is typically pasteurized and has a smooth, spreadable texture. The flavor profile is creamy, mild, and slightly sweet, making it a versatile addition to both savory and …

Country: United States
Milk Type: Cow's milk
Texture: Fresh soft, processed
Flavor: Creamy, mild, sweet

Wagashi

Wagashi is a West African cheese made primarily from cow's milk, though goat's milk can also be used. It is a soft, fresh cheese with a spongy texture and a mild, slightly sour taste. Wagashi is often fried or grilled, …

Milk Type: Cow’s milk
Texture: Compact

Raclette

Raclette is a semi-hard cheese made from cow's milk, famous for melting beautifully. It is native to parts of Switzerland and France. The cheese is typically heated, either in front of a fire or by a special machine, then scraped …

Country: Switzerland
Milk Type: Cow's milk
Texture: Semisoft, smooth
Flavor: Mildly acidic

Colonial

Colonial cheese is a traditional Brazilian cheese known for its semi-hard texture and mild flavor. It is often compared to European cheeses like Gouda or Edam due to its smooth, creamy consistency. The cheese has a pale yellow color and …

Country: Brazil

Ragusano

Ragusano is an Italian cheese from the provinces of Ragusa and Syracuse in Sicily. Made from the milk of Modicana cows, it is a firm, stretched-curd cheese similar to Caciocavallo. Characterized by its rectangular block shape and smooth, golden rind, …

Country: Italy
Milk Type: Cow's milk
Texture: Compact with widely spaced holes
Flavor: From pleasant, sweet, and piquant delicate to savory and spicy with aging

Gruyère

Gruyère is a famous Swiss hard cheese, known for its rich, creamy, slightly nutty flavor. It is typically aged for six months or more and has a dense, slightly grainy texture. Gruyère is a staple in <a href="https://anycheese.com/glossary/fondue/" title="Learn All …

Country: Switzerland
Milk Type: Cow’s milk
Texture: Dense, moister
Flavor: Nutty, complex

Queso de Valdeón

Queso de Valdeón is a full-fat blue cheese from Posada de Valdeón in León, Spain. It is made from raw or pasteurized cow’s milk or a mixture of cow’s, sheep’s, and goat’s milk, using lactic acid and enzymatic coagulation. The …

Country: Spain
Milk Type: Cow’s, or a mix of cow’s, sheep’s, and goat’s milk
Texture: Low elasticity, crumbly, melts in the mouth
Flavor: Intense, salty, piquant, lightly ardent

Chevrotin

Chevrotin is an artisanal goat's milk cheese from the Alpine regions of France. It is similar to Reblochon but made exclusively from goat's milk. Chevrotin has a washed rind and a supple, creamy texture with a slightly nutty and earthy …

Country: France
Milk Type: Goat's Milk
Texture: Soft, unctuous
Flavor: Mild, Caprine

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