Explore Cheeses

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

Mimolette

Mimolette is a hard cheese from the region of Lille, France, known for its bright orange color and spherical shape. It has a firm texture and a nutty, sweet flavor that deepens as it ages. Older Mimolette is known for …

Country: France
Milk Type: Cow's milk
Texture: Smooth, creamy body
Flavor: Sweet, less acidic, fruity, nutty, caramel

Gaperon

Gaperon, originating from the Auvergne region, is made from cow's milk with added buttermilk and pepper. This gives it a distinctive, slightly tangy flavor with a spicy kick. It has a bulbous shape and a dry, crumbly texture. Gaperon is …

Country: France
Milk Type: Cow’s milk
Texture: Soft
Flavor: Sharp

Queso Ibores

Queso Ibores is a full-fat goat’s milk cheese from the province of Cáceres, Spain. It is made exclusively from raw milk of Serrana, Verata, and Retinta goats, which graze on the Mediterranean pastures of the Ibores region. The cheese has …

Milk Type: Goat
Texture: Slightly hard, moist, creamy, crumbly to spongy
Flavor: Strong, slightly tart, tangy, and salty

Brick

Brick cheese, originating from Wisconsin, is a medium-soft cheese known for its slightly sweet and earthy flavor when young, which becomes tangy and pungent as it ages. It has a pale yellow color and a springy texture, making it a …

Country: United States
Milk Type: Cow's milk
Texture: Semi-hard, smear-ripened
Flavor: Sweet and mild when young, matures into strong, ripe cheese with age

Pecorino Siciliano

Pecorino Siciliano is an ancient sheep’s milk cheese from Sicily, known for its sharp and spicy flavor. This hard cheese is typically aged for at least four months and has a compact, crumbly texture. It’s often enjoyed on its own …

Country: Italy
Milk Type: Sheep's milk
Texture: Hard and compact
Flavor: Varies from fresh and floral to fruity and spicy with age

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

Ricotta Salata

Ricotta Salata is a pressed, salted, dried, and aged version of ricotta, which turns it into a firm, crumbly cheese with a mild, milky flavor and a slightly salty bite. It's frequently grated over pasta, salads, or used in cooked …

Country: Italy
Milk Type: Sheep's milk
Texture: Semi-hard, whey

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

Bitto

Bitto is a historic cheese from the Valtellina valley in Lombardy, Italy. It is made from a mix of cow's and goat’s milk, giving it a unique, rich flavor. Aged Bitto can mature for up to 10 years, during which …

Country: Italy
Milk Type: Cow's milk primarily, with non-mandatory addition of raw goat’s milk up to 10%

Queso Garrotxa

Formatge Garrotxa is a traditional goat’s milk cheese from Catalonia, Spain, recognized under the Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) system. It is made exclusively from whole goat’s milk using the mixed curdling technique. The cheese has a regular cylindrical shape with …

Country: Spain
Milk Type: Goat
Texture: Firm, smooth
Flavor: Mild lactic notes

Nostrano Valtrompia

Nostrano Valtrompia is a cheese produced in the Valtrompia valley in Lombardy, Italy. It is made from cow's milk and has a hard texture with a rich, nutty flavor. Typically aged for several months, Nostrano Valtrompia is ideal for grating …

Country: Italy
Milk Type: Cow's milk (90% Brown Swiss), up to 10% other breeds or hybrids
Texture: Very hard

Torta del Casar

Torta del Casar is a rich, creamy cheese from Extremadura in Spain, named after the town of Casar de Cáceres. It is made from sheep's milk and has a very creamy, almost liquid interior, with a strong, slightly bitter taste. …

Country: Spain
Milk Type: Sheep's milk
Texture: Very soft and spreadable
Flavor: Rich, slightly bitter

Parmesan

Parmesan, often referred to by its Italian name, Parmigiano-Reggiano, is a hard, granular cheese known for its rich flavor and grainy texture. Made from cow's milk, it's aged for a minimum of 12 months, often much longer, to develop its …

Country: Italy
Milk Type: Cow's milk
Texture: Hard, artisan
Flavor: Salty, savory

Chèvre (Goat Cheese)

Chèvre is the French word for goat, and it refers to any cheese made from goat's milk. These cheeses can vary widely in texture from soft and creamy to firm and crumbly. Chèvre flavors range from mild and smooth to …

Country: France
Milk Type: Goat
Texture: Crumbly , Soft
Flavor: Tangy

Banon

Banon comes from Provence, France, and is distinguished by its unique packaging—wrapped in chestnut leaves and tied with raffia. Made from goat’s milk, this soft cheese has a creamy texture and a fruity, slightly tart flavor that is enhanced by …

Country: France
Milk Type: Goat's milk
Texture: Soft
Flavor: Mild and intense, with notes of mushrooms and forest floor

Fontina

Fontina is a classic Italian cheese from the Aosta Valley, with a dense, smooth texture and a nutty, earthy flavor. It is made from cow's milk and has a slightly elastic feel. Fontina is excellent for melting and is often …

Country: Italy
Milk Type: Cow's milk
Texture: Creamy , Smooth
Flavor: Mild, Buttery, Nutty

Red Leicester

Red Leicester is a traditional English cheese made from cow's milk, similar to cheddar but with a more moist, crumblier texture and a milder flavor. It's notable for its vibrant orange color, achieved by adding annatto to the milk. Aged …

Country: United Kingdom
Milk Type: Cow's milk
Texture: Hard, similar to Cheddar but more moist, crumbly
Flavor: Caramel, sweet

Stichelton

Stichelton is an English blue cheese that is a variation of the traditional Stilton. It is made using raw cow's milk and traditional rennet, which gives it a rich and complex flavor. Stichelton has a creamy texture and a bold, …

Country: England, Great Britain and United Kingdom
Milk Type: Cow's milk
Texture: Semi-Soft
Flavor: Complex

Brocciu

Brocciu is a Corsican cheese made from either sheep's or goat's milk whey, with some milk added. It is similar to ricotta but richer. Brocciu can be consumed fresh or used in various Corsican dishes, including desserts and savory pastries. …

Country: France
Milk Type: Goat's or sheep's milk
Texture: Soft, creamy
Flavor: Meltingly creamy, saltier when matured

Crescenza

Crescenza, also known as Stracchino, is a soft Italian cheese made from cow's milk. It has a very creamy texture and a mild, delicate flavor. This cheese is typically eaten fresh and is often spread on bread or used as …

Country: Italy
Texture: Soft

Katiki Domokou

Katiki Domokou is a soft, fresh cheese from the Domokos region in central Greece. Made from sheep's or goat's milk, it has a creamy, spreadable texture and a mild, slightly tangy flavor. This cheese is often used as a spread …

Country: Greece
Milk Type: Sheep’s milk, goat’s milk, or mixtures
Texture: Spreadable
Flavor: Sour, refreshing

Blue

A type of cheese injected or inoculated with Penicillium mold to create blue or green veins, resulting in a tangy, sharp flavor and creamy or crumbly texture.

Country: France
Milk Type: Cow, Sheep, Goat
Texture: Creamy , Crumbly , Granular , Soft
Flavor: Sharp, Tangy, Savory, Salty, Pungent

Kasseri

Kasseri is a semi-hard cheese made predominantly from sheep's milk, with up to 20% goat's milk allowed. Originating in Greece, it is smooth and pale yellow, known for its elastic texture and mild, buttery flavor with a slight tang. Kasseri …

Country: Greece
Milk Type: Goat's and sheep's milk
Texture: Firm to hard
Flavor: Rich

Queijo de Évora

Queijo de Nisa is a traditional ewe's milk cheese from Portugal. It is a cured cheese with a semi-hard consistency and a white-yellow color. The cheese is known for its small holes and is produced using raw ewe's milk. The …

Milk Type: Ewe's milk
Texture: Semi-hard
Flavor: Not Specified

Canestrato di Moliterno

Canestrato di Moliterno is an Italian cheese from Basilicata, particularly noted for its firm texture and sharp, piquant flavor. It is made from a mix of sheep's and goat's milk and is aged in wicker baskets, which imprint a distinctive …

Country: Italy
Milk Type: 70–90% goat's, 10–30% sheep's
Texture: Hard
Flavor: Varies

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