Explore Cheeses

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

Afuega'l Pitu

Afuega'l Pitu is among the oldest Spanish cheeses, originating from Asturias. It is known for its striking red or orange rind and a spicy, tangy flavor profile. This cheese can be made from either pasteurized or unpasteurized cow's milk and …

Country: Spain
Milk Type: Cow's milk
Texture: Soft
Flavor: Lactic, slightly sour, salted in fresh or hardly ripened cheeses; strong and spicy as ripening progresses

Pljevlja

Pljevlja is a traditional cheese from the northern region of Montenegro, made from cow's milk. It has a rich, creamy texture and a strong, salty flavor. Often served as part of a mezze platter, Pljevlja cheese is enjoyed with bread, …

Country: Montenegro
Milk Type: Sheep’s milk, cow’s milk, mixed
Texture: Soft to semihard

Colby

Colby is an American cheese that originated in Colby, Wisconsin. It is similar to cheddar but is softer, moister, and milder in flavor. Colby is made from cow's milk and has a slightly elastic texture with a creamy, mild flavor …

Country: United States
Milk Type: Cow's milk
Texture: Slightly curdy, softer
Flavor: Mild, milky

Idiazabal

Idiazabal is a traditional Spanish cheese from the Basque Country, made from raw sheep's milk and often smoked over beechwood, giving it a distinctive, robust flavor. It has a slightly dry, but buttery texture, with a smoky, nutty taste. Idiazabal …

Country: Spain
Milk Type: Sheep
Texture: Semi-Hard
Flavor: Intense, slightly piquant

Gouda

Gouda is a famous Dutch cheese named after the city of Gouda in the Netherlands. It is typically made from cow's milk and aged to develop a rich, caramel-like sweetness with a smooth, firm texture. Young Gouda is mild and …

Country: Netherlands
Milk Type: Cow's, goat's or sheep's milk
Texture: Semi-Hard
Flavor: Sweet to nutty

Roquefort

Roquefort is a famous blue cheese from the south of France, made from sheep's milk. It is known for its strong, tangy flavor and moist, crumbly texture. The cheese is ripened in the natural Combalou caves of Roquefort-sur-Soulzon, where it …

Country: France
Milk Type: Sheep's milk
Texture: Moist, very creamy
Flavor: Mild to strong

Queso de Murcia al vino

Queso de Murcia al Vino is a fatty, pressed cheese made from pasteurized Murcian goat’s milk in the Murcia region of Spain. It has a firm, elastic texture and a smooth, maroon-violet rind, which is developed by bathing the cheese …

Milk Type: Goat’s milk
Texture: Firm, elastic, uniform, creamy, unctuous
Flavor: Low-to-medium intensity, persistent

Selles-sur-Cher

Selles-sur-Cher is a French goat cheese from the Centre-Val de Loire region. It features a distinctive ash-covered rind and a firm yet creamy texture. The cheese has a subtle nutty flavor with a hint of tanginess. As it matures, the …

Country: France
Milk Type: Whole goat’s milk
Texture: Fine and firm
Flavor: Fresh, hazelnut

Noord-Hollandse Edammer

Noord-Hollandse Edammer is a traditional Edam cheese made in the Province of Noord-Holland, Netherlands. It is known for its spherical shape with a flat top and bottom, weighing between

Milk Type: Cow's milk
Texture: Malleable
Flavor: Distinctive taste

Arzúa-Ulloa

From the lush pastures of Galicia, Spain, Arzúa-Ulloa is crafted from the milk of local cows. This soft, creamy cheese has a mild, slightly salty taste and a smooth, supple texture, making it excellent for melting. It is often used …

Country: Spain
Milk Type: Cow's milk (raw or pasteurized)
Texture: Soft
Flavor: Slightly salty and pleasantly acidic, buttery and milky with nutty notes

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

Picón Bejes-Tresviso

Picón-Bejes-Tresviso is a full-fat blue cheese from the Liébana district in Cantabria, Spain. It is made from a blend of cow’s (Tudanca, Brown Alpine, Friesian), ewe’s (Lacha), and goat’s (Pyrenean, Picos de Europa) milk. The cheese has a cylindrical shape …

Milk Type: Cow’s, sheep’s, and goat’s milk
Texture: Soft, Semi-Hard, Compact with eyes
Flavor: Slightly piquant

Crème Fraîche

Crème Fraîche is a soured cream from France, characterized by its rich, velvety texture and nutty, tangy flavor. It is similar to sour cream but thicker and less sour. Crème Fraîche is versatile in the kitchen, used in both sweet …

Country: France

Swiss

Swiss cheese in the United States refers to a group of cheeses that resemble the Emmental cheese from Switzerland, known for their medium-hard texture and distinctive holes or "eyes." American Swiss cheese is mild, nutty, and sweet, with a smooth, …

Country: United States
Milk Type: Cow
Texture: Firm , Semi-Firm , Smooth
Flavor: Mild, Nutty, Slightly Sweet

Queso Fresco

Queso Fresco is a Mexican cheese made from cow's milk or a combination of cow and goat milk. It is soft, moist, and crumbly with a mild, slightly tangy flavor. Commonly used in Mexican and Tex-Mex cuisines, it is great …

Country: Mexico
Milk Type: Cow
Texture: Soft, crumbly
Flavor: Mild, Tangy

Coulommiers

Coulommiers is a soft cheese from the Brie region of France, similar to Brie but smaller in size. It has a creamy texture and a mild, buttery flavor that becomes more earthy and complex as it ripens. The cheese is …

Country: France
Milk Type: Cow's milk
Texture: Soft
Flavor: Fresh, creamy to fine, stronger

Caerphilly

Caerphilly is a traditional Welsh cheese made from cow's milk. It is a crumbly, white cheese with a mild taste that sometimes carries a slightly tangy note. Caerphilly is typically aged for a short period, which contributes to its moist …

Country: United Kingdom and Wales
Milk Type: Cow's milk
Texture: Tri-layered: Brie-like to dense core
Flavor: Earthy, barnyard, lemony

Graviera Naxou

Graviera Naxou, from the island of Naxos, is another variety of Graviera cheese in Greece, known for its rich, buttery flavor and semi-hard texture. Made from cow's milk, or a mix of cow’s, sheep’s, and goat’s milk, it is aged …

Country: Greece
Milk Type: Predominantly cow's milk, sheep’s or goat’s milk (up to 20%)
Texture: Elastic

Burrata

Burrata is a fresh Italian cheese, similar to mozzarella but with a creamy interior that oozes out when cut open. Made from cow's milk, the outer shell is solid mozzarella while the inside contains both mozzarella and cream, giving it …

Country: Italy
Milk Type: Water buffalo's milk
Texture: Soft, creamy
Flavor: Mild, lactic

Saint-Nectaire

Saint-Nectaire is a semi-soft, washed-rind cheese from the volcanic region in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes of France. Made from cow's milk, it has a creamy, supple texture with earthy notes and hints of nuts and mushrooms. Saint-Nectaire is typically aged for at …

Country: France
Milk Type: Cow’s milk (Holstein, Montbéliarde, sometimes Salers)
Texture: Soft and tender
Flavor: Delicate hazelnut

San Michali

San Michali is a unique cow's milk cheese from the island of Syros in Greece. It is known for its distinct aroma and sharp, spicy flavor, often compared to Parmesan. San Michali is the only PDO cheese from the Cyclades …

Country: Greece
Milk Type: Cow’s milk
Texture: Compact, with very small irregular holes
Flavor: Salty, peppery

Queso de Burgos

Queso de Burgos is a fresh cheese from the province of Burgos, Spain. It is made from a blend of whole, fresh, and pasteurized cow’s and sheep’s milk, with different types distinguished by the percentage of sheep’s milk used. The …

Country: Spain
Milk Type: Cow’s and sheep’s milk
Texture: Fresh, slightly grainy or buttery, elastic, slightly fatty
Flavor: Mild, milky, and slightly sweet

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

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

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