25rows
6columns
34views
0downloads
Source:Community curated
Updated:3/20/2026
25/25
Cheese↕ | Origin↕ | Milk Type↕ | Texture↕ | Flavor Profile↕ | Known For↕ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Parmigiano-Reggiano | Emilia-Romagna, Italy | Cow | Hard, granular, crystalline | Nutty, savory, umami-rich | The 'King of Cheeses' — aged 12-36 months, only authentic from specific Italian provinces, those crunchy crystals are amino acids forming, wheels stamped with authenticity marks |
Cheddar | Somerset, England | Cow | Firm to crumbly | Sharp, tangy, earthy | World's most popular cheese — named after Cheddar Gorge caves where it was aged, ranges from mild to extra sharp, orange color comes from annatto dye not the milk |
Brie | Île-de-France, France | Cow | Soft, creamy, runny when ripe | Mild, buttery, earthy | The 'Queen of Cheeses' — white bloomy rind is edible, should ooze when perfectly ripe, Charlemagne reportedly fell in love with it in 774 AD |
Mozzarella | Campania, Italy | Water buffalo (traditional) / Cow | Soft, elastic, moist | Mild, milky, fresh | Pizza's essential cheese — mozzarella di bufala is the premium version, fresh burrata has a cream-filled center, should squeak when super fresh |
Gouda | South Holland, Netherlands | Cow | Semi-hard to hard (aged) | Sweet, caramelly (aged), mild (young) | Netherlands' most famous export — young Gouda is mild and creamy, aged 5+ years develops caramel-butterscotch crystals, named after the city where it was traded |
Gruyère | Fribourg, Switzerland | Cow | Hard, smooth, slightly grainy | Nutty, sweet, slightly salty | Fondue's essential cheese — melts beautifully, the benchmark Swiss cheese (despite no holes), croque monsieur and French onion soup demand it |
Roquefort | Aveyron, France | Sheep | Crumbly, moist, veined | Sharp, tangy, salty, blue | The original blue cheese — aged in natural Combalou caves, legend says a shepherd forgot his cheese in a cave and mold did the rest, AOC protected since 1925 |
Camembert | Normandy, France | Cow | Soft, gooey when ripe | Rich, mushroomy, pungent | Normandy's pride — similar to Brie but deeper flavor, iconic round wooden box packaging, baked Camembert is a dinner party staple |
Manchego | La Mancha, Spain | Sheep (Manchega breed) | Firm, compact | Nutty, tangy, slightly sweet | Spain's most famous cheese — made from Manchega sheep milk only, distinctive zigzag rind pattern from traditional esparto grass molds, pairs perfectly with quince paste |
Feta | Greece | Sheep (with up to 30% goat) | Crumbly, grainy | Salty, tangy, briny | Greek salad's essential ingredient — EU protected so only Greek-made counts, brined not aged, over 6,000 years old, TikTok's baked feta pasta went viral in 2021 |
Stilton | Derbyshire/Leicestershire/Nottinghamshire, England | Cow | Crumbly with blue veins | Rich, creamy, strong blue | England's answer to Roquefort — only produced in 3 counties, traditionally paired with port wine, 'Blue Stilton' has protected name status |
Emmental | Bern, Switzerland | Cow | Semi-hard with large holes | Mild, nutty, slightly sweet | The 'Swiss cheese' with the holes — the eyes (holes) form from carbon dioxide during aging, the bigger the holes the more flavorful, cartoon cheese always looks like this |
Gorgonzola | Lombardy/Piedmont, Italy | Cow | Creamy to crumbly (dolce vs piccante) | Mild to sharp, tangy blue | Italy's great blue cheese — dolce (sweet) is creamy and mild, piccante is firm and pungent, essential in risotto and pasta with walnuts |
Halloumi | Cyprus | Sheep and goat (traditional) | Semi-hard, squeaky | Salty, mild, tangy | The cheese that doesn't melt — high melting point makes it perfect for grilling and frying, squeaky texture when fresh, Cyprus protects the name as PDO |
Pecorino Romano | Lazio, Italy | Sheep | Hard, granular | Sharp, salty, piquant | Roman legions' marching ration — sharper and saltier than Parmigiano, essential in carbonara, cacio e pepe, and amatriciana, made from sheep's milk not cow's |
Comté | Franche-Comté, France | Cow (Montbéliarde/Simmental) | Hard, smooth | Fruity, nutty, complex | France's most produced AOC cheese — over 80 distinct flavor notes identified by experts, aged in caves up to 36 months, incredibly complex flavor profiles |
Monterey Jack | California, United States | Cow | Semi-soft, creamy | Mild, buttery | California's original cheese — named after David Jack of Monterey, Pepper Jack adds jalapeños for kick, melts beautifully for quesadillas and nachos |
Ricotta | Italy | Whey (sheep, cow, or buffalo) | Soft, creamy, grainy | Mild, sweet, fresh | Made from whey not milk — technically not a cheese, essential in lasagna and cannoli, 'ricotta' means 'recooked' because the whey is heated twice |
Mascarpone | Lombardy, Italy | Cow (cream) | Ultra-creamy, spreadable | Rich, sweet, buttery | Tiramisu's essential ingredient — Italian cream cheese with 75% butterfat, made by adding acid to cream, thicker and richer than any cream cheese |
Burrata | Puglia, Italy | Cow / Buffalo | Soft shell, liquid cream center | Mild, fresh, creamy | Mozzarella shell filled with stracciatella and cream — invented in the 1920s in Puglia, must be eaten within 48 hours, cutting it open is a restaurant event |
Époisses | Burgundy, France | Cow | Soft, sticky, runny | Pungent, meaty, complex | Allegedly banned on French public transport for its smell — washed in marc de Bourgogne brandy, Napoleon's favorite cheese, smells terrible but tastes incredible |
Raclette | Valais, Switzerland | Cow | Semi-hard, melts beautifully | Nutty, slightly sweet, aromatic | Melted and scraped onto potatoes — 'racler' means to scrape, Swiss alpine tradition, the satisfying videos of melting raclette are an internet obsession |
Paneer | South Asia (India/Pakistan) | Cow or buffalo | Firm, crumbly, doesn't melt | Mild, milky, fresh | India's essential cheese — acid-set so it holds shape when cooked, paneer tikka and palak paneer are classics, vegetarian protein staple for millions |
Asiago | Veneto, Italy | Cow | Smooth (fresh) to crumbly (aged) | Mild (fresh) to sharp and nutty (aged) | Two cheeses in one name — fresh Asiago (Pressato) is soft and mild, aged Asiago (d'Allevo) is hard and sharp, versatile Italian table cheese |
Cotija | Michoacán, Mexico | Cow | Hard, crumbly, dry | Salty, sharp, milky | Mexican Parmesan — essential crumbled on elote (street corn), tacos, and enchiladas, named after the town of Cotija, doesn't melt so it stays crumbly on top |
Free to explore · No signup needed
Loading community rankings...
Frequently asked questions
How is the Types Of Cheese list ranked?
The Types of Cheese list is ranked by community votes. Every visitor can pick one option over another in head-to-head matchups, and the running totals determine the order you see. No editors or algorithms — just real people voting.
How many entries are in this Types Of Cheese dataset?
This dataset contains 25 entries, each with multiple sortable, filterable columns. The full table is visible on this page and can be downloaded as a CSV, JSON, or Excel file.
Can I download the Types Of Cheese data?
Yes. The download buttons at the top of the page give you the full 25-row dataset as CSV, JSON, or Excel. Use of the data is permitted under a Creative Commons Attribution license — credit dtbse.com when you republish.
Related Datasets
More in Food & Drink
Turkish Cheeses
Traditional cheese varieties of Turkey with regional origins and descriptions. Source: Wikipedia.
31 rows3 shared tags
Cheese Varieties
World-class cheeses from creamy Brie to pungent Roquefort — the greatest hits of the cheese world.
15 rows3 shared tags
World Cuisines
20 world cuisines — which food culture reigns supreme?
20 rows2 shared tags
Noodles of the World
Noodle varieties from cultures around the world.
30 rows2 shared tags
Rice Dishes of the World
Rice-based dishes from around the world.
294 rows2 shared tags
Cheese Varieties of the World
Popular cheese varieties from around the world, including their country of origin, milk type, texture, and typical aging period.
30 rows2 shared tags
Cooking Utensils
Utensils and tools used in food preparation.
101 rows2 shared tags
Spices & Seasonings
20 essential spices — which seasoning is the most indispensable?
20 rows2 shared tags
Types of Pasta
Italian pasta shapes and varieties — from spaghetti and penne to orecchiette and paccheri, the complete guide to pasta shapes and their perfect sauces.
25 rows2 shared tags
Spices of the World
Essential spices from around the globe with their origins, flavor profiles, culinary uses, heat levels, and health benefits.
20 rows2 shared tags
Soups of the World
Soup varieties from cultures around the world.
282 rows2 shared tags
Hungarian Dishes
Traditional dishes and foods from Hungarian cuisine.
33 rows1 shared tag