The #1 Spanish Cheese Guide
Spain produces over 150 different varieties of cheese with each region offering its own specialities from using fresh cheese to cured, fermented, and blue-veined.
The essential characteristics of Spanish cheese are the type of milk used in its production, the climate, and an age-old cheese-making heritage that has been passed down from generation to generation.
Cheese is a mainstay of Spanish cuisine, enjoyed as a stand-alone dish or eaten as a part of a delicious tapa or even as a dessert.
Because of the variations in climate and geography, each region of Spain can produce several or more varieties of quality-tasting cheese.
Each cheese has its own unique characteristics that affect the finished product, such as the type of milk (sheep, goat, cow, or a mixture), the production process, the history, traditions, and the type of ageing or curing process.
You are never far away from being able to enjoy good fresh Spanish cheese. The smaller delicatessen shops and local indoor markets are great places to buy cheese as you will find the shopkeepers are usually better prepared to assist with extra information on the varieties and flavours available.
In general, cow's milk cheeses are found in the north, along the Cantabrian coast, from Galicia to the Basque Country, and along the northern Cantabria Mountain Range and the Pyrenees.
Sheep's milk cheeses are found inland, from the north, in Cantabria and the Basque Country, down to the flat lands of Castilla-Leon, Castilla La Mancha, Aragon, and Extremadura.
And finally, goat's milk cheeses are found mostly along the regions of the Mediterranean coast, from Catalonia to Andalucia.
On the Canary Islands as well as the Balearic islands, you will find mostly goat's milk cheese as well as mixed milk cheeses.
Mixed milk cheeses are generally produced across the whole country with the predominant milk of each area being more used in the mixes.
Types of Spanish Cheese
Spanish cheeses are wide and varied but can be divided into three main classes:
Fresh Cheese ( Queso Fresco ):- This is a cheese that has not been cured or aged in any way.
Semi-Cured ( Queso Semi Curado):-  Semi-cured is for cheese that has been aged for around two to four months.
Cured ( Queso Curado):- This is cured cheese that has been cured for a minimum of 4 months.
Spains DOP Cheese Regions
Spain has a rich cheese-making history, and it boasts a number of regions that have become renowned for producing distinct and high-quality cheeses.
Spain now has 26 Denominations of Origin (DOP) for cheese, which are protected by the European Union.
Each DOP region has its own unique characteristics, such as the type of milk used, the ageing process, and the shape and size of the cheese.
The production of DOP cheese in Spain dates back to ancient times, with each region developing its own techniques and traditions over the centuries.
Some of the most well-known DOP cheeses in Spain include Manchego, Tetilla, Mahon, Idiazabal, and Cabrales.
The DOP Regions are:
- Afuega L'Pitu - Asturias
- Arzua-Ulloa - A Coruna
- Cabrales -Â Asturias
- Queixo de Cabreiro - Ourense
- Gamonedo - Asturias
- Queso de L'Alt & La Cerdanya - Catalonia
- Picon / Bejes /Tresviso - Ciudad Real
- Queso Camerano -Â Badajoz
- Queso Casin - Asturias
- Queso de la Serana - Badajoz
- Queso de Mahon - Menorca
- Queso de Murcia - Murcia
- Murcia al Vino - Murcia
- Mahon - Menorca
- Picon - Ciudad Real
- Queixo de Cabreiro - Ourense
- Queso Flor de Guia - Las Palmas
- Queso Ibores - Caseres
- Queso Idiazabel - Gibuzkoa
- Queso Majorero - Fuerteventura
- Queso Manchego - Ciudad Real
- Queso Nata de Cantabria - Cantabria
- Queso Palmero - La Palma
- Queso Roncal - Navarra
- Queso Tetilla - Galicia
- Queso Zamorano - Zamora
- Quesucos de Liebana - Cantabria
- Roncal - Navarra
- San Simon de Costa - Galicia
- Torta del Casar - Exremadura
IGP Regions:
- Queso de Valdeon
- Queso Los Beyos
Manchego Cheese – La Mancha
Manchego cheese is typically aged for at least 60 days but can be aged up to two years, resulting in a more complex and sharp taste.
The history of Manchego cheese dates back to the Roman era when rearing sheep in the La Mancha region was common practice.
Over the centuries, Manchego cheese has become an important part of Spanish gastronomy and as well as enjoying a large worldwide fan base.
Today, Manchego cheese has DOP-protected status, this ensures that it is produced in a specific geographic area, made from the milk of sheep from Manchego, adheres to strict quality standards and is produced using traditional methods.
Manchego cheese is enjoyed as a stand-alone dish or can be paired with other foods, such as cured meats and olives. It has now become a staple in the Spanish diet and a popular ingredient in many Spanish dishes, including tapas, stews, and even desserts.
The unique flavour of Manchego cheese has made it one of the go-to cheeses for food lovers everywhere.
Cabrales Cheese - Â Asturias
Cabrales is a blue cheese of great character. It is handmade on farms in the Picos de Europa mountains of Northern Spain and matured in caves that are aired by cold, damp, and salty winds blowing up from the Bay of Biscay.
Traditionally Cabrales gourmet cheese is made with a mixture of cow, sheep, and goat milk; the locals say that cow's milk acidifies the cheese.
This is one of the finest blue cheeses in Spain offering different types of flavours depending on the type of milk used.
The humidity level in the caves is around 90% with a temperature between 8 and 12C, the environment necessary to promote the growth of penicillin spores which gives the cheese green patches and blue veins.
The ripening stage in the caves lasts between 2 and 5 months, the cheese is regularly cleaned and turned during that time.
Mahon cheese  - Balearic Islands
Mahon cheese is a distinctively fruity cheese named after the capital city of Menorca.
Local farmers have been making cheese here for centuries but its reputation rests on the skill of the local experts who collect the young cheeses from the producing farms. They then proceed to ripen them in underground cellars for two months to two years.
During the maturity process, butter paprika and olive oil are often rubbed onto the rind.
This cheese is quite dense in texture with a salty buttery taste and is often eaten with olive oil, tarragon, and black pepper.
Tetilla  - La Coruña
Tetilla D.O.P. is an unusual cheese. The remarkable thing about this is its shape as it looks like a breast ( Tetilla ).
This wide conical cheese from Galicia is made from the milk of cows grazing on the lush pastures behind the coastal mountain ranges.
The cheese is made from pasteurised cow's milk and has a yellow rind and is creamy and slightly salty in flavour.
The milk used for the production comes from well-known breeds such as  Frisians, Alpine Browns and Rubia Gallega.
Idiazabal Cheese
Idiazabal is a traditional, farmhouse cheese from the Basque Country of Spain. Made from unpasteurized sheep's milk, it is aged for at least two months and has a distinct smoky flavour.
The cheese is made using traditional methods, including being hand-moulded and smoked over beech wood, which gives it its characteristic flavour.
Idiazabal cheese has gained popularity throughout Spain and around the world.
It is often served as a table cheese, used in cooking, or paired with local wines. The cheese has a firm texture and a pale yellow colour, with a slightly oily surface.
It is considered one of the best cheeses from Spain and has been awarded Denomination of Origin (DOP) status.
Marjorero - Â Fuerteventura
Image by: Forevercheese.com
Marjorero is one of the most popular Spanish cheeses originating from the Canary Island of Fuerteventura, it is quite fatty with a strong pungency.
It is a hard-pressed cheese made from the tasty Marjorero goat's milk and up to 15% sheep's milk from other parts of the Canary Islands.
The secret of its taste comes from the aromatic full fatty full flavour of the Marjorero goat, which is capable of producing up to two litres of milk a day.
A cheese museum was opened in 2014 to celebrate this famous Canary delicacy which is located in Antigua on Las Palmas.
Zamorano - Zamora
Zamorano is a hard sheep's milk cheese that differs from the well-known Manchego as it has a nuttier and richer flavour.
This cheese has a slightly sharp bite, it is buttery with a nutty aftertaste and a texture that melts in the mouth.
This cheese goes well with a bodied red or white wine.
Afuegal Pitu
Afuegal Pitu means fire in the throat because its concentrated taste gives a hot sensation as if it sticks to the back of your throat.
The young version of this gourmet cheese has a milky flavour and is medium-soft in texture, it is also smooth with some granular structures.
Mature Afuegal Pitu Blancu has a strong taste and is only recommended for the true cheese connoisseur.
Roncal cheese  - Navarra
Roncal cheese comes from the rich sheep's milk of the legendary Lacha and Aragonesa breeds of sheep.
Depending on the season, these herds graze in the high Pyrenees or the Bardena area of Navarra, the province that was the setting for Ernest Hemingway's "The Sun Also Rises."
It is made in one of seven villages in the Roncal Valley, with nutty and piquant flavours and a firm, chewable texture.
Somewhat similar to Pecorino Toscano and Manchego, Roncal has its own unique, mouth-watering character and pairs well with a Tempranillo wine.
Picon Bejes -Tresviso from Cantabria
Picon Bejes-Tresviso is a tasty blue cheese made from cow, sheep, and goat's milk. It is one of Cantabria's most popular blue cheeses.
Small amounts of curd are placed in molds which allow for plenty of air to circulate and start the pencilling mould growth.
The cheese is then salted and dried for around 12 to 18 days in a temperature of around 16C.
PicOn Bejes-Tresviso has a thin, yellowish/grey rind and is smooth, white, and compact on the inside. It has quite a powerful slightly spicy flavour.
Torta de Casar
Torta refers to its shape, in Spanish legends, shepherds who first made the cheese realised that the inside of the cheese remained semi-liquid, causing the middle of the cheese to sink.
The shepherds used the word 'atortao', meaning 'cake-shaped'. Torta de Casar has an intense aroma with a well-developed flavour with a touch of bitterness which comes from the rennet planet used in coagulation.
The texture is smooth and melts in your mouth with very little saltiness.
Ahumado de Aliva -  Cantabria
Ahumado de Aliva cheese is a unique smoked cheese that comes from the Cantabrian region in northern Spain. Made of from cow's milk it has a distinctive smoky flavour and aroma. The cheese is smoked using beechwood, giving it a natural and authentic taste. It has a firm texture and is perfect for eating on its own, as well as for cooking and grilling. Ahumado de Aliva cheese is a must-try for any cheese lover visiting the region and is a great way to experience the unique and delicious flavours of northern Spain.
Arzula Ulloa
Arzua Ulloa is a creamy, smooth cheese from Galicia, Spain. It is made from cow's milk and has a mild, slightly tangy flavour with a nutty finish. This cheese has a pale yellow colour and a semi-soft texture, making it perfect for slicing and melting.
Arzua Ulloa is typically enjoyed as a table cheese or used in cooking, particularly in traditional Galician dishes like empanadas and Tarta de Santiago.
It is a popular cheese throughout Spain and has even earned protected designation of origin (PDO) status to ensure its authenticity and quality.
Spanish Cheeses for Tapas
Our pick of the top cheeses used for the famous small tapas dishes:
- Manchego.
- Cabrales.
- Tetilla.
- Mahon.
- Torta de la Serena.
- Idiazabal.
- Ibores
- Roncal.
Popular Spanish Cheese Dishes
Baked Tetilla Cheese with Escalivada
Tetilla is one of the most popular soft Spanish cheeses and tastes just as good when it's melted. This recipe is from Olive Magazine and inspired by the Lobos Tapas Bar London.
This dish uses Tettila cheese, oregano, aubergines, red pepper, red onions, olive oil, garlic, and brandy.
Homemade Cheese Puffs with Sesame Seeds and Honey
An interestingly tasty dish by Spanish Sabores using Spanish Manchego cheese, sesame seeds, sweet paprika, eggs, creamy cow's milk, extra virgin olive oil and honey.
Manchego Cheese Dishes Prepared in Just 5 Minutes
A tasty selection of fun and delicious quick-to-prepare Manchego cheese recipes from Gastronomic Spain. Delightful crowd-pleasing dishes including Chorizo and Manchego Scones, Manchego Rarebit, Ham and Manchego Croquettes and marinated Manchego cheese.
Fried Manchego Cheese with Romesco Sauce
This is one of our favourites created by Albert Bevia of Spain On a Fork, this dish is easy to prepare and uses Manchego cheese paired with a tasty fresh Romanesco Sauce.
Spanish Style Macaroni Cheese with Manchego and Chorizo
This takes mac and cheese to the next level. A delightful dish created by EB at Easy Peasy Foodie.