31 Types of Cheeses

Widely known as the “King of Cheese,” Parmigiano-Reggiano is a hard, dry cheese with a complex, full-bodied flavor. It is made from skimmed or partially skimmed cow's milk, with a pale golden rind and is typically aged for at least two years. Learn how to make homemade Garlic Parmesan chips.

As a well-known cheese, cheddar offers a sharp taste with a variety of colors ranging from yellow/orange to white. It has a wide range of uses, making it a popular choice for grilled cheeses, cheeseburgers, macaroni and cheese and more.

Edam comes from the milk of cows or goats, offering a creamy texture and mild undertone when young. As it matures, it becomes drier and more crumbly, while maintaining its blend of creamy and nutty tones throughout.

Made from whole cow’s milk, Fontina is creamy, light yellow, and marked with small holes. When younger, Fontina is used as a table cheese and becomes better for grating over foods like pasta when it matures.

Gouda cheese can be defined by its aromatic and caramel-like flavor. With a dense and springy texture, young Gouda offers a smooth finish and becomes sharper in flavor as it ages.

Asiago is a white or pale yellow cheese with a thin rind and small holes throughout. As a young cheese, it has a medium texture with a sweet and sour flavor. As it matures, it becomes more compact and firm.

Havarti has a springy texture with subtle sweet and acidic notes. It's best enjoyed in salads, sandwiches or on its own.

Covered by a natural rind, Gruyère offers a full-bodied, fruity flavor to start and an earthy and nutty flavor to finish. Use Gruyère in this garlic potatoes recipe.

You can identify manchego by its herringbone rind and sweet flavor. Over time, its consistency hardens and the flavor deepens, making it an excellent complement to honey and almonds.

Feta appears in many Greek dishes, like these lamb meatballs, as a soft and crumbly brined cheese. Over time, Feta’s flavor becomes sharper and saltier and its texture more firm.

Queso Blanco’s name comes from the Spanish term for “white cheese” and offers a fresh, tangy flavor. This soft, crumbly cheese can be eaten fresh, fried or grilled. It is often used as the base of American style queso dip, easily melting in a saucepan on your cooktop.

Ricotta is a fresh, moist cheese that can be used in a variety of recipes. Incorporate it as a rich filling for lasagna or stuffed shells, or try it over toast for a delightful twist. It serves as an excellent alternative to yogurt as well.

Created with skim milk left over from butter making, cottage cheese can be a good source of protein and calcium. It can be enjoyed plain or added on top of toast or in dips and other recipes.

Cream cheese is a soft, mild-tasting cheese with a short shelf life. It can be used in cheesecakes, frostings, dips and desserts.

White to straw-yellow in color with distinctive blue-green mold veining, gorgonzola is a soft Italian blue cheese. It’s aged around three to four months, offering a sweet and mild flavor with a creamy texture that’s ideal for dressing.

Roquefort cheese is a semi-hard cheese that is moist and creamy with a crumbly texture and a savory and salty taste. Use it in salads, dressings and more.

Stilton is a crumbly and delicate blue cheese that offers a complex taste. Its bold and rich flavors pair well with risotto, pastas, desserts and salads.

With a blend of light aromas and mild flavors, Double Crème Blue is an excellent introduction to blue cheese. It presents tones of toasted hops with a creamy consistency, making it ideal for sauce.

Danish Blue, also known as Danablu, offers a pungent and sharp flavor with hints of mild bitterness and salt and can easily be added to your next cheese board. As with many soft cheeses, it has a creamy and smooth texture.

Spun from stretched curd, Provolone can be found in a variety of shapes and sizes. Whether you enjoy it melted in a microwave, cold or baked in a range, Provolone has a smooth, mild taste that is full of character.

Available in various forms and sizes, mozzarella has a slightly sweet taste and a soft and stretchy texture. It’s popular to use in pizza, salads, pasta and more.

Originating in Mexico, Oaxaca cheese has a similar consistency to mozzarella. However, it has a mild earthy flavor like Monterey Jack, but with a more buttery flavor  and more melt.

Halloumi is a white, layered cheese that has a slightly spongy texture. It offers a tangy and salty flavor and is ideal for grilling or frying because it holds its shape even during heating.

With its mild, lactic flavor and smooth texture, Scamorza is an ideal melting cheese. After stretching the cheese, the cheesemaker ties a string or rope around the top of the cheese and hangs it to age, resulting in its signature pearl or flask shape.

Made from cow and buffalo milk, Sulguni is a brined Georgian cheese. It has a sour, salty flavor and is called a “pickle cheese” locally.

Soft and bloomy with an edible rind and creamy interior, brie is a buttery and rich cheese that originated in France. As brie matures, its flavor becomes increasingly earthy. You can bake brie or eat it at room temperature on a cheeseboard.

Camembert features a moist and creamy texture that starts with a sweet, milky taste. As the cheese matures, the flavor becomes rich and buttery. You can add it to a variety of desserts.

Made from raw goat’s milk, Chevrot is often served as a dessert or as a snack. When Chevrot is young, it is moist in texture, developing a wrinkly rind as it ages. The inside becomes soft and nutty flavored with a dense, creamy taste as it matures.

Fromager d'Affinois is an oozy, creamy cheese that provides a rich taste. It looks similar to brie with its white rind and ivory interior, however, it is softer with a more subdued flavor.

St. Marcellin features a lusciously smooth texture and a creamy consistency that becomes firmer over time. It offers a tangy and slightly salty flavor that becomes milder with age.

Made white or yellow, American cheese comes from a blend of cheeses and other flavor-and texture-enhancing ingredients. It’s ideal for burgers, grilled cheese, dips, sauces and more.