Spanish Cheese Types

The Skinny on Spanish Cheese Types

When you think of cheese from Spain, manchego is likely the first to come to mind. While this sheep's milk variety is amazing and the star of many grazing boards, there are so many more wonderful Spanish cheese types to choose from. From fresh cheese to aged and blue-veined varieties, there are more than 150 Spanish cheese types to explore.

Meet Canela: Wisconsin's Spanish-style Cheese

Wisconsin cheesemakers have been perfecting and improving European cheese recipes for over 180 years, so it's no surprise to find a Spanish-style cheese in Wisconsin. Inspired by manchego, Canela from Roth Cheese is a cow's milk variety that's hand-rubbed with a blend of cinnamon and paprika and textured with a beautiful basket-weave rind. Wisconsin's Canela cheese boasts complex and slightly tangy flavors with a long finish and notes of honey, brown butter, and candied pineapple. No wonder it's been an American Cheese Society winner seven years in a row!

Get to Know Spanish Cheese Types

Spanish cheese types can be roughly divided into three categories: cheese made from cow's milk in the north and the Balearic Islands, from sheep's milk in the central region, and from goat's milk in the South and the Canary Islands.

Cow's milk cheese

  • San Simon is a cow's milk cheese that's smoked over birch wood to impart a smoky flavor with a buttery aroma and taste as well as a pleasant balance of acidity and sweetness.
  • Tetilla is a fresh cow's milk cheese with a sweet, clean, buttery, and unctuous flavor with hints of lemon and herbs. It's produced in a unique conical shape resembling a woman's breast.
  • Mahón from Menorca is a cow's milk cheese with a nutty, fruity flavor, a dense texture, and an orange rind made by rubbing the exterior with butter, paprika, and oil. It's Spain's second most popular cheese.

Sheep's milk cheese

  • Manchego cheese from the La Mancha region is made with milk from the Manchega breed of sheep. It's aged for two months to two years and has an iconic herringbone pattern etched into its rind which serve as a reminder of the grass baskets traditionally used to drain the whey. Manchego has a dry yet creamy texture and an unmistakable, rich flavor with hints of Brazil nuts and caramel.
  • Idiazabal is in unpasteurized sheep's milk cheese from the Basque mountains. Often smoked with beechwood, this hard and chewy cheese has tiny holes, a coppery rind, and a light smoky flavor.
  • Zamorano is a hard sheep's milk cheese with an intense, slightly tart, nutty flavor.
  • Roncal is a dense sheep's milk cheese with hints of dried fruit, a lingering aftertaste, and piquant flavors that grow sharper with age.

Goat's milk cheese

  • Marjorero is an exceptional cheese made in the Canary Islands. With a supple to firm texture, Marjorero offers flavors that range from creamy fresh to sweet, robust, nutty, and almondy.
  • Ibores is a raw goat's milk cheese that's aged for two months or more to produce a cheese with aromas of lavender and thyme and a hint of paprika from the cheese's pimentón rind.
  • Murcia al Vino is a goat's milk cheese that's washed in red wine during the aging process, giving the rind a deep burgundy color and a distinct, aromatic flavor with hints of almonds and fermenting fruit.

Mixed milk cheeses

  • Cabrales – Spain's most famous blue cheese. This sharp and tangy cheese is heavily streaked with blue veins and irregular cavities. It's made with milk from cows, goats, and sheep and aged for 3 to 6 months.
  • Iberico cheese is one of Spain's most popular cheeses. This mixed milk variety is aged a minimum of one month and combines the creamy and mellow flavors of cow's milk, the sweet and nutty taste of sheep's milk, and the herbal notes of goat's milk.

Videos: Discover Your Next Favorite Cheese

Pairing Different Types of Spanish Cheese

General tips for pairing types of Spanish cheese

Just as when pairing wine and cheese from other countries, there are a few key considerations when matching up Spanish cheese types with the best food and beverages.

  • Think texture. When pairing wine and cheese, you can match or contrast texture. Hard cheeses are nicely contrasted by spreadable foods like jam, while softer cheeses appreciate the crunch of nuts or crackers.
  • Balance intensity. Generally, you want to pair each cheese with food or wine that won't overwhelm it. A big, bold red will stand up nicely to the robust flavors of a stronger cheese, while a milder variety may want a light, crisp white wine.
  • What grows together goes together. One of the classic pairing maxims is that food and wines from the same geographic region are typically great companions. For instance, an aged manchego cheese will pair nicely with a glass of rioja from the same region of La Mancha.

How to pair the major Spanish cheese types

Here are some suggested wine pairings for five of the most common Spanish cheese types.

  • Manchego. The intense and nutty flavors of this sheep's milk cheese pair nicely with a bold rioja or full-bodied tempranillo. Alternately, a sparkling cava can work as well – the brightness of the wine will contrast beautifully with the richness of the cheese.
  • Cabrales. The strong, spicy flavors of this blue cheese are well matched by a sweet and full-bodied sherry.
  • Mahon pairs well with the fruit, acidity, and citrus notes of a fresh sparkling wine or a vibrant and fruity white like albariño.
  • Idiazabal. This earthy, nutty, slightly smoky cheese is best enjoyed with an old vine garnacha - the creaminess of the cheese contrasts the richness and tannins of the wine.
  • Tetilla. A glass of cava makes a refreshing match for the mild and creamy flavor of tetilla. Or try a light, floral pour of godello wine.

When pairing Spanish cheese types with other ingredients on a cheese board, consider a selection of cured meats like chorizo or jamon Iberico, with vegetables like roasted tomatoes and red peppers, and with marcona almonds, raw honey, quince jam, and Spanish torta crackers. Slices of a classic Italian herb and cheese bread will also complement Spanish cheeses nicely.

FAQs

What are the major Spanish cheese types?

Manchego is Spain's most famous cheese. Cabrales is the most well-known blue cheese. Tetilla cheese may be the most visually iconic – its shape is reminiscent of a breast (thus the name). Torta del Casar is a cheese with a semi-hard rind and an almost liquid interior, and Mahón is a pressed cheese with a six-sided shape and rounded edges produced with centuries-old techniques.

Why are Spanish cheeses less well-known?

Artisan production of Spanish cheese in the 20th century was discouraged until the 1980s as part of an effort to enforce industrialization and modernization. Fortunately, many cheesemakers went underground and continued producing artisan cheese for a thriving black market. Since the 1980s, global awareness of Spanish cheeses has been steadily growing.

What's the difference between Spanish and Mexican manchego cheese?

While Mexican manchego cheese was likely initially similar to Spanish manchego, over the years the Mexican variety has evolved to be quite different. Mexican manchego is made from cow's milk rather than sheep's milk, and it is often not aged long at all. Spanish manchego has a distinctive rind with a herringbone pattern, and many versions of Mexican manchego are rindless.

What types of Spanish cheese are made in Wisconsin?

Canela from Roth Cheese is one of the biggest selling Spanish-style cheeses made in America's Dairyland. Wisconsin cheesemakers also produce many Mexican cheese types, including cotija, oaxaca, queso quesadilla, and queso fresco.

Craving award-winning aged cheddar, pining for parmesan, or searching for a new cheese to try? The world’s best cheese is just a click away! Explore our directory of Wisconsin cheesemakers and retailers who offer online cheese shopping and get cheese shipped right to your door. What are you waiting for?

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