When pondering Portuguese specialties, one often thinks of traditional Portuguese dishes such as bacalhau, sweet pastries like pastéis de nata, or a fine Port wine. But did you realize that Portugal also boasts a diverse array of cheeses? Here are our 6 recommendations for you to sample.
From various regions of the country, often handcrafted from the milk of cows, sheep, and goats for generations. A fresh – and tasty – alternative to experience Portugal!
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Portugal’s cheese-making tradition dates back centuries and each cheese offers a distinct taste and texture. From creamy softness to nutty aged flavors, there’s a cheese to suit every palate. Be sure to try these authentic Portuguese cheeses on your next visit to this beautiful country.
Serra da Estrela Cheese
Serra da Estrela mountain range (central Portugal)
sheep’s milk cheese
variety.
Queijo de Azeitão
Azeitão (near Lisbon)
sheep’s milk cheese
Often compared to Serra da Estrela, Queijo de Azeitão is a smaller cheese with a slightly more intense, salty flavor, featuring subtle herbaceous notes. It has a semi-soft texture, which even becomes creamy when well-matured, with numerous small holes scattered throughout.
Queijo de São Jorge
São Jorge Island, Azores Islands
cow’s milk cheese
century.
Nisa
Alentejo (south-east Portugal)
sheep’s milk cheese
This cheese is most flavorful and textured when it is consumed soon after ripening or when it is semi-dry. It typically exhibits a firm, white or pale yellow appearance, a soft outer layer that becomes hardened over time, and a strong, spicy taste with pronounced notes of grass. It is available in various sizes, from small to larger than one kilogram.
Serpa
Alentejo
sheep’s milk cheese
Here’s a Portuguese cheese that really revives the palate. Queijo Serpa, only made in the traditional method between February and June, has a strong, tangy flavor developed over a two-year aging period. During this time, the cheese is often brushed with olive oil mixed with sweet paprika, giving it its distinctive dark yellow color.
Rabaçal
central Portugal, near Coimbra
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This aged, hard or semi-hard cheese is made from the milk of goats or a combination of sheep and goats’ milk. It reaches its peak production between April and May. Characterised by its distinctive, herbaceous flavour, this cheese is renowned for its original taste. The reason for its unique taste lies in the wild grass that the goats and sheep graze on, which is reminiscent of wild thyme, giving the cheese a distinct aroma.
