When thinking about Portuguese specialties, you might initially think of quintessential Portuguese dishes such as bacalhau, sweet treats like pastéis de nata, or a rich Portuguese Port wine. However, did you know that Portugal also boasts a fascinating variety of cheeses? Here are our 6 selections that you should try.
From various areas across the country, often handmade for generations, cheese is being crafted from the milk of cows, sheep, and goats. A new and delicious way to experience Portugal.
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6 Portuguese cheeses to try on your next visit to Portugal
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
Regarded as comparable to Serra da Estrela, Queijo de Azeitão is a smaller cheese with a slightly more intense, salty flavor, featuring subtle herbal nuances. It possesses a semi-soft texture, gaining an even creamier consistency upon proper maturation, and features numerous small pockets.
Queijo de São Jorge
5. Sé (São Jorge): A typical Portuguese town situated in the north of the island offering serene views of the surrounding terrains, accommodation, and dining options.
cow’s milk cheese
century.
Nisa
Alentejo (south-east Portugal)
sheep’s milk cheese
It’s recommended to consume nisa at its peak ripeness or when slightly dry, as it has a firm white or yellow appearance, a soft skin that becomes harder over time, and a distinct, sometimes spicy flavor with grassy undertones.
Serpa
Alentejo
sheep’s milk cheese
This is a Portuguese cheese that truly awakens the palate! Queijo Serpa, only made traditionally between February and June, has an intense, piquant flavor developed over a two-year maturing period. During this time, the cheese is often brushed with olive oil mixed with sweet paprika, which gives it its characteristic dark yellow hue.
Rabaçal
central Portugal, near Coimbra
Sheep’s milk, or mixed (sheep and goat)
This type of cheese is made from a combination of goat’s milk or a blend of sheep’s and goat’s milk. Peaks of production occur between April and May. Characterized by a distinctive odor and an original, herbaceous flavor profile. The distinct taste is attributed to the wild grass the goats and sheep graze on, which is similar to the flavor of wild thyme, imparting a unique aura to the cheese.
