Portuguese Cheese: Serra da Estrela, Sao Jorge and Other Cheeses of Portugal

Both have EU protected names, registered in 1996.

This page maps the main Portuguese cheeses, shows which names are protected and explains how to find them in the US.

Portuguese cheese at a glance

Here is Portuguese cheese at a glance: the cheeses worth knowing, their milk and their EU protected names.

The names appear in the Portuguese list of Commission Regulation (EC) No 1107/96, dated June 12, 1996, which also names Evora, Rabacal and Queijos da Beira Baixa.

Portuguese cheese tradition

Portuguese cheese tradition is a sheep tradition on the mainland. Several of the best-known cheeses are set with a plant coagulant, the cardoon thistle, instead of animal rennet, which gives a faint bitterness and a runny paste. The Portuguese cheeses guide goes cheese by cheese, and this page stays at the country level.

The islands are different. The Azores have wet pasture and cows, so Sao Jorge is made from cow's milk and has a strong, tangy profile closer to an aged cheddar than to the mainland wheels.

Serra da Estrela and the thistle-set cheeses

Serra da Estrela is Portugal's most prized cheese, a sheep's-milk wheel set with Cynara cardunculus thistle. A summary of its rules says it is made mostly from November to March, ripens for at least 30 days and is limited to a zone of 10 municipalities in the Serra da Estrela. Young, it is semi-liquid; older, it firms enough to slice.

The traditional way to eat it is to cut a lid off the top and spoon out the paste with bread. See the Serra da Estrela profile for the details. Azeitao and Serpa belong to the same soft, thistle-set family, and Nisa is the firmer Alentejo cousin.

Sao Jorge and the Azorean cheeses

Sao Jorge is the Azorean cheese most travelers meet, a firm cow's-milk cheese with a tangy, lightly piquant bite and a salty finish. It is a good melter and a good table cheese, and aged wheels are sharp enough to grate. Its profile lists the details, and an aged cheddar, Gouda or Gruyere is the nearest substitute.

How the Portuguese eat cheese

How the Portuguese eat cheese is often as a starter: young fresh cheese with bread and olives, or a ripe thistle-set wheel with a spoon and quince paste. Cured cheese turns up at the end of a meal with Port, and the serving size for a board is about 1 to 2 ounces a person, as in the serving guide. The pairing guide matches wines and beers to Serra da Estrela and Sao Jorge.

How to buy Portuguese cheese in the US

To buy Portuguese cheese in the US, look for the protected name and a proper wheel rather than a generic "Portuguese-style" label. Serra da Estrela is seasonal and fragile, so it is easiest to find at specialty cheese counters and Portuguese groceries, often in the cooler months. Sao Jorge travels well and is easier to find.

Ask for the cheese to be ripe if you want it spoonable, and store soft wheels in the fridge, eating them within a few days of opening. Serve them at cool room temperature, because a cold wheel stays firm and muted, and a ripe one flows. Firm Sao Jorge keeps well wrapped in parchment in the vegetable drawer, and a small piece goes a long way grated over soups, potatoes or sweet potato, a traditional Azorean partner. The PDO and PGI guide explains the labels, and softer Camembert or Brie-style cheeses are the nearest substitutes if you cannot find a thistle-set wheel.

What most Portuguese cheese guides get wrong

What most Portuguese cheese guides get wrong is treating all Portuguese cheese as one soft sheep's-milk style. The mainland thistle-set wheels, the firm Nisa and the cow's-milk Sao Jorge differ in milk, texture and use.

They also miss that the thistle matters for diet labels: a cheese set with a plant coagulant is not made with animal rennet, though you should check the pack, because not every Portuguese cheese follows the tradition.

Questions about Portuguese cheese

These are the most common questions about Portuguese cheese.

What is the most famous Portuguese cheese?

The most famous Portuguese cheese is Serra da Estrela, a thistle-set sheep's-milk cheese with an EU PDO since 1996.

What is Portuguese cheese made of?

Portuguese cheese is made mostly from sheep's milk on the mainland, with cow's milk for Sao Jorge in the Azores.

Why is Serra da Estrela runny?

Serra da Estrela is runny because the thistle coagulant and ripening soften the curd into a semi-liquid paste.

How do you eat Serra da Estrela?

Eat Serra da Estrela by cutting a lid from the top and spooning the paste onto bread.

What is Sao Jorge cheese?

Sao Jorge cheese is a firm cow's-milk cheese from the Azores, tangy and lightly piquant.

Where to start with Portuguese cheese

Start with Portuguese cheese by buying a wedge of Sao Jorge for everyday eating and, in cooler months, a Serra da Estrela to spoon onto bread with quince paste. Then look for Azeitao and Nisa at a specialty counter, and ask what is ripe that week. A good counter will let you taste before you buy, and a cheesemonger can tell you which wheels are at their best. If the soft wheel is too runny for your taste, a firmer Nisa or an older Sao Jorge is an easy second choice, and neither needs a spoon.