Best Northern European Cheese Types
Gräddost is a traditional cheese originating from Sweden, its name meaning cream cheese when translated. The cheese is made from pasteurized cow's milk and it's usually left to age for up to 7 months. Underneath its waxed rind, the texture is smooth and creamy with small eyes dispersed throughout the body.
The aromas are nutty, while the flavors are usually mild, sweet, and nutty with fresh and tangy hints. Due to the fact that Gräddost melts well, it's often used on pizzas or in sandwiches. It's recommended to pair the cheese with Sauvignon Blanc, Merlot, and Chenin Blanc.
Pair with
Västerbotten is a Swedish cheese made from cow's milk. The name refers to the Västerbotten region in northern Sweden. The paste is adorned with tiny eyes and has a firm, granular texture. In flavor, the cheese is salty and sweet, similar to a cross between Cheddar and Parmesan.
Every wheel must age for at least 14 months before it can be consumed. It is believed that the cheese was invented in 1872 by Ulrika Eleonora Lindström, a dairy maid who was left alone while stirring the curd, but she also had regular meetings with her lover, so the cheese was considered a failure at first, but when it was tasted, people thought it had a special flavor.
Saga is a combination of blue cheese and brie. The cheese originates from Denmark. It has a soft and creamy texture underneath its white mold. The aroma is very mild, just like the flavors of this unusual cheese. Saga is typically aged for at least 60 days.
This cheese pairs well with fruits and wine, but it can also be crumbled in salads or served as a snack on a cracker.
Pair with
Grevé is a traditional semi-hard cheese. It's made from pasteurized cow's milk and aged for about 10 months. This emmental-style cheese was first produced in Örnsköldsvik in 1964. Underneath its green waxed rind, the texture is smooth and creamy, with large, walnut-sized eyes dispersed throughout the body.
The flavors are mild and nutty with a slightly sharp finish. It's recommended to use Grevé as a table cheese and pair it with a glass of beer or white wine. Grevé also melts well and it can be used in various baked dishes.
Havarti is a Danish hard cheese made from pasteurized cow's milk. It must mature for at least 3 months, after which it develops small holes throughout its body. It is known as a pumped-curd cheese, a process in which the curd is molded and then melted.
The interior is ivory to yellow, with a soft, easily sliceable texture. The flavor is mild, aromatic, creamy and slightly acidic, and the flavors get even more intense as the cheese matures. Additional seasonings may be added in the process, such as dill, garlic, red pepper or chives, adding a new dimension of flavor to the cheese.
Pair with
THE BEST Havarti Cheeses
Norway probably isn't the first country that comes to mind when we think about great cheese. However, that might change as Norwegian producer Tingvollost won the main prize and the title of the world's best cheese at the 2016 World Cheese Awards in San Sebastian, Spain for its blue cheese called Kraftkar.
More than a hundred judges assessed over 3,000 cheeses according to a number of qualities such as color, texture, and flavor before they came to the conclusion that Kraftkar is undoubtedly the champion. This blue cheese is produced from cow's milk from the family farm located in the village of Torjulvågen.
Prästost is a cheddar-style cheese originating from Sweden. Its name means Priest Cheese, referring to the fact that it was made in churches in the 16th through 19th centuries, and the cheese was used as a form of payment instead of money.
Nowadays, it's mostly produced in factories. Prästost has a creamy semi-soft texture, the aromas are intense and rich, while the flavors are strong, salty, and spicy. Due to its strong flavors, it's often enjoyed as a snack or in soups. There are also versions of this cheese that are cured in whiskey (Saaland Pfarr cheese) or Absolut vodka (VODCheese).
Bla Castello (also known as Blue Castello) is a traditional cheese made from cow's milk. It was developed in the 1960s to meet the demand for creamy and mild blue cheeses. This soft cheese has a rich, buttery, Brie-like texture underneath its unique rind that can develop a combination of blue-green and red molds.
The aroma has hints of mushrooms, while the flavor is buttery, tangy, and mildly spicy due to blue veins in the body. The cheese ages from 8 to 10 weeks. It's recommended to serve it with Danish crispbread and Danish beer, but it's also often added to salads.
Svecia is a cylindrical, semi-hard cheese made from cow's milk, with a waxed rind exterior and a light yellow to yellow interior with small holes dispersed throughout. It is left to mature for a minimum of two months, after which it develops a full-bodied, acidic flavor.
Svecia is produced only in the low areas of Sweden and its name is derived from the old Latin word Suecia, which means 'Sweden'. It goes well on sandwiches, with figs and jam, or used in cooking because it has great melting properties and gives a nice color to the dishes.
Danablu is a semi-soft blue cheese made from full-fat cow's milk in Denmark. While the milk is hardening, the curds are pricked with needles to develop the blue-gray mold which spreads evenly throughout the cheese. The cheeses mature for 5 to 6 weeks and develop a creamy, crumbly texture and a white or light yellow color.
Its flavor is intense, sharp, salty and slightly bitter, while the aromas are pure and piquant. Although it does not develop a rind, it has a tight and firm outer layer. Danablu can be enjoyed in many ways, served on cheeseboards, on bread, as an ingredient in sauces, dressings and salads, grilled or paired with roasted almonds, sliced pears, walnuts, honey, or stout beer.
Best Northern European Cheese Producers
AWARDS
Global Cheese Awards - Gold
2023, 2018
World Championship Cheese Contest - Best of Class
2024, 2022, 2020, 2018, 2016, 2014, 2012, 2010
International Cheese Awards - Gold
2024, 2023, 2022, 2019
BEST Arla Cheeses
Himmelspannet AS is a cheese producer based in Norway, known for producing organic cheese varieties using traditional methods. The company utilizes milk from local farms to ensure high-quality dairy products, focusing on sustainability and organic farming practices.
Himmelspannet AS offers a selection of cheeses that includes both soft and hard cheeses, catering to a variety of tastes and preferences.
Munkeby Mariakloster, located in Levanger, Norway, is a monastery where French Cistercian monks produce Munkeby cheese, a soft, washed-rind cheese made from raw cow's milk. The cheese is inspired by traditional French monastic cheeses and reflects the rich grazing lands around the monastery.
The monks at Munkeby Mariakloster began cheese production as a means of supporting their community.
Valio is a Finnish dairy company, established in 1905, and is a leader in the global dairy industry, renowned for its commitment to innovation and sustainability. Valio produces a wide range of dairy products, including cheese. With a focus on healthy, sustainable, and high-quality dairy, Valio's products are trusted by consumers and businesses around the world, contributing to better nutrition and digestive health.
Valio also invests in cutting-edge food science and technology, continuously advancing to meet the evolving needs of the food industry with solutions such as protein fortification and sugar reduction. Their high-quality ingredients support industries like bakery, ice cream, and confectionery, all while promoting responsible sourcing and manufacturing practices.
BEST Valio Cheeses
AWARDS
World Cheese Awards - Gold
2024
World Cheese Awards - Super Gold
2024
BEST Hol Ysteri Cheeses
AWARDS
World Cheese Awards - Super Gold
2024
BEST Snertingdal Ysteri Cheeses
Prestholt Geitost is a cheese producer located in Norway, specializing in the production of traditional Norwegian goat cheese known as geitost or gjetost. This cheese is distinct with its characteristic brown color and sweet caramel flavor, which comes from the slow simmering process that allows the milk sugars to caramelize.
Prestholt Geitost utilizes milk sourced from local goats, ensuring a high quality and consistency in their cheese products.
AWARDS
World Cheese Awards - Gold
2023, 2022
Great Taste Awards - 2 stars
2024, 2023, 2022
Great Taste Awards - 3 stars
2022
BEST Prestholt Geitost Cheeses
Best Northern European Cheeses
Kraftkar, a product made by Tingvollost, is a distinctive Norwegian blue cheese that has received international acclaim for its exceptional quality. Aged for 7 months, this robust cheese is known for its rich and creamy texture with blue veins running throughout, offering a balanced combination of sweetness and sharpness in its flavors.
Kraftkar has garnered substantial praise, notably winning the title of "World's Best Cheese" at the World Cheese Awards in 2016. This accolade highlights its superior craftsmanship and the meticulous aging process that enhances its unique, flavorful profile.
AWARDS
Concours International de Lyon - Gold
2025
World Cheese Awards - Super Gold
2024, 2023
Organic Mature Cheddar by Arla Foods is a cheese product known for its rich and robust flavor profile. This cheese is made from organic milk sourced from certified organic farms, adhering to stringent production standards to ensure quality and sustainability.
It is aged to bring out a mature taste, making it suitable for a variety of culinary applications, from sandwiches to sophisticated cheese platters. This product is part of Arla's commitment to offering organic and responsibly-produced dairy options to consumers.
AWARDS
Global Cheese Awards - Gold
2023, 2018
International Cheese Awards - Gold
2024, 2022, 2019
Global Cheese Awards - Best
2018
AWARDS
World Cheese Awards - Super Gold
2023
AWARDS
World Cheese Awards - Super Gold
2023
Rørosblå is a blue cheese produced by Eggen Gardsysteri AS, located in Norway. This artisan cheese is made using traditional methods and is known for its rich, complex flavor profile that features a unique blend of sweet and spicy notes. The composition includes cow's milk from local farms around the Røros region, an area renowned for its pristine natural environment and high-quality dairy production.
Rørosblå is characterized by its creamy texture and distinctive blue veins, which develop during the aging process in the cheese's maturation rooms. This cheese is often celebrated for its depth of flavor and is a popular choice among cheese connoisseurs.
AWARDS
World Cheese Awards - Super Gold
2022
AWARDS
World Cheese Awards - Super Gold
2023
AWARDS
World Cheese Awards - Super Gold
2022
AWARDS
World Cheese Awards - Super Gold
2023
AWARDS
World Cheese Awards - Super Gold
2023
Munkeby cheese, produced by Munkeby Mariakloster in Norway, is a distinct artisanal cheese inspired by French monastic traditions. The monastery itself was established by Cistercian monks from France in 2007, who brought with them centuries-old cheesemaking expertise.
Munkeby cheese is crafted using fresh, raw cow's milk sourced from local farms. This cheese is noted for its soft, creamy texture and rich, complex flavors, which develop from the natural maturation process in the monastery's cellars.
AWARDS
World Cheese Awards - Super Gold
2023
TasteAtlas food rankings are based on the ratings of the TasteAtlas audience, with a series of mechanisms that recognize real users and that ignore bot, nationalist or local patriotic ratings, and give additional value to the ratings of users that the system recognizes as knowledgeable. For the “Top 100 Northern European Cheeses” list until April 23, 2025, 1,133 ratings were recorded, of which 924 were recognized by the system as legitimate. TasteAtlas Rankings should not be seen as the final global conclusion about food. Their purpose is to promote excellent local foods, instill pride in traditional dishes, and arouse curiosity about dishes you haven’t tried.