Types of Sheep Milk Cheese

While cheese made with sheep or ewe’s milk may seem rare, some of the most famous and common cheeses fall into the category of sheep milk cheese, including feta, ricotta, and pecorino. They come in various degrees of firmness and sharp yet pleasant flavors, making them a general favorite to be served on cheese boards or with fruits and salads.

What’s Unique About Sheep Milk Cheese

Sheep’s milk contains considerably higher amounts of calcium and butterfat than cow and goat milk, providing more solid material for curdling and cheese production. In fact, it has almost twice as much butterfat as other milk sources, resulting in the characteristic creamy or buttery mouthfeel of sheep milk cheeses. It makes them a favorite to pair with bolder red wines like Bordeaux or Cabernet Sauvignon.

These high fat levels are also the reason behind the most distinctive feature of sheep milk cheese – they ‘sweat’ when brought to room temperature. It is because of the fat melting and precipitating as liquid globules.

The higher calcium content makes the milk less prone to contamination during the cheesemaking process. Find out about all the different cheeses made with sheep’s milk.

Most Recognized Types of Cheese Made With Sheep’s Milk

Name	Texture & Taste	Country of Origin	Calories/oz.	How to Eat
Pecorino	Hard, crumbly, sharp, and salty	Italy	~110 kcal	With figs and pears, grated over pasta and salads
Manchego	Semi-hard, buttery, nutty flavor with a tangy finish	Spain	~120 kcal	With membrillo (quince paste), almonds, grapes, and served on tapas and cheese boards
Pecorino Romano	Hard; sharp, salty flavor; distinctive tanginess	Italy	~110 kcal	Grated over pasta, soups, or salads
Roquefort	Semi-soft blue cheese with a crumbly, creamy texture and robust, tangy flavor	France	100 kcal	With pears, walnuts, and honey or in salads and cheese platters
Pecorino Toscano	Hard, sweet, nutty flavor with a hint of sharpness	Italy	~110 kcal	With honey, grapes, and cured meats or grated over pasta and risotto
Oscypek	Hard, smoky flavor with a hint of saltiness and nuttiness	Poland	~120 kcal	Served grilled or pan-fried, it also pairs well with cranberries, cured meats, and dark bread
Pecorino Sardo	Hard, slightly sweet, and nutty flavor with a sharp finish	Italy	~110 kcal	With honey, grapes, and cured meats or grated over pasta and risotto
Idiazabal Cheese	Semi-hard, smoky, buttery flavor with a nutty undertone	Spain	~120 kcal	With membrillo, nuts, and grapes, also added to cheese plates and sandwiches
Bryndza	Soft, creamy with a tangy, slightly salty flavor	Slovakia	~100 kcal	Traditionally spread on bread or used in Slovakian dishes (like bryndzové halušky)
P’tit Basque	Semi-hard, nutty, earthy flavor with hints of butteriness	France	~120 kcal	With apricots, nuts, crusty bread, and in cheese boards
Pepato	Hard, sharp, spicy flavor with added peppercorns	Italy	~110 kcal	With fruits like apples or pears, crackers, cured meats
Ossau-Iraty	Semi-hard, smooth, creamy texture with a nutty, slightly sweet flavor	France	~120 kcal	With cherries, almonds, baguettes, and in cheese plates, and fondue
Torta del Casar	Soft, creamy texture with a rich, earthy flavor	Spain	~100 kcal	Enjoyed with crusty bread, membrillo, and grapes
Serra da Estrela Cheese	Soft, creamy, buttery texture with a mild, slightly tangy flavor	Portugal	~110 kcal	With crusty bread, membrillo, and fruit jams
Zamorano Cheese	Hard, nutty, slightly sweet flavor with a sharp finish	Spain	~120 kcal	With honey, almonds, and olives, or in salads and pasta
Roncal Cheese	Hard, robust, nutty flavor with hints of fruitiness	Spain	~120 kcal	With membrillo, walnuts, and grapes or grated over various dishes
Pag Cheese	Semi-hard, sweet, slightly tangy flavor with a hint of nuttiness	Croatia	120 kcal	With figs, olives, and almonds
Etorki	Semi-soft, smooth, buttery texture with a mild, slightly nutty flavor	France	~120 kcal	With dried fruits, nuts, and crusty bread, or in cheese boards
Lighvan Cheese	Hard; sharp, tangy flavor with a crumbly texture	Azerbaijan	~110 kcal	With lavash bread, honey, or dried fruits
Bundz	Semi-soft, creamy texture with a tangy, slightly salty flavor	Slovakia	~100 kcal	Traditionally used in Slovakian dishes or spread on bread
Pecorino Siciliano	Hard, sharp, tangy flavor with a slightly sweet undertone	Italy	~110 kcal	With honey, grapes, and cured meats, or in pasta or risotto
Abbaye de Belloc	Semi-hard, nutty, earthy flavor with a hint of sweetness	France	~120 kcal	With apricots, walnuts, and crusty breads or in cheese boards
Abertam Cheese	Semi-hard, creamy texture with a mild, slightly tangy flavor	Czech Republic	~120 kcal	With crackers, grapes, and dried fruits
Casu Marzu (Maggot Cheese)	Soft, intense, pungent flavor with a hint of sweetness; contains live maggots	Italy	N/A (banned in many countries, including the US)	Traditionally consumed with Sardinian bread

List of Names of Some Other Sheep Cheese

Primarily Made With Sheep’s Milk

• Bryndza Podhalańska
• Šar Cheese
• Casciotta D’urbino
• Serpa Cheese
• Cherni Vit
• Kadchgall
• Croglin
• Crozier Blue
• Beenleigh Blue Cheese
• Fine Fettle Yorkshire
• Kars Gravyer Cheese
• La Serena Cheese
• Lanark Blue
• Pecorino Di Carmasciano
• Brânză De Burduf
• Duddleswell Cheese
• Sussex Slipcote
• Testouri
• Wigmore Cheese
• Xynotyro
• Ġbejna
• Cazelle De Saint Affrique
• Parlick Fell Cheese
• Pata De Mulo Cheese
• Dolaz Cheese
• Paddraccio
• Wensleydale Cheese (Originally a sheep cheese, but nowadays made only with cow’s milk)

Made With a Combination of Sheep, Cow, and Goat Milk

The cheeses mentioned in the following list contain small to moderate amounts of sheep’s milk along with cow and/or goat’s milk.

• Ricotta
• Robiola
• Manouri
• Feta
• Beyaz Peynir
• Vlašić Cheese
• Caciocavallo
• Caciotta
• Halloumi
• Kashkaval
• Sirene
• Jibneh Arabieh
• Cabrales Cheese
• Corleggy Cheese
• Picón Bejes-Tresviso
• Van Herbed Cheese
• Oštiepok
• Telemea
• Anari Cheese
• Anthotyros
• Brocciu
• Caș
• Castelo Branco Cheese
• Graviera
• Kasseri
• Kefalograviera
• Kefalotyri
• Lavaş Cheese
• Mihaliç Peyniri
• Mizithra
• Nabulsi Cheese
• Saloio
• Tzfat Cheese
• Xynomizithra

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