America's Favorite Cheeses

Ricotta means recooked in Italian. This type of cheese, which can be made from milk of cows, sheep, goats, as well as water buffalo, is light and creamy. Ricotta cheese is made from leftovers of whatever other cheese has already been made with the curds separated from the milk.

Muenster cheese is the American version of the French Munster cheese. Unlike the French type, which is made from unpasteurized milk, Muenster cheese, which has a mild flavor but strong smell, is made from pasteurized cow’s milk.

Gruyère is a type of smooth-melting Swiss cheese made from unpasteurized cow’s milk. It usually takes more than six months to make. Because it’s made with raw milk, Gruyère cheese imported in the U.S. has to be aged for at least two months. Gruyère is a popular choice in fondue recipes.

Goat cheeses come in a wide variety of flavors and textures — from soft, which is used as a spread, to crumbling, which is used for salads. Some types of goat cheeses contain less fat than cheese made from cow’s milk.

Feta cheese is brined curd cheese made from cow’s, sheep’s, or goat’s milk. Traditional feta cheese is made from a blend of sheep’s and goat’s milk. Feta cheese is very popular in Mediterranean dishes.

Parmesan is a cheaper supermarket alternative for Italy’s venerable Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. In 2016, the Food and Drug Administration reported that major brands of mass-market Parmesan had been found to contain cellulose, an additive that prevents clumping. Cellulose is a polymer found naturally in wood and cotton — and only unnaturally in cheese.

Either in its natural state or baked in a pastry case, brie is the definitive party cheese. There are American versions, but mass-produced brie from France, its country of origin, is commonly available in the U.S. As it matures and grows runny, brie gains pungency, but when young, it’s lightly flavorful.

Gouda is a Dutch cheese named after the city of Gouda in the Netherlands. Gouda cheese, one of the oldest European cheeses, is made from Dutch milk called Noord-Hollandse Gouda.

Blue cheeses are made from cow’s, goat’s, or sheep’s milk all over the world. Cultures of the Penicillium mold give them blue, green, or sometimes gray or black veins, either streaked here and there or permeating the entire cheese. Some of the world’s most famous cheeses are blue, including Roquefort and Gorgonzola. Many people, however, find them too pungent and are sometimes put off by the very sight of the mold.

Provolone is a semi-hard Italian or Italian-style cheese with buttery, slightly tangy flavor, a pleasant aroma, and a mild but pronounced aftertaste. It’s another popular deli cheese and practically indispensible on antipasto plates.

Pepper Jack is a variation of Monterey Jack cheese that is spiked with bits of spicy chili peppers and herbs. The semi-soft cheese is often added to burgers and quesadillas. Pepper Jack is tied with Colby Jack (sometimes called Monterey Jack), with 7% of respondents choosing each as their favorite cheese.

Monterey Jack is a true American cheese, first made in Monterey, California, as early as the 1700s. The cheese was popularized in the 19th century by (and eventually named for) dairyman David Jacks. The semi-soft cheese is a mild, creamy cheese, and great for melting.

“Swiss” is a generic name for a family of American-made cheeses inspired by Switzerland’s Emmental cheese and its relatives. The Swiss cheese flavor is slightly sweet and is often described as nutty. Swiss is a deli sandwich essential and often appears in cubed form on party platters.

Mozzarella cheese can be anything from the rubbery supermarket stuff to artisanal Mozzarella di Bufala from Italy, or even trendy Burrata, which is mozzarella with a creamy center. Americans consume about 12 pounds of “mozz'” per capita every year, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

American cheese, usually sold in the form of those familiar light yellow or yellow-orange (or sometimes white) slices, either individually wrapped or separated by waxed paper, is a processed cheese product made from milk, milk solids, various fats, and whey protein.

Cheddar cheese dates back to the 12th century and originates from the village of Cheddar in Somerset, South West England. A popular story about its origin goes that a milkmaid forgot a pail of milk in a cave and when she went back to pick it up she found out that the milk had hardened into the cheddar cheese we eat today.