Best Dutch Semi-hard Cheese Types
Dutch for farmer's cheese, Boerenkaas is produced using unpasteurized, raw milk from the farm's own animals, which is why only a small percentage of Dutch cheeses can carry that name. Unlike its factory-made counterpart, this unique handmade cheese is said to be more a product of art than of science.
Depending on the type of milk used in the process, there are four variations of Boerenkaas: Goudse, Leidse, and Edammer Boerenkaas made from cow's milk and Boerenkaas from goat's, sheep's, or buffalo's milk. Additionally, seeds, herbs, and spices can be added to turn the flavor up a notch.
Noord-Hollandse Gouda is an aromatic and pleasant cheese that can be mild or intense, depending on its age. Its varieties include Graskaas, Jong, Jong belegen, Belegen, Extra belegen, Oud and Extra oud.
The older the cheese variety, the stronger and saltier it gets. This type of Gouda cheese has a PDO status and is made from 100% North-Holland milk. It was originally made in the town of Gouda in South Holland, so its registered name 'North-Holland Gouda' may seem wrong.
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THE BEST Noord-Hollandse Gouda Cheeses
The Netherlands' most prominent export product and one of the world's most popular cheeses, Gouda, is a yellow to orange, creamy, and sweet cow's milk cheese. Because they are pressed into molds, Gouda cheeses usually have a characteristic flattened wheel shape, and many are instantly recognizable thanks to their yellow and red waxy, plastic-looking coating.
Its texture ranges from semi-hard to hard, depending on aging time, and the taste also changes with aging. Therefore, Gouda cheeses are classified based on aging time. There are a total of six categories: young cheese (4 weeks), young matured (8–10 weeks), matured (16–18 weeks), extra matured (7–9 months), old cheese (10–12 months), and very old cheese (12 months and more).
THE BEST Gouda Cheeses
Gouda Holland is a semi-hard Dutch cheese that's produced exclusively from cows' milk from Dutch farms, and it's one of the most popular cheeses worldwide. The cheese is made in a flattened wheel shape and it's flavorful and aromatic (mild, fruity, sweet, butterscotch flavors), depending on the stage of maturity.
Young Gouda has a sweet, fruity taste, and as it ages it becomes deep yellow and firmer, almost granular. Its flavor is complex; from fruity notes to hints of cocoa and groundnut, which leave a rich and smooth feel in the mouth. It is typically used sliced in sandwiches, or cut into cubes and eaten as a snack.
THE BEST Gouda Holland Cheeses
Edelweiss Creamery
Cellar Aged Grass Based Gouda
American Cheese Society Judging & Competition Awards - 1st Place 2018, 2010
Beemster Classic is an aged version of this Gouda-style Dutch cheese. The cheese is made from cow's milk and it's aged for at least 18 months. Underneath its natural rind, the texture of this semi-hard cheese is firm, smooth, and creamy.
The aromas are strong and rich, while the flavors are salty, sharp, and reminiscent of burnt caramel, with a sweet finish. It's recommended to use the cheese in sandwiches. Pair it with Malbec or full-bodied white wines, or go for a glass of hoppy and bitter craft beer.
Beemster is also one of the bestselling cheeses in the US, and it's won a Super Gold medal at the 2014 World Cheese Awards.
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Maasdam is a traditional cheese made from cow's milk. This semi-hard cheese has a waxed rind that hides a creamy and supple texture specked with numerous large eyes. The aromas are fruity, while the flavors are mild, nutty, buttery, and sweet.
Maasdam is high in fat, with a minimum of 45%. It was created in the early 1990s as a replacement for the expensive Swiss Emmental cheese. The cheese ages from 4 to 12 weeks. When young, it's usually eaten as a snack or it's used in sandwiches. Maasdam can also be melted in soups, fondues, and casseroles.
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Noord-Hollandse Edammer is a soft, spherical cheese, with a flat top and bottom, made from cow's milk obtained exclusively from the pastures of North Holland, which gives it its unique taste. Its distinctive characteristics include a low salt content (its saltiness is significantly lower than that of other varieties of Edam cheese), high production quality, and a red, waxy outer coating.
It comes from the town of Edam in North Holland, where it's prepared following the instructions from a traditional recipe and has a PDO certificate. As it ages, Noord-Hollandse Edammer becomes firmer. The cheese has been produced on farms since the Middle Ages, which is evident from the Edam cheese presses that are displayed in numerous museums in North Holland.
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Hollandse geitenkaas is a semi-hard white cheese prepared using pasteurized cream or whole, semi-skimmed or skimmed milk from Dutch White Goats or Dutch White cross-breeds exclusively. Its taste is soft, mild and clean, with fat content between 50% and 60%.
The mild flavor is developed after a minimum of four weeks of ripening. It can be left to ripen in the air, where it develops a dry rind, or it can be foil-ripened, preserving the mild flavors of young goat's cheese. As most goat cheeses, it goes well with chilled white wines and dry rosé wines.
Also known as Boeren Leidenkaas, this traditional semi-hard farm cheese from the Gouda family is produced in the wider Leiden area of South Holland. One of the three most famous cheeses of Holland, Boeren-Leidse met Sleutels is infused with cumin seeds, and quite aromatic, while its flavor ranges from fruity to spicy.
In the words of the jury at the Dutch Artisanal Contest 2010, where this cheese won the main award: 'The cheese has a taste that fills your mouth completely, is pleasantly piquant with lavender and ends with walnut with the bitterness of an almond'.
Leerdammer is a Dutch cheese made from cow's milk. It was invented by Cees Boterkooper and Bastiaan Baars in 1977 in Schoonrewoerd, but nowadays the production takes place in Leerdam, hence the name. The cheese has a smooth, springy, open, and creamy texture, while the flavors are mild, sweet, and nutty.
It's often described as a cross between Gouda and Emmental. Leerdammer is traditionally aged from 3 to 12 months. It is recommended to use it in sandwiches, salads, and various cooked dishes.
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Best Dutch Semi-hard Cheese Producers
Van der Heiden Kaas is a cheese producer based in the Netherlands, specialized in the production and wholesale of various types of Dutch cheeses. The company is involved in both the domestic market and international exports, catering to a range of preferences and requirements.
They focus on maintaining traditional cheese-making processes, ensuring a consistent quality in their cheese offerings.
AWARDS
World Cheese Awards - Super Gold
2023, 2021
International Cheese Awards - Gold
2022
World Cheese Awards - Gold
2024, 2023, 2022, 2021
BEST Van Der Heiden Kaas Cheeses
Kaasmakerij Henri Willig is a cheese producer based in the Netherlands, specifically in the region of North Holland. The company was founded in 1974 and specializes in the production of Gouda, Edam, and other Dutch cheeses. Kaasmakerij Henri Willig also operates several cheese farms where tourists can learn about traditional Dutch cheese-making processes.
The company produces both organic and conventional cheeses, catering to various dietary and culinary preferences.
AWARDS
World Cheese Awards - Super Gold
2023
International Cheese Awards - Gold
2019
World Championship Cheese Contest - Best of Class
2024
BEST Kaasmakerij Henri Willig Cheeses
Best Dutch Semi-hard Cheeses
Tomme De Berry Vieille Sèche is semi-hard cheese, made from cow's milk and is known for its distinctive, rustic appearance and rich flavor. The "Vieille Sèche" designation indicates that it is aged longer, resulting in a firmer texture and deeper, more complex flavors.
The cheese has a natural rind that adds to its character, while the interior is creamy with hints of nuttiness and earthiness. Tomme De Berry Vieille Sèche is often enjoyed on its own, paired with crusty bread, or as part of a cheese platter, making it a delightful choice for cheese lovers.
AWARDS
World Cheese Awards - Gold
2023
AWARDS
World Cheese Awards - Gold
2024
AWARDS
World Championship Cheese Contest - Best of Class
2024
AWARDS
World Championship Cheese Contest - Best of Class
2024
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 11 Dutch Semi-hard Cheeses” list until March 22, 2025, 1,533 ratings were recorded, of which 1,319 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.