A guide to Dutch cheese — Gouda, Edam, and beyond. The styles, the famous cheese markets, and how to enjoy the Netherlands' great cheeses.
The Netherlands is one of the world's great cheese nations, and Dutch cheese — above all Gouda — is exported and loved around the globe. From mild young wheels to deeply caramelized aged ones, Dutch cheese is approachable, versatile, and steeped in centuries of trading tradition.
A Trading Heritage
Cheese has been central to Dutch life and commerce for centuries, traded in historic cheese markets like those of Gouda, Edam, and Alkmaar, where the spectacle of cheese-carrying continues as a tourist attraction today. Dutch cheeses were built to travel and keep, which helped them conquer global markets. Most are made from cow's milk and share a smooth, supple, often sweet character.
Gouda: The National Treasure
Gouda accounts for the lion's share of Dutch cheese and ranges enormously with age. Young Gouda is mild, smooth, and sweet; aged Gouda (oud) becomes hard, deep, and intensely caramel-and-butterscotch flavored, with crunchy crystals. Made by washing the curd, which gives it its characteristic mellow sweetness, Gouda is the heart of Dutch cheese.
Edam: The Red-Waxed Classic
Edam, the ball-shaped cheese in red wax (for export), is made from partly skimmed milk, making it leaner, firmer, and milder than Gouda. Once one of the most traded cheeses in the world, it remains a recognizable, mild everyday cheese.
Spiced and Flavored Cheeses
The Dutch love spiced cheeses. Leyden (Leidse kaas) is flavored with cumin seeds, and other Goudas come studded with cumin, cloves, or fenugreek. These spiced cheeses are a distinctive part of the tradition, adding warmth and aroma to the mellow cheese base.
Maasdam and Holey Cheeses
Maasdam (and the brand Leerdammer) is a Dutch cheese with large holes, created as a milder, sweeter, more affordable alternative to Swiss Emmental. Nutty and supple, it's a popular sandwich and snacking cheese with a Swiss-like look.
How to Enjoy Dutch Cheese
A Dutch cheese experience spans the ages of Gouda: try a young, a matured, and an extra-aged Gouda side by side to taste how dramatically it changes. Add a spiced cumin Gouda or Leyden and a piece of Edam for contrast. Serve with dark bread, mustard, and fruit. Aged Gouda pairs wonderfully with beer, bold reds, and even whisky.
Pairings
Dutch cheeses pair with beer, bold red wines, and — for aged Gouda — whisky, as well as with dark bread, mustard, apples, and pears. Aged Gouda's caramel notes also make it a fine match for dark chocolate.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the most famous Dutch cheese?
Gouda, which accounts for most Dutch cheese production and ranges from mild and young to deeply caramelized when aged.
What's the difference between Gouda and Edam?
Gouda is made from full-fat milk and is richer and sweeter; Edam is made from partly skimmed milk and is leaner, firmer, and milder.
Why is Edam wrapped in red wax?
The red wax was an export feature protecting the cheese on long voyages; domestically, young Edam often has a different coating.