Maasdam, South Holland · Netherlands
Maasdam.
Maasdam is the Netherlands doing Switzerland: big glossy holes, a supple, springy paste, and a flavour that leads sweet and nutty with a buttery finish. Milder and moister than Emmental, it's an easy-going cheese built for breakfast boards and generous melting.
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The story
How it's made.
Why it tastes that way.
Maasdam is a young cheese by Dutch standards — developed in 1984 as a faster-ripening, more affordable alternative to Swiss Emmental.
Propionic cultures blow its signature large eyes and lend the paste its characteristic sweet, nutty flavour, while the Dutch washed-curd method keeps it moister and milder than its Alpine inspiration. It matures in weeks rather than months, and the gamble paid off: the style — first trademarked as Leerdammer (Baars), with 'Maasdam' the generic name for Leerdammer-style cheese made by other producers — became a staple across Northern Europe, sliced onto breakfast bread and melted over everything.
Production · spec
- Milk
- Cow · pasteurised
- Family
- Semi-hard
- Rind
- wax
- Age
- 1–12 mo
- Intensity
- 2 / 5
- Texture
- semi-hard, springy, supple
Tasting profile
Quiet on every axis.
Fresh cheeses whisper — Maasdam sits low and even across the board. That evenness is the profile.
Aroma
Nutrition · per 100 g serving
What's in a wedge.
A 100 g serving — about a finger-thick wedge. Daily values use the FDA 2020 reference of 2,000 kcal. Expect ±5% variation between wheels.
Serve, cut & store
Out of the fridge,
into its prime.
Guidance for semi-hard cheeses — general practice, not a per-wheel measurement.
Rest
Take it out about ≈1 h before serving — cold stiffens the fat and locks up the aromas; cool room temperature is when the flavour shows up.
Cut
Cut thin half-moons or batons from the wedge; trim waxed or inedible rinds as you go.
Store
Wrap leftovers in cheese paper or wax paper — never cling film, which suffocates the rind — and keep them in the warmest part of the fridge.
Rule of thumb: the softer and riper, the longer it needs. Thick pieces need longer than thin — and don't leave cheese out much past two hours.
Pairings · Caseo curated
What goes with Maasdam.
43 pairings across 8 categories.
Wine
Beer & Cider
Where to find it
Cheese counters.
Counter listings for Maasdam are being verified. Check back soon.
Verified counter listings coming soon. Our team updates listings monthly.
Substitutes
No Maasdam at the counter?
These will play a similar role on the board and in the pan.
Take it with you
Want to remember this one?.
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