Alentejo · Portugal
Queijo de Évora.
A compact, hard sheep's milk cheese with an assertive personality—sharp and piquant with a mineral saltiness that builds on the palate, undercut by subtle herbaceous and hay-like notes. The paste crumbles slightly under tooth, releasing flavors of wild herbs and a whisper of pleasant bitterness that lingers like smoke. Its natural rind carries the essence of the Alentejo plains themselves.
Origin
38.1°N · 7.9°W
The story
How it's made.
Why it tastes that way.
Queijo de Évora is a small, hard sheep's milk cheese from the Alentejo plains, one of Portugal's most important cork and Merina Branca (white Merino) sheep regions. Made with thistle flower rennet, it has been produced since ancient times.
PDO was granted in 1996. The merendeira (snack-sized) version is the most common.
Production · spec
- Milk
- Sheep · raw
- Family
- Hard
- Rind
- natural
- Age
- 1–4 mo
- Protected
- PDO · since 1996
- Intensity
- 4 / 5
- Texture
- hard
Tasting profile
What it tastes like.
These bars are a visual read of Queijo de Évora's flavour and aroma notes, scaled by the cheese's overall intensity — a quick guide, not a lab measurement.
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 hard cheeses — general practice, not a per-wheel measurement.
Rest
Take it out about 30–60 min before serving — cold stiffens the fat and locks up the aromas; cool room temperature is when the flavour shows up.
Cut
Use a sturdy knife, or break it into craggy chunks with a spike — shards and shavings beat neat slices.
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 Queijo.
30 pairings across 6 categories.
Wine
Beer & Cider
Where to find it
Cheese counters.
Counter listings for Queijo de Évora are being verified. Check back soon.
Verified counter listings coming soon. Our team updates listings monthly.
Substitutes
No Queijo de Évora 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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