Castilla-La Mancha · Spain
Queso Manchego
Manchego is a firm sheep's-milk cheese from the plains of La Mancha, made exclusively from the milk of the local Manchega breed. Cheesemaking there is ancient — traces appear at Bronze Age sites — and the herringbone rind pattern once came from the esparto-grass moulds shepherds used.
Approximate, per 3-4 wedges (~30g). Values vary by recipe and portion.
Where it comes from
Manchego is a firm sheep's-milk cheese from the plains of La Mancha, made exclusively from the milk of the local Manchega breed. Cheesemaking there is ancient — traces appear at Bronze Age sites — and the herringbone rind pattern once came from the esparto-grass moulds shepherds used. It holds a DOP requiring aging from 60 days to over two years.
Where to eat Queso Manchego
0 restaurants worldwide serve it.
The variants
Semicurado
Aged 2-3 months; supple, buttery and mild.
Curado
Aged 3-6 months; firmer with nutty, caramel notes.
Viejo
Aged over a year; hard, sharp and crystalline.
Manchego en Aceite
Aged submerged in olive oil for a rich, intense cure.
Cook it yourself
- Queso Manchego
Queso Manchego is the firm sheep's-milk cheese of the La Mancha plains, made only from the milk of the Manchega breed and marked with the herringbone pattern of its old esparto moulds. A cornerstone of any Spanish table, it shines in the simple, classic pairing with quince paste.