Italian Cheese Guide: Types, Uses and How to Choose

A Taste of Tradition: Your Guide to Authentic Italian Cheese

Welcome to the heart of Italian flavor. Our cheese collection is a journey through centuries of tradition, where every wheel tells a story of its specific place, milk, and heritage. This authenticity is protected by DOP/PDO (Protected Designation of Origin) standards, which define where and how protected cheeses are produced.

This guide will help you navigate our collection with confidence. Discover how to select the perfect cheese for any occasion, get expert tips on pairings that sing, and learn the best ways to store your cheese to keep it tasting its best. When you are ready, explore our curated Italian cheese collection and bring home a true taste of Italy.

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Meet Your Kitchen's New Best Friends

Pecorino Romano

Flavor and texture: Assertive, salty, and sharp with a pleasant sheep's-milk tang. Its hard, dense texture makes it the ultimate grating cheese for classic Roman cuisine. We are proud to offer premier varieties, including the world-renowned Locatelli brand.

Best uses: The soul of Roman pasta dishes like Cacio e Pepe and Amatriciana. Also perfect for shaving over roasted vegetables or finishing a hearty soup.

Choose it for: A bold, savory punch that cuts through rich flavors and elevates simple ingredients.

Parmigiano Reggiano

The King of Cheese

Flavor and texture: A complex journey of flavor, from toasted nuts to savory broth, with delightful crunchy crystals that signal its maturity.

Best uses: A true all-star. Grate it over pasta, shave it onto salads, or savor it on its own with a drizzle of aged balsamic or a slice of fresh pear.

Choose it for: Unmatched versatility and a deep, satisfying umami that enriches everything it touches.

Grana Padano

Flavor and texture: Milder and smoother than its famous cousin, Parmigiano. It offers a gentle, buttery flavor with a fine-grained texture that melts beautifully.

Best uses: Your everyday hero for grating into sauces, stirring into soups, or adding a savory layer to baked dishes and breadings.

Choose it for: A reliable and approachable grating cheese that brings a touch of Italian quality to daily cooking.

Asiago

Flavor and texture: A cheese of two personalities. Young Asiago is mild and softer, while aged Asiago Stagionato DOP is firmer, nuttier, and more pronounced.

Best uses: Incredibly versatile, it is perfect for slicing onto sandwiches, cubing for cheese boards, or grating into salads and pasta dishes.

Choose it for: A crowd-pleasing cheese that adapts to many recipes and occasions.

Provolone

Flavor and texture: We specialize in sharp, piquant Provolone with a distinctive flavor and firm, smooth texture. For true connoisseurs, we also offer Auricchio Provolone Piccante for an even more intense experience.

Best uses: The undisputed champion of authentic Italian sandwiches, baked ziti, and chicken cutlets. The aged varieties are also exceptional table cheeses.

Choose it for: Superior melting performance and a classic, comforting dairy flavor that ranges from pleasantly sharp to intensely piquant.

Gorgonzola

Flavor and texture: Gorgonzola ranges from sweeter, creamier Dolce to the firmer, more intense, and crumbly Piccante.

Best uses: Melt it into decadent pasta sauces, crumble it over a grilled steak, or pair it with pears, figs, and honey on a cheese board.

Choose it for: A bold yet balanced blue cheese character that pairs beautifully with sweet and savory partners.

Ricotta Salata

Flavor and texture: Unlike creamy fresh ricotta, this version is pressed, salted, and aged, resulting in a firm, crumbly texture and a clean, milky, savory flavor.

Best uses: The perfect finishing touch for salads, roasted vegetables, and classic Sicilian pasta dishes like Pasta alla Norma.

Choose it for: A bright, salty flavor that adds freshness and texture without weighing a dish down.

Get the Best Flavor: Your Pro Buying Guide

Always Choose Freshly Cut Wedges

The secret to incredible cheese is freshness. We cut your cheese from the wheel the day your order ships, preserving its full aroma and moisture right up to the last moment. Pre-grated and pre-packaged cheeses cannot compare to the vibrant flavor you get from a wedge cut to order.

Plan Your Portions

Pasta Night for 4 people: 2 to 3 ounces is perfect for a generous grating.
Cheese Board: Plan for 3 to 4 ounces of total cheese per person, spread across 2 to 3 different styles.
Stocking Up: A single larger wedge will store better and stay fresher than multiple small pieces.

Expert Storage for Lasting Freshness

Protect your investment with these simple storage tips:

The Best Wrap: Use cheese paper or parchment paper to let the cheese breathe. Place the wrapped cheese in a loose bag or container.
Seal the Cut: For longer storage, press plastic wrap tightly against the cut face of the cheese to block air, then wrap the whole piece in paper.
Find the Right Spot: The vegetable crisper drawer in your refrigerator offers a stable, cool, and humid environment.
Serve at Room Temperature: For the best flavor and aroma, take your cheese out of the refrigerator about 30 minutes before serving.

Your Cheese Questions, Answered

Is the rind edible?

Great question! In most cases, yes. Soft, bloomy rinds and washed rinds are often edible. However, you will want to remove wax, cloth, paper, foil, and other coverings. The hard natural rinds on cheeses like Parmigiano are technically edible but very tough. Do not throw them out: simmer them in your next soup or sauce to add depth of flavor, then remove them before serving.

Why does my Parmigiano have crunchy bits?

Those are a sign of a well-aged cheese. They are called tyrosine crystals and form as the proteins in the milk break down over many months. They add a delightful crunch and signal that the cheese has developed a complex, mature flavor.

What is the difference between Pecorino Romano and Parmigiano Reggiano?

While they look similar, they are worlds apart in flavor. Here is the breakdown:

The Milk: Pecorino Romano is made from sheep's milk, giving it a grassy tang. Parmigiano Reggiano is made from cow's milk, resulting in a nuttier, more savory flavor.
The Flavor: Pecorino is bold, sharp, and salty. Parmigiano is more nuanced, with notes of toasted nuts and savory broth.
The Use: Pecorino's assertive flavor is perfect for classic Roman pastas. Parmigiano is an all-purpose star for grating, shaving, and snacking.

Bring Your Cheese to Life: Simple Pairing Inspiration

Pairing is all about creating delicious harmony. You do not need to be a chef to make amazing combinations; just start with great cheese. Here are a few ideas to get you started.

Pecorino Romano

A bold, salty sheep's-milk cheese like our Pecorino Romano DOP adds a sharp, savory kick. For those who prefer a trusted and renowned brand, we also offer Locatelli Pecorino Romano, a benchmark for quality.

Dishes: The hero of Cacio e Pepe, Amatriciana, and Carbonara. Its saltiness is a perfect match for rich cured meats like guanciale.
Drinks: A crisp Italian white wine like Vermentino or a bold red like Chianti Classico will balance its intensity.

Parmigiano Reggiano

The versatile King of Cheeses pairs beautifully with both sweet and savory flavors.

Dishes: Enjoy it simply with a drizzle of aged balsamic, fresh figs, or Prosciutto di Parma. Shave it over risotto or a fresh arugula salad.
Drinks: A sparkling Lambrusco or Prosecco cuts through the richness, while a light-bodied Chianti complements its nutty notes.

Grana Padano

Our Grana Padano's gentle, buttery flavor makes it an easy and agreeable partner.

Dishes: A fantastic everyday cheese. Grate it into omelets, melt it onto vegetable gratins, or stir it into creamy polenta.
Drinks: Pair it with light, fruity red wines or a crisp Pinot Grigio.

Asiago

Aged Asiago offers a nutty, more pronounced flavor while remaining highly versatile.

Dishes: Pair it with apples and walnuts on a cheese board, or use it to top onion soup or bake it into savory scones.
Drinks: A crisp lager complements its balanced flavor, while a fruity Valpolicella is also an excellent choice.

Provolone

Its smooth texture and distinctive flavor make it a melting champion. For an even more intense experience, choose Auricchio Provolone Piccante.

Dishes: The soul of a great meatball sub or Italian hoagie. It also melts beautifully into baked pasta dishes. The aged varieties are fantastic as table cheeses.
Drinks: A simple, light-bodied red like Bardolino or even a pale ale will not overpower the cheese.

Gorgonzola

This piquant blue cheese loves sweet and robust partners.

Dishes: A classic pairing with ripe pears, toasted walnuts, and a drizzle of honey. Melt it into a sauce for gnocchi or crumble it over a grilled steak.
Drinks: Stand up to its boldness with a sweet dessert wine like Vin Santo or a full-bodied red like Amarone.

Ricotta Salata

Our grating Ricotta Salata offers a clean, salty brightness that complements fresh ingredients.

Dishes: Crumble it over a watermelon and mint salad, or use it as the finishing touch for roasted vegetables or pasta with fresh tomato sauce.
Drinks: Its light, salty notes pair beautifully with a dry Rosé or a crisp Sauvignon Blanc.

Ready to Taste the Difference?

Explore the full range in our Italian cheese collection. Every piece is cut with care from wheels chosen for their exceptional quality, delivering flavor that is vibrant, true to tradition, and worlds away from supermarket cheese.