List of Gluten-Free Cheeses

Several people have Celiac disease, a condition which stops people from properly digesting gluten in foods. These people have to be careful and are often limited in what they can consume. Many types of cheeses, such as cream and blue, and cheese products may contain gluten, but aged cheeses can be safely consumed by people with Celiac disease.

Cheddar one of the most well-known cheeses in the world, is gluten-free. Most people are familiar with cheddar cheese's bright orange colour, but cheddar is naturally white. Cheddar cheese is always made from cow's milk. Cheddar has a smooth texture and a tendency to crumble. Cheddar is always aged and the longer it has been aged, the sharper the taste. The name cheddar is not protected, so be careful when buying this cheese.

Edam cheese gets its name from the Dutch harbour where it was originally sold. Edam cheese was the most popular cheese for hundreds of years because of its extremely long shelf life. This cheese is now made from skimmed milk and has a bright orange colour. It is usually sold as a round block with a hard, paraffin wax shell. Farm-made Edam is supposed to be tough with a strong taste, but newer factory-made Edam cheese is much softer and milder.

Swiss cheese is easily identified for its iconic holes. This cheese is a pale yellow and has a nutty taste. Swiss cheese is a broad term and specific brands of Swiss cheese are usually named for the region in which they were produced. The cheese can have a mild to sharp taste depending on how long it has been aged. The holes in Swiss cheese are created by carbon dioxide in the production process.

Parmigiano-Reggiano and its kissing cousin, Parmesan, is another variety of gluten-free cheese. It is named after the region of Italy in which it was originally produced. Parmesan is a popular cheese that is often grated and served on top of pasta. Parmesan is white and gets its strong flavour from the brine in which it is prepared. Parmesan is typically white or pale yellow and is made from cow's milk.