As an expat in Turkey, I’ve had a fantastic journey diving into the world of Turkish cheese. It’s been a mix of surprises with cheeses I’ve fallen in love with and others that weren’t quite my taste. But the overall experience? Absolutely delightful! Whether you’re a cheese connoisseur or just curious, exploring Turkish cheeses is a must-try adventure!

In my culinary explorations, I’ve come across 28 types of Turkish cheese. You’ve probably heard of stars like Tulum Cheese and Kars Gruyere, but there are hidden gems too, like the unique Konya mold cheese. It’s a diverse cheese board just waiting to be discovered, so let’s start!

Your cheat-sheet to the world of Turkish Cheese

1. Edirne Ezine Cheese (Edirne Ezine Peyniri)

• Milk: Cow, goat, and sheep
• Taste: Sour with a slippery mouthfeel

2. Konya Moldy Cheese (Konya Küflü Peynir)

• Milk: Skimmed sheep's, from regions like Karapınar, Ereğli, and Cihanbeyli
• Taste: Strong and aromatic with natural mold

3. Berendi and Divle Tulum Cheese (Berendi ve Divle Tulum Peyniri)

• Milk: Cow for Berendi, sheep for Divle
• Taste: Unique cave-matured flavors

4. Kayseri Çömlek Cheese

• Milk: Sheep or cow
• Taste: Enhanced by black cumin

5. Kars Gruyere

• Milk: Typically cow's
• Taste: Strong aroma with a distinct appearance

6. Belly Cream Cheese (Karın Kaymağı Peyniri)

• Milk: Fermented cow's, with added cream or butter
• Taste: Creamy with a unique, tripe-matured flavor

7. Varto Goat Cheese (Varto Keçi Peyniri)

• Milk: Goat's, sun-heated
• Taste: Distinct fermented goat cheese flavor

8. Erzurum Civil Peyniri

• Milk: Skim cow or sheep's
• Taste: Salty and sour with a soft, stringy texture

9. Diyarbakir Braided Cheese (Diyarbakır Örgülü Peynir)

• Milk: Sheep, cow, or goat
• Taste: Fermented and matured in whey and saltwater

10. Cubed Cheese

• Milk: Fresh cow's
• Taste: Unique, matured underground flavor

11. Trabzon's String Cheese (Trabzon’un Telli Peyniri)

• Milk: Cow's, from the Eastern Black Sea plateaus
• Taste: Low-salt, yellowish, fibrous, stretchy when heated

12. Sakarya's Abaza and Circassian Cheese (Sakarya’nın Abaza Peyniri ve Çerkez Peyniri)

• Milk: Usually cow's, low-fat
• Taste: Slightly salty

13. Smoked Cheese (İsli Peyniri)

• Milk: Typically cow's, from the Marmara Region
• Taste: Creamy with a smoky aroma

14. Van Herb Cheese

• Milk: Sheep's, with wild herbs
• Taste: Unique herby flavor and aroma

15. Çanak Cheese

• Milk: Summer-obtained, likely sheep or cow
• Taste: Reflects unique earthy preservation

16. Malatya Cheese

• Milk: Raw, usually from sheep or cow
• Taste: Distinctive, brine-matured

17. Izmir Tulumu

• Milk: Sheep's or a blend with cow and goat
• Taste: Harder and saltier than white cheese

18. Bergama Tulumu

• Milk: Sheep's, exclusive to Izmir
• Taste: Dominant and aromatic

19. Seferihisar Armola

• Milk: Goat's, often mixed with yogurt and cheese crumbs
• Taste: Slightly salty and sour

20. Kopanisti Cheese

• Milk: Likely sheep's or cow's, home-made
• Taste: Bitter with a unique smell

21. Tire Çamur Peyniri

• Milk: Fatty tulum curd and whey
• Taste: Creamy, ideal for spreads or salad sauce

22. Antep Cheese

• Milk: Likely cow's or sheep's, from Gaziantep
• Taste: Intense milk smell with a sweet taste

23. Manyas (Mihaliç) Cheese

• Milk: Typically from cows in Karacabey, Bursa
• Taste: Oily, salty with a thin white rind

24. Çiğ Kesik Peyniri (Raw Curd Cheese)

• Milk: Sheep's, from Samsun
• Taste: Unique, with a hint of thyme

25. Çorum Kargı Tulumu

• Milk: Likely sheep's or goat's, from Çorum
• Taste: Unique due to traditional fermentation and maturation

26. Thracian Kaşar

• Milk: Small cattle, from Thrace
• Taste: Rich, with a light lemon hue

27. Kulek Cheese

• Milk: Likely from cows in Vakfıkebir, Trabzon
• Taste: Unique, low salt, yellow and white

28. Mersin Cloth Tulumu

• Milk: Likely goat's or sheep's, from Mersin
• Taste: Low salt, creamy, and soft