• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Eat Like No One Else logo

  • 🏠 Home
  • ℹ️ About
    • How to Eat Like No One Else
  • 🎄 Christmas
    • Christmas Breakfast
    • Christmas Cookies
    • Christmas Food Guides
    • Shopping for Christmas Dinner
  • 🎁 Shop for Gifts
  • 🍽️ Recipes
  • ✍️ Sign Up for Virtual Events
  • 🚫 Reduce Food Waste
  • 🔨 Work With Us
  • 📝 Privacy Policy
  • Navigation Menu: Social Icons

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
menu icon
go to homepage
  • ℹ️ About Us
  • 🍽️ Recipes
  • 🎙️ Podcast
  • 🚫 Reduce Food Waste
  • 🛒 Best Grocery Stores
  • 🍎 Apples Reviews
  • 🔨 Work With Us
  • 📝 Privacy Policy
    • Instagram
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • ℹ️ About Us
    • 🍽️ Recipes
    • 🎙️ Podcast
    • 🚫 Reduce Food Waste
    • 🛒 Best Grocery Stores
    • 🍎 Apples Reviews
    • 🔨 Work With Us
    • 📝 Privacy Policy
    • Instagram
  • ×

    Home » What is the Difference » What's the Difference Between Manchego and Mahon Cheese?

    What's the Difference Between Manchego and Mahon Cheese?

    Published: Feb 15, 2020 · Modified: Feb 23, 2021 by Eric Samuelson

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    What cheddar is to England, Manchego is to Spain. Learn all about this Spanish cheese and how it compares to another popular Spanish cheese, Mahon. Find out which is best for melting. Also get our recipe for Spanish Egg Bites with Manchego.

    Blocks of Manchego cheeses of different ages appear above some Mahon cheese with the words "What's the Difference Between Manchego and Mahon" in between.

    Is your favorite place in the world, the cheese counter at the grocery store?

    I know it's one of my mine.

    I love a store that has a good cheese counter. It's where I can go to discover cheeses that go beyond just Cheddar, Colby, or Mozzarella.

    A cheese counter is a place where you can travel the world without ever leaving your hometown.

    I have never been to Spain before. But I have had Spanish cheese.

    Two of my favorites, are the two most common you find in U.S. - Manchego and Mahon.

    How do they two cheeses differ? What can you use them for? Let's take a closer look.

    Also check out our post What's the Difference Between Cheddar and Colby Cheese?

    Jump to:
    • What is Manchego Cheese?
    • Do You Eat the Rind of Manchego?
    • Different Ages of Manchego
    • What Is It Good For?
    • DOP Manchego
    • Substitute
    • What is Mahon Cheese?
    • Differences Between Manchego and Mahon
    • Can You Grate Them?
    • Can You Melt Them?
    • Other Spanish Cheeses
    • Iberico Cheese
    • Cabra Al Vino Cheese
    • Spanish Egg Bites
    • Spanish Egg Bites with Manchego

    What is Manchego Cheese?

    When it comes to cheese from Spain, Manchego is the most well known. This hard cheese is made from sheep's milk from a certain breed of sheep called the Manchega.

    The cheese is aged for around 3 months up to 2 years.

    An up close view of the brown basket looking design of the rind of Manchego cheese

    You can easily recognize Manchego by the unique pattern on the rind. The patterned rind is a nod to the grass baskets previously used to form the cheese. The wood of the basket had that pattern on it, so it made it's mark on the cheese. Most of the time now it's done with plastic molds instead, not as romantic sounding but easier for commercial production.

    Do You Eat the Rind of Manchego?

    Nah, I would recommend cutting it off. Get as closes as you can with a good knife, and remove the rind. You shouldn't lose much of the cheese.

    Technically the rind is probably generally considered safe to eat.

    A Manchego cheese board with 3 month, 6 month, 1 year, and ALDI cheeses all cut into triangles on top of a wood cutting board.

    Different Ages of Manchego

    In searching around at several stores for Manchego, I was able to find 3 different ages - 3 months, 6 months, and 1 year. I bought one of each along with a Manchego from ALDI and built myself a little cheese board.

    The tasting began with the 3 month. Very mild on the flavor. The most creamy of the lot.

    Then moving onto the 6 month, this the age I think most Manchego ends up being. It has gained some flavor but isn't too dry at this point. The ALDI Manchego I had on that cheese board above seemed to taste similar to the 6 month.

    In terms of flavor, the 1 year was naturally the strongest. At this point, the cheese has developed the crystal like texture you get when you bite into legit Parmesan. I would say it's similar to Dry Jack cheese at this point but still more mild than that. Even after a year I would still consider Manchego to be a mild cheese with a slight gamey finish at the end.

    I find it to be similar to Dry Jack without being as sharp. It actually would make a fine substitute for Pecorino Romano in the classic Cacio e Pepe pasta dish.

    What Is It Good For?

    Manchego is great for straight up eating along with some good crackers. The more aged Manchego can be grated like you would Parmesan. Great for sprinkling on top of pasta.

    Manchego El Trigal DOP Sheep's Milk Cheese 1 year made in Toledo, Spain.

    DOP Manchego

    If you want to get legit Manchego cheese that comes from the proper region of Spain you need to look for the DOP label. DOP stands for Denominazione di Origine. We have discussed it on this blog before when talking about Italian San Marzano tomatoes.

    The cheese packaging above has DOP written on it as well as that sticker at the bottom that confirms the origin. From what I can tell, the "1/16" means your cut is coming from 1/16th of the drum of cheese. The most important thing to see is the sticker, not just the cheese saying it's DOP.

    The Manchego I got came from Toledo, Spain, which is in the Castile-La Mancha region.

    Substitute

    If you are looking to sub out Manchego in a recipe or on a cheese board, consider Asiago, Pecorino Romano or Dry Jack. Some say even Parmesan could work. Cheddar wouldn't really be the right fit as it's more moist than Manchego.

    Since most stores carry Manchego in some form, a substation won't often be necessary.

    Mahon cheese with tiny holes on a white tiled counter top.

    What is Mahon Cheese?

    We have talked a plenty about Manchego, so let's look at Spain's next famous cheese - Mahon. This cheese is made from cow's milk. It's sometimes called the cheddar of Spain, although it's definitely distinguishable from cheddar.

    Mahon is named after the port town of Mao, on the island of Menorca, which in the Mediterranean - this is a well known cheese producing area.

    Mahon is wrapped in cloth and rubbed with butter, paprika, and olive oil.

    The cheese is considered to have reached it's maturity around 10-12 months, when it will have developed a sharper flavor but still have a buttery texture.

    Differences Between Manchego and Mahon

    Here are the differences between these two popular Spanish cheeses.

    ManchegoMahon
    Made with sheep's milkMade with cow's milk
    Dry mouthfeel (crystal like structure at 1 year)Buttery even at 1 year
    MildPleasantly sharp
    A slight gamey finishA slight nutty finish
    Made in La Mancha regionMade on Island of Menorca

    When it comes down to it, they are two very different cheeses. Those differences make them a great choice to pair together on a cheeseboard.

    Can You Grate Them?

    Even at the 3 month stage you could grate Manchego. However I don't think it's a great grating cheese for topping pasta until it reaches that 1 year point, in which then it's a grating rock star and a nice alternative to Parmesan.

    Mahon cheese is softer in texture and doesn't grate well as a topping.

    Can You Melt Them?

    Manchego is not the world's greatest melting cheese. It has a tendency to becoming too greasy. It wouldn't be my go-to for mac & cheese unless using it mixed better melters. However I did test using it in some Instant Pot Egg Bites with great results (you will find the recipe at the end of this post).

    Mahon is the better melter for sure. People love it on toast.

    If you can't find Mahon and are looking for a melting cheese that is the most similar the best I can offer is gouda. Not the same but gouda could stand in if needed, if not then just for with a Manchego.

    Other Spanish Cheeses

    Before we end this tour of Spanish cheeses, I wanted to mention two other types that I found in a sampler pack at Trader Joe's - Iberico and Cabra Al Vino.

    Trader Joe's Spanish Cheese Tapas Sampler in a red package.

    Iberico Cheese

    Looks awfully similar to Manchego however it is made from cow, goat, and sheep milk. It combines the best of each of those milks. It's a bit more tangy than Manchego and more creamy.

    Cabra Al Vino Cheese

    This cheese is made from just goat's milk, which is why it has such a brilliant white appearance. It's a milder goat cheese in the spirit of Manchego. As the name would suggest the outside of the cheese gets rubbed with wine. I didn't pick up any of those kinds of flavor really in this sampler, it was still an enjoyable cheese.

    I recommend the sampler as a great way to introduce your friends to help them learn about the differences in the types of milk used.

    Manchego Instant Pot Egg Bites with Smoked Pimenton Paprika

    Spanish Egg Bites

    To make these delicious Spanish Egg Bites I combined 4 eggs with 2 ounces of Manchego cheese.

    To add another Spanish element, I used my favorite smoked paprika - Smoked Pienton Paprika from Burlap & Barrel. This paprika is sweet and smoky. You would think I may have put bacon or sweet peppers in these bites but all those flavors are coming from the paprika.

    Spanish Egg Bites with Manchego

    Easy to make egg bites in the Instant Pot using Manchego cheese and smoked paprika
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Breakfast
    Cuisine: American
    Keyword: egg bites
    Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 6 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 11 minutes minutes
    Servings: 7 egg bites
    Author: Eric Samuelson

    Equipment

    • Instant Pot

    Ingredients

    • 4 large eggs scrambled
    • 2 ounces Manchego cheese shredded
    • ¼ tsp Burlap & Barrel Smoked Pimenton Paprika
    • kosher salt to taste

    Instructions

    • Spray your egg bite mold(s) with a little oil to help them pop out when cooked. Set aside.
    • Crack your eggs into a bowl, and scramble with a fork.
    • Mix in the cheese, paprika, and salt.
    • Fill the molds up with eggs. Don’t fill them more than ¾ full
    • Place the trivet into the bottom of your Instant Pot so it can keep the mold out of the water.
    • Add a cup of water
    • Place the mold into the Instant Pot.
    • Close the lid and set the Instant Pot to 6 minutes of high pressure cooking.
    • Allow for natural release. Should take about 5 minutes.
    • Remove the lid. Allow any excess steam to dissipate before carefully removing the silicone mold from the pot.
    • Turn the mold over pop out the bites over a plate. Serve hot.

    Notes

    This recipe makes 7 bites, Double everything and use a second mold to make 14. You can stack the molds on top of each other in the pot.
    Tried this recipe?Mention @eatlikenooneelse or tag #eatlikenooneelse

    This post includes affiliate links. This means that at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase. These are products and services I recommend because I use or trust them. Cookies will be used to track the affiliate links you click.

    « Where to Buy Bison (Buffalo) Meat in Michigan?
    What is a Juici Apple? »

    Reader Interactions

    Leave a Reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar

    Nice to Meet You,

    Hi! I'm Eric : Father of 4, living just south of Ann Arbor, MI. I'm a reformed picky eater finding a new way to not conform. Eating what's in season is my jam (I also make it!)

    Categories

    Top Posts & Pages

    What Vegetables Go Well In Meatloaf?
    Dry Brined Air Fryer Turkey Breast
    Types of Yellow Apples
    Episode 178 - Veggie Spotlight - Cauliflower

    Recent Posts

    • What Vegetables Go Well In Meatloaf?
    • Dry Brined Air Fryer Turkey Breast
    • Types of Yellow Apples
    • Episode 178 - Veggie Spotlight - Cauliflower
    • Homemade Pumpkin Pie Spice Marshmallows

    Reduce Food Waste in Your House

    Copyright © 2023 Eat Like No One Else on the Foodie Pro Theme