Gran Canaria Cheese: The Best Traditional Cheeses to Try on Your Holiday

Gran Canaria cheese is one of the island’s most memorable local flavours and a true expression of its rural heritage. From fresh and creamy to cured, smoked, or aged, these traditional cheeses have been crafted for generations, shaped by volcanic landscapes, grazing herds, and time-honoured techniques.

Goat’s milk sits at the heart of Gran Canaria’s cheesemaking, often blended with sheep’s or cow’s milk to create a wonderfully diverse range of textures and tastes. Many artisan producers still rely on natural rennet, slow maturation in caves, and smoking with Canary Island spurge or almond wood, giving each cheese a distinctive character. More than a delicacy, Gran Canaria cheese is a cultural legacy you can taste in every bite.

Exploring the Cheeses of Gran Canaria

Gran Canaria’s cheesemaking tradition is very much alive. In fact, the Canary Islands are Spain’s biggest cheese lovers, with the highest per capita consumption in the country at over 11 kilograms per person each year, according to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Environment.

As you taste your way across the island, one thing becomes clear: there is no single “typical” Gran Canaria cheese. The island is defined by variety, shaped by different regions, milks, and maturation styles, from delicate fresh cheeses to bold, smoked specialities.

Fresh cheeses are prized for their smooth texture and clean, milky flavour, especially with a drizzle of honey or a spoonful of jam. Soft and semi-cured cheeses offer a little more depth, while cured and smoked varieties bring richer, longer-lasting flavours that stay with you long after the last bite.

Among Gran Canaria’s many cheeses, a few stand out as true flagships of the island’s culinary tradition. Leading the way is Queso de Flor from the municipality of Guía, also known as “flower cheese”. Its signature is the way it is made: rather than animal rennet, it is traditionally set with vegetable rennet from the cardoon flower, a wild artichoke species (Cynara cardunculus). These celebrated cheeses carry a Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) and are among the must-try specialities when tasting Gran Canaria cheese:  

• QUESO DE FLOR DE GUÍA. Instantly recognisable for its creamy texture, this cheese has an intense, complex flavour with a subtle, gently bitter edge, balanced beautifully by the richness and character of sheep’s milk

• QUESO DE MEDIA FLOR. Made with a blend of cow’s, goat’s and sheep’s milk and traditionally set with vegetable rennet, this cheese is delicately creamy with a pale rind. Its slightly milder flavour makes it an easy favourite for almost every palate.

• QUESO DE GUÍA CURADO. Aged for more than 60 days, this cheese develops a deep, bold character through slow maturation. The firm, natural rind protects a compact paste full of nuanced aromas, offering a flavour that feels both traditional and unmistakably Gran Canarian.

• GOAT CHEESE "CURADO AHUMADO". This smoked cured goat cheese is aged for over 60 days, allowing its flavours to become rich, layered, and complex. The natural rind preserves a dense interior, and every bite brings subtle smoky notes that make it one of the island’s most memorable varieties.

• CHEESES WITH PAPRIKA OR GOFIO ON THE RIND. Coating the rind with paprika (pimentón) or gofio is a traditional technique that adds aroma, colour, and personality. These cheeses are typically semi-cured or cured and are often made with Majorera goat’s milk, known for its richness in fat and protein. 

THREE-MILK CHEESES

In Gran Canaria, it is common to find cheeses made from a combination of cow’s, goat’s, and sheep’s milk. This blend creates artisanal cheeses with a well-balanced flavour, where no single type of milk overpowers the others. Some of the most notable producers of these cheeses include: 

• CHEESE DAIRY LOMO ‘EL CHORRITO’. Located in the municipality of Valleseco, this cheesery, run by Mario Quintana Sánchez, produces three varieties of three-milk cheese: soft, semi-cured, and cured, each showcasing the balanced flavour of cow, goat, and sheep milk.

• CHEESE DAIRY GRANARANJO. In Dragonal Alto, close to the island's capital, Rita Naranjo Pérez crafts soft and semi-cured three-milk cheeses using milk from her own herd, offering a truly artisanal product that reflects the island’s tradition.

• CHEESE DAIRY ‘EL CAIDERO’. Managed by Yolanda Arencibia in Moya, this cheesery specialises in semi-cured and cured cheeses, maintaining the rich flavours and textures that make Gran Canaria’s cheeses so distinctive.

Award-Winning Gran Canaria Cheese

The quality of Gran Canaria cheese is not only appreciated locally. It has also gained recognition on a national and international stage.

In recent years, the island’s cheesemakers have built an impressive reputation at some of the world’s most prestigious competitions.

One of the most celebrated is the World Cheese Awards, one of the leading international contests in the industry. In the 2024 edition, Gran Canaria cheeses won 17 medals, including Super Gold for the cured sheep cheese from Quesería La Caldera and Gold for the cured goat cheese from Quesos de Campo de Guía.

That same year, Canarian cheeses collected a total of 49 gold and silver awards out of more than 5,000 entries from around the world.

In 2025, producers such as Cueva Sosa were recognised with the award for Best Gran Canaria Cheese for their cured three-milk blend from Gáldar, while Quesería El Caidero took first prize in the cured cow cheese category, further confirming the exceptional quality and craftsmanship found across the island.

Tasting the Tradition of Gran Canaria

Gran Canaria is famous for its climate and postcard-perfect scenery, but beyond the beaches lies another side of the island: a land of tradition, flavour, and quiet authenticity.

Visit a cheesery, explore the countryside, and taste cheeses crafted by shepherds and artisan makers, each one reflecting the landscape and the people behind it.

Photographs may live on your phone, but it is flavour that stays with you. A single bite can bring you back to a place and moment, long after the holiday has ended.

At Seaside Sandy Beach, we bring the taste of the island straight to your table. From queso ahumado to varieties coated in gofio or pimentón, you can enjoy a hand-picked selection of Gran Canaria’s most distinctive cheeses. Because relaxing by the sea and discovering the local cuisine go hand in hand — and make your holiday deliciously unforgettable.