When Was Cheese Invented, and Where?
Cheese 101
Cheese is one of the food world’s most versatile gifts. What else can you enjoy as a snack, a sandwich, a topping, a dessert, even a dip—all with infinite variety?
It’s so ubiquitous that it’s easy to overlook some of the basic questions about cheese. Like: Where did cheese originate? How was cheese invented? As luck would have it, the history of cheese most likely starts with a happy accident.
Who Invented Cheese?
Cheese was probably less invented than discovered. Some say it was created by accident when milk was stored in containers made from animal stomachs, which contain rennet—an enzyme that causes milk to separate into curds and whey (a process known as coagulation). One story claims cheese may have first appeared when an Arab trader carried milk in his pouch while travelling across the desert, and later that night found it had turned into whey to drink and curd to eat.
Another tale suggests that cheese came from a practice of salting curdled milk to preserve it, while others say it began when fruit juice was added to milk, with the acid causing it to curdle. (That same method is still used today by cooks making a quick substitute for buttermilk.)
When Was Cheese Invented?
Historians haven’t pinpointed exactly when cheese was first made, but jars from Egypt’s First Dynasty have been found to contain cheese dating back to around 3000 BCE, and tomb paintings from 2000 BCE even show people involved in cheesemaking.
Cheese—specifically a variety thought to be the ancestor of feta—is also mentioned in Homer’s 8th-century BCE poem “The Odyssey.” When Odysseus and his men reached the cave of the cyclops Polyphemus, they discovered “cheese-racks loaded with cheeses.”
Cheese eventually spread across Europe, with early records showing it was made by the Romans and then by monks across the continent, who refined the craft into styles still loved today. In Britain, traditional cheesemaking dates back at least a thousand years, laying the foundations for classics like Cheddar, Stilton and Red Leicester.
Where Does Cheese Come From?
There’s a strong chance cheese originated in the Middle East. Over time, the technique spread across Europe, and by the time of Julius Caesar (46–44 BCE), hundreds of varieties were being produced throughout the Roman Empire and beyond.
In Britain, cheese became part of daily life during the Roman occupation and continued to evolve through the Middle Ages. Monks perfected recipes that gave rise to traditional favourites like Cheddar, Cheshire and Lancashire—cheeses that remain staples on British tables today.
Cheese production in North America began much later, in the 17th century, when English Puritan dairy farmers brought their skills to the colonies. Early cheesemaking took place in Rhode Island, Connecticut and Eastern Massachusetts, before spreading westward as settlers moved inland.
The creamy favourite eventually became a cornerstone of American food culture. By the mid-19th century, Swiss immigrants in Wisconsin were producing European-style cheeses, laying the foundation for what would become one of the world’s most famous cheese regions.
How Has Cheese Changed Over Time?
Earlier cheeses, such as feta, tended to be saltier due to the need for preservation in warmer climates. As cheesemaking spread to regions with cooler temperatures, heavy salting was no longer essential, so cheeses became softer and milder in flavour. Many of today’s famous varieties, including Camembert and Gouda, are thought to have originated in Europe during the Middle Ages, when local ingredients and techniques shaped regional styles.
Over time, cheesemaking diversified even further. Parmesan, Swiss and Cheddar all appeared within the last 500 years, as different countries refined their own recipes and textures. The first cheese factory was established in 1815 in Switzerland, paving the way for modern production methods. Later scientific and industrial advances—most notably Louis Pasteur’s 1862 invention of pasteurisation—made cheese safer and more widely available by reducing harmful bacteria in milk. These developments transformed cheese from a local farmhouse product into a global food staple enjoyed across the UK and beyond.
Today, you can find a wide range of regional cheeses around the world. In the United States, favourites include Vermont Cheddar, Wisconsin Colby and California Monterey Jack, with Wisconsin producing the most cheese nationwide, followed by California and Idaho.
Here in the UK, regional cheese traditions remain just as strong. From the crumbly tang of Wensleydale to the creamy depth of Cornish Yarg and the sharp bite of mature Cheddar, British producers continue to celebrate local milk and time-honoured methods that have defined cheesemaking for centuries.
How Is Cheese Made?
While cheesemaking may have started as simply combining milk, sunlight and a storage pouch, today’s process follows strict health protocols. Fresh milk is delivered to cheesemakers, who first test its purity and quality. It’s then filtered and standardised, meaning adjustments are made to the levels of fat, protein or cream as needed. The milk is pasteurised to destroy any harmful bacteria, after which “good bacteria” or “starter cultures” are added to ferment the natural milk sugar (lactose) into lactic acid.
Next, additional ingredients such as rennet and, sometimes, colouring are introduced. Once the mixture starts to set, cheesemakers cut it to release the whey—larger cuts produce softer, moister cheese, while smaller cuts create firmer varieties. The curds are then heated, stirred and separated from the whey before moving on to the next stage. From there, the process depends on the style of cheese being made: salting or brining for flavour and preservation, and pressing for texture. The result is a carefully crafted cheese that reflects centuries of refinement, whether it’s a sharp Cheddar, creamy Brie or tangy Stilton.
What Are the Leading Categories of Cheese?
In general terms, cheese is categorised into hard cheese, blue cheese, pasta filata (meaning “spun paste”; think mozzarella), processed, soft and fresh, soft-ripened, semi-soft, and semi-hard varieties, with the latter containing less moisture than semi-soft cheeses.
When it comes to the world’s most popular cheeses, cheddar remains the clear favourite, followed by American, mozzarella, Swiss, pepper jack and Colby Jack.
Here in the UK, Cheddar has long been the nation’s top choice too, with regional favourites like Red Leicester, Double Gloucester and Stilton also taking pride of place. From sharp and mature to creamy and mellow, British cheesemakers continue to showcase the country’s deep love for dairy craftsmanship and diverse local flavours.
Dinner Recipes With Cheese From HelloFresh
Fact is, there are few meals that wouldn’t benefit from a little cheese in some form. From toasties to pasta bakes, cheese brings richness and comfort to the table. Try it out with these dinner ideas (plus one bonus side dish) that show just how versatile it can be:
- Honeyed Goat's Cheese Ciabatta Toasts
- Bacon and Butternut Mac and Cheese
- Cheese and Caramelised Onion Toastie
- See more cheese recipes
- Discover our favourite feta cheese recipes
Cheese makes any meal livelier, whether it’s stirred into pasta or sprinkled over salads. You can explore more ideas in our vegetarian meal plan and add your favourite cheesy dishes to your next HelloFresh box today.
