Norwegian Cheese: From Everyday Favourites to Award-Winning Blues

Norwegian cheese is about more than brunost. From mild everyday slices to pungent traditional varieties and internationally acclaimed blue cheeses, this is Norway’s cheese culture.

Cheese plays a central role in the Norwegian diet. It is served on bread at breakfast, packed into school lunches, and shared at evening meals.

On average, Norwegians eat around 12 kilograms of cheese per person each year, a figure that reveals just how integral it is to everyday life. Yet the story of Norwegian cheese stretches far beyond simple numbers.

From farmhouse traditions that date back to the Viking Age to daring new producers who compete with the world’s best, cheese in Norway tells a story of both continuity and change.

To understand how cheese fits into Norwegian culture, it is essential to begin with one humble kitchen tool that shaped how Norwegians eat cheese every single day.

The Cheese Slicer: A Norwegian Icon

No exploration of Norwegian cheese is complete without mentioning the humble cheese slicer. Invented in Lillehammer in 1925 by cabinetmaker Thor Bjørklund, the ostehøvel has become a symbol of Norwegian practicality.

Inspired by the carpenter’s plane, Bjørklund designed a tool that could shave perfect, even slices from a block of cheese.

Today, almost every Norwegian household has at least one cheese slicer in the kitchen, and many families keep several. The tool is so essential that Norwegians often take it with them when travelling abroad, joking that foreign pre-sliced cheese is “second best.”

The cheese slicer has shaped Norway’s cheese culture in more ways than one. Cheeses are sold in large blocks rather than thin packets, encouraging people to slice what they need for bread, crispbread or waffles.

It also explains why mild, semi-hard cheeses dominate Norwegian diets, since these slice cleanly and evenly.

In short, the ostehøvel is more than a kitchen gadget. It is part of Norway’s cultural heritage, influencing not just how cheese is eaten, but also which cheeses have become everyday staples.

Everyday Cheese in Norway

Once you have a cheese slicer in hand, it is time to discover the cheeses that fill most Norwegian fridges. The staples are mild, semi-hard varieties such as hvitost (white cheese) and gulost (yellow cheese).

These are not strong or complex, but that is precisely the point. Their smooth, gentle flavour makes them ideal as pålegg, the toppings that turn bread into a meal.

For most Norwegians, cheese is less about prestige and more about practicality: a versatile, reliable food that fits seamlessly into everyday life.

Norvegia

Norvegia is perhaps the most common cheese in Norway. With its mild taste and smooth, sliceable texture, it appears daily on breakfast and lunch tables across the country.

Norvegia is sold in large blocks, perfect for shaving thin slices with an ostehøvel. It is often described as the everyday “workhorse” of Norwegian kitchens, unassuming but always present.

Jarlsberg

If Norvegia is the workhorse, Jarlsberg is the ambassador. With its nutty flavour and characteristic round holes, Jarlsberg has become Norway’s most famous cheese abroad.

Since its development in the 1950s, it has grown into a global export success, now produced both in Norway and under licence overseas, with strong markets in the United States, the UK and Australia.

At home, it is just as popular, equally at ease on a slice of bread or melted into a toasted sandwich.

Blue Cheeses in Norway

Blue cheese may not be the first thing that comes to mind when thinking of Norwegian food, but over the past two decades, Norway has developed a global reputation for producing some of the world’s finest varieties.

Characterised by their distinctive veins of blue or green mould, these cheeses divide opinion, but for those who enjoy their sharp, complex flavours, Norway offers some remarkable choices.

The most widely available option is Selbu Blå, a creamy yet piquant blue cheese named after the Trøndelag town of Selbu. It has long been a fixture in Norwegian supermarkets, enjoyed both as a table cheese and in cooking, where it adds depth to sauces and salads.

Norway’s reputation, however, was cemented on the international stage by small producers.

In 2016, Tingvollost, a family-run farm dairy from western Norway, stunned the world when its crumbly blue Kraftkar was named World Champion Cheese at the World Cheese Awards.

Competing against more than 3,000 entries, the Norwegian blue took first prize, sparking headlines across the country.

The success was repeated in 2023, when Nidelven Blå from Gangstad Gårdsysteri near Trondheim claimed the same prestigious title. Judges praised its balance of texture and flavour, describing it as “the perfect blue cheese.”

These accolades placed Norway firmly on the global cheese map, proving that the country’s dairies can compete with the traditional powerhouses of France, Italy and the UK.

Cream Cheeses in Norway

Norwegians also enjoy a wide variety of soft and spreadable cheeses. These are especially popular as toppings for crispbread, often paired with smoked salmon, herbs or fresh vegetables.

One of the best-known Norwegian cream cheeses is Snøfrisk, a soft goat’s cheese produced by Tine. Its fresh, slightly tangy flavour has made it a staple in many homes, and it comes in a range of varieties flavoured with herbs, garlic or chanterelle mushrooms.

International brands like Philadelphia are also widely available, but many people prefer the Norwegian options, which feel better suited to local tastes and pairings.

Cream cheeses in Norway are usually sold in small tubs and are made from both cow’s and goat’s milk. While bagels are less common here than in other countries, a slice of good bread with cream cheese and salmon is a very Norwegian take on the same idea.

Small Farmhouse Producers

While supermarket staples dominate most Norwegian homes, a growing number of small gårdsysteri (farm dairies) are reviving older traditions and experimenting with new flavours.

Many of these are family-run operations where the milk comes from the farm’s own herd of cows or goats, giving the cheeses a distinctive regional character.

These producers often sell directly from the farm, at local markets, or in speciality shops, making them a rewarding discovery for travellers. Visiting a farm dairy can be an experience in itself, offering tastings, farm tours and a closer look at Norway’s rural food culture.

Award-winning cheesemakers such as Tingvollost and Gangstad began as small-scale producers, proving that even the most local cheeses can reach global acclaim.

Brunost: Norwegian Brown Cheese

I bet you wondered when brunost would make an appearance! Norway’s famous brown cheese may not technically be cheese at all, but it is impossible to leave it out of any discussion.

Made by boiling whey until the milk sugars caramelise, brunost has a sharp, fudge-like flavour that is unlike anything else in the cheese world.

Some people adore it, others are less convinced, but trying brunost is almost a rite of passage for visitors to Norway. It is most often eaten sliced onto bread or crispbread, and is especially popular on waffles with jam.

Because brunost is such a big story in itself, I’ve written a dedicated guide to it. If you want to know more about its varieties, history and cultural role, head over to my full article on Norwegian brown cheese.

Other Traditional Cheeses of Norway

Beyond the familiar blocks and spreads, Norway has preserved a small but distinctive family of traditional cheeses.

These varieties are less common in everyday kitchens, yet they are deeply rooted in regional culture and history. For travellers and adventurous eaters, they offer a direct taste of Norway’s rural past.

Gamalost

Literally meaning “old cheese,” Gamalost is one of Norway’s oldest dairy products, with a history stretching back to Viking times. Made from sour milk and matured with a mould-ripening process, it has a strong aroma, a grainy texture and a sharp, slightly bitter flavour.

Historically, it was prized for its supposed health benefits and even believed to enhance virility, earning it the nickname “Viking Viagra.”

Today, it is a protected product under Norwegian law, recognised as part of the country’s cultural heritage. Gamalost is often eaten in thin slices on bread, sometimes paired with berries or jam to balance its intensity.

Pultost

Another traditional farmhouse cheese is Pultost, a loose, crumbly sour milk cheese flavoured with caraway. Its name is thought to derive from the Danish word pult (lump) or possibly the Latin pulta (porridge).

Pultost has a tangy, sour taste that pairs well with rye bread, flatbread or boiled potatoes topped with sour cream. It is also sometimes served alongside cured meats and, in true Norwegian fashion, enjoyed with a glass of aquavit.

Nøkkelost

Spiced cheeses are rare in Norway, but Nøkkelost (literally “key cheese”) stands out for its aromatic blend of cumin and cloves. The spices give it a distinctive flavour that adds variety to sandwiches or crispbread.

Although not as widely eaten as Jarlsberg or Norvegia, it remains a cherished curiosity in Norwegian kitchens, especially for those who enjoy a little extra flavour with their bread-based meals.

How Norwegians Eat Cheese

Cheese in Norway is rarely eaten on its own. Instead, it almost always appears as part of a simple meal built around bread or crispbread.

Thin slices of Norvegia or Jarlsberg top everyday sandwiches, while cream cheeses like Snøfrisk are spread on flatbread with smoked salmon or herbs.

Traditional cheeses such as Gamalost are often served with berries or jam to soften their intensity, and brunost is at its best on waffles with strawberry or cloudberry jam.

Pairings also extend to drinks: Pultost is sometimes enjoyed with aquavit, while blue cheeses pair beautifully with dessert wines. These traditions highlight that Norwegian cheese is not just about the product itself, but about how it fits into the wider food culture.

Norway’s Cheese Culture Today

From mild slices on breakfast bread to pungent farmhouse traditions and world-class blues, Norway’s cheese culture is richer and more varied than many visitors expect.

For anyone spending time in Norway, exploring local cheeses is one of the simplest and most rewarding ways to connect with the country’s food culture.

Pick up a block of Norvegia for sandwiches, spread some Snøfrisk on crispbread with smoked salmon, or be bold and try Gamalost or Pultost for a taste of history. And of course, don’t leave without sampling brunost at least once.

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