List of Armenian cheeses
The List of Armenian cheeses includes traditional and modern types of cheese produced in Armenia and within the Armenian diaspora. More than 25 types of cheese are produced in the country.[1] According to 2016 data, the total volume of cheese production exceeded 22,000 tons.[1] Armenia is home to over 60 cheese-producing companies, the majority of which manufacture Lori or Chanakh cheeses.[1][2]
Cheese is a staple food in Armenia: it is traditionally consumed at the beginning and end of every meal.[3] It has been made since ancient times and is considered a national food.[3] Production takes place both in industrial facilities and in households.[3]
Bread and cheese (Armenian: հաց ու պանիր, Armenian pronunciation: [hɑt͡sʰ u pɑˈniɾ]) are considered a national snack in Armenia, eaten throughout the day and served alongside a variety of dishes.[2] A common Armenian expression is: "Hats u panir, gortst banir" — "Eat bread and cheese, and work."[2] During times of scarcity, bread with cheese often served as a substitute for meat.[2]
List of cheeses
| Cheese | In Armenian | Image | Type | Milk | P. | Region | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aitsi panir | այծի պանիր | Armenian Highlands | Armenian goat milk cheese | ||||
| Ankash panir | անքաշ պանիր | Armenian Highlands | |||||
| Aragatsian panir | արագածյան պանիր | Sheep (or a mixture) | Armenian Highlands | A semi-hard cheese made from high-quality sheep's milk or its mixture with cow's or goat's milk. It has a mild nutty flavor, soft texture, and a natural rind. Less salty than brined cheeses, with a fat content of 50% or higher. | |||
| Chanakh | չանախ | Brined cheese | Cow, sheep, or goat | Armenian Highlands | A brined cheese aged for at least 60 days, with a sharp, salty flavor and a dense, slightly brittle texture. Commonly made from cow’s, sheep’s, or goat’s milk and shaped as blocks or double cones. | ||
| Chechil | չեչիլ | Brined cheese | Cow, sheep, or goat (or a mixture) | Armenian Highlands | It has a consistency approximating that of suluguni or mozzarella and is produced in the form of dense strings, rolled up in a figure eight of thick braid-shaped ropes. | ||
| Chobani panir | չոբանի պանիր | Sheep | Armenian Highlands | Ktor panir, produced at the end of the lactation period of sheep, is called chobani paneer (shepherd's cheese). It has a high fat content, a soft consistency, and a distinctly strong flavor, which is especially appreciated by connoisseurs of this cheese. | |||
| Glukh panir | գլուխ պանիր | Cow, sheep, or goat (or a mixture) | Armenian Highlands | Glukh panir is made using sheep's, cow's, or goat's milk, or a combination of these, with cheese made from whole sheep's milk being especially prized. | |||
| Horats panir | հորած պանիր | Cow or goat (or a mixture) | Yes | Vayots Dzor | see Yeghegnadzor | ||
| Husats panir | հյուսած պանիր | Armenian Highlands | see Tel panir | ||||
| Kanach panir | կանաչ պանիր | Mold-ripened | Shirak | see Mklats panir | |||
| Ktor panir | կտոր պանիր | Brined cheese | Cow or sheep (or a mixture) | Armenian Highlands | Made from cow's milk, sheep's milk, or a mixture of both. It is produced by draining and lightly pressing the curd, cutting it into pieces, salting it first with dry salt, then aging it in brine. The cheese has a smooth, hole-free texture and a moderately salty, slightly sour-milk flavor. It is used both as a standalone cheese and in the preparation of other traditional cheeses like motal. | ||
| Lor panir | լոռ պանիր | Armenian Highlands | |||||
| Lori | լոռի | Brined cheese | Cow | Yes | Lori | A semi-soft brined cheese made from pasteurized cow’s milk, originating from the Lori region of Armenia. Its production involves boiling the curd twice, giving it a firmer texture than chanakh. With 43–44% moisture and 3.5–4.5% salt, Lori is classified between pickled and small hard cheeses. It is ripened for about 60 days, though modified salting methods can shorten this to 45 days while enhancing flavor and texture. | |
| Mklats panir | մգլած պանիր | Mold-ripened | Shirak | A mold-ripened cheese from Shirak, known for its greenish hue and crumbly texture. Aged in clay pots or leather bags, it develops a sharp, tangy flavor from natural or added mold, similar to Roquefort. | |||
| Motal | մոթալ | Brined cheese | Sheep or goat (or a mixture) | No | Syunik and Artsakh | A brined cheese from Syunik and Artsakh, made from sheep's or mixed sheep-goat milk. Aged 3–4 months in leather containers (tki), it has a crumbly texture, rich aroma from added herbs like thyme, and a sharp, tangy flavor. | |
| Tel panir | թել պանիր | Armenian Highlands | Traditional string cheese made from fermented milk; typically braided into threads and stored in brine. | ||||
| Vochkhari panir | ոչխարի պանիր | Armenian Highlands | Armenian sheep milk cheese | ||||
| Yeghegnadzor | եղեգնաձոր | Cow or goat (or a mixture) | Yes | Vayots Dzor | A semi-soft traditional cheese from Vayots Dzor, aged underground in clay pots for at least six months. Made from pasteurized cow's or goat's milk with local herbs and seeds, it has a sharp, salty, and aromatic flavor. | ||
| Yerevan cheese | Yerevan | A white brined cheese made from sheep's, goat's, or cow's milk. Aged in brine without a rind, it has a salty flavor and smooth, white to slightly yellowish interior. Fat content ranges from 30% to 45%. |
See also
References
- ^ a b c Kiniry, Laura (17 April 2018). "Armenia's Ancient Motal Cheese Makes Its Way Into The Modern Age". National Public Radio (NPR). Retrieved 11 May 2025.
- ^ a b c d Petrosian, Irina; Underwood, David (19 April 2006). Armenian Food: Fact, Fiction & Folklore. Lulu.com. pp. 44–46. ISBN 978-1411698659.
- ^ a b c A. S. Piruzyan (1960). Հայկական ճաշեր, Армянская кулинария [Armenian cuisine] (in Russian). Moscow, USSR: Gostorgizdat. p. 167.