Queijo de Évora

Queijo de Évora is a cured ewe's milk cheese of semi-hard or hard consistency, with few or no holes and light yellow colour, produced within a defined area of the Alentejo region of Portugal. Coagulation is achieved exclusively through the action of cardoon (Cynara cardunculus L.), and the milk used is pure and raw.

About this designation

Queijo de Évora is registered as a PDO under file number PDO-PT-0251, with EU protection granted on 21 June 1996; its eAmbrosia identifier is EUGI00000013087. The protected name as registered is Queijo de Évora. The specification defines the product as a cured cheese of semi-hard or hard consistency, with few or no holes and light yellow colour, made from pure, raw ewe's milk. Coagulation is effected solely through the action of cardoon (Cynara cardunculus L.), with the curds subsequently drained slowly. The geographical area is restricted to the subdistricts of Alandroal, Arraiolos, Avis, Borba, Estremoz, Évora, Fronteira, Montemor-o-Novo, Mora, Mourão, Portel, Redondo, Reguengos de Monsaraz, Sousel, Vendas Novas, Viana do Alentejo, and Vila Viçosa. The sheep are reared on combined arable and cattle farms in the Alentejo region, characterised by a Mediterranean agricultural climate with hot and dry summers and typically Mediterranean spontaneous pastures; the specification states that the milk and the cheese carry characteristics resulting from this particular method of feeding and rearing. The inspection structure is APOQUE — Associação de Produtores de Queijo de Évora, based in Évora. The labelling designation is Queijo de Évora — Denomination of Origin. The applicant group at registration was Cooperativa Ovina de Évora, CRL.

Source: The register document this entry was written from · retrieved August 26, 2026

Distinctive facts

• Registered as a PDO on 21 June 1996 under file number PDO-PT-0251 (eAmbrosia identifier EUGI00000013087).
• Coagulation is achieved exclusively through cardoon (Cynara cardunculus L.); no other coagulant is specified.
• The milk must be pure and raw ewe's milk; no processed or mixed-species milk is permitted under the specification.
• Production is confined to seventeen named subdistricts within the Alentejo region, as listed in the specification.

Tasting notes

Alentejano sheep's milk pressed cheese DOP. Aged firm cheese, balanced sheep-milk flavor.

HoReCa use

Queijo de Évora is traditionally served on an Alentejano cheese board (tábua de queijos).

Packaging

• wheel-full-300g-1kg
• wedge-vacuum-200g