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Manchego

Spanish firm sheep-milk cheese from La Mancha.

Manchego — illustrative ingredient image

About Manchego

Manchego is a firm Spanish cheese made from sheep’s milk and associated with La Mancha. It is commonly served as a table cheese, often with bread, fruit, nuts, or preserves, and it can also be grated, melted, or added to savoury dishes. Its character depends strongly on how long it has been matured.

Younger Manchego is generally supple and sliceable, with a mild, milky, nutty flavour. Longer maturation produces a firmer, drier, more crumbly texture and a stronger, more savoury flavour. Saltiness and aroma likewise vary with age and product style, so the cheese does not have one uniform sensory profile.

It is sold as a wheel, wedge, block, or sliced cheese, sometimes with a patterned rind. The rind may be left on for presentation or removed before eating, depending on the product and preference. Cutting preserves its basic texture, while grating, melting, or cooking distributes its flavour and changes its firmness.

Ingredient type
derived ingredient

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Where manchego appears

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Name examples awaiting language review. Confirm the specific food or product.

Local names for manchego

Names and romanised forms to recognise on menus and labels.

English

Manchego

Available names only. Languages may be spoken in other countries; a name alone does not identify every ingredient in a dish.

Manchego nutrition & diet

Manchego nutritional value

Reference: Cheese, Manchego

Per 100 g of the edible portion in the named reference form.

Calories
391kcal
Protein
28.8g
Carbs
0.5g
Fat
30.4g

Per 100 g edible portion. Source: Norwegian Food Composition Table, Norwegian Food Safety Authority, www.matvaretabellen.no; retrieved 20 September 2026. The reference preparation and fat level are part of the food definition. Values may differ by recipe, brand and preparation.

Portions & preparation

Match the reference to genuine Manchego made from sheep’s milk and specify its age, pasteurization, rind treatment, and serving form. Compare the edible cheese portion separately from rind, oils, marinades, or tapas accompaniments. Sliced, grated, melted, and cooked uses can place the cheese in different recipes.

Compare the right form: Match references to Manchego sheep-milk cheese of the same age and pasteurization status, with edible cheese distinguished from rind and accompaniments.

Diet considerations

Manchego is an animal-derived sheep-milk cheese. It is not compatible with plant-based diets, and recipe additions may introduce meat, fish, eggs, cereals, or coatings. Age, rind treatment, pasteurization, and brand matter for the exact product. Dietary interpretation should address the cheese itself and any accompanying tapas or dish.

AI-authored reading notes · Awaiting editorial review. Measured values, where available, have a separate source above.

Dietary compatibility

  • Vegan
    Not established
  • Vegetarian
    Not established
  • Pescatarian
    Not established
  • Keto
    Not established
  • Paleo
    Not established
  • Low-carb
    Not established
  • Halal
    Not established
  • Kosher
    Not established
What these diet assessments mean
Vegan · Not established
The available profile does not establish the full composition or processing for this dietary pattern.
Vegetarian · Not established
The available profile does not establish the full composition or processing for this dietary pattern.
Pescatarian · Not established
The available profile does not establish the full composition or processing for this dietary pattern.
Keto · Not established
A defined serving and sourced carbohydrate data are needed before assessing this dietary pattern.
Paleo · Not established
The ingredient form and processing have not been assessed against this dietary pattern.
Low-carb · Not established
A defined serving and sourced carbohydrate data are needed before assessing this dietary pattern.
Halal · Not established
Sourcing, processing and any applicable certification have not been verified. A food name alone does not establish halal status.
Kosher · Not established
Sourcing, processing and any applicable certification have not been verified. A food name alone does not establish kosher status.

For the plain ingredient · Awaiting review. Diet compatibility is not allergy suitability or halal/kosher certification. Keto and low-carb depend on the portion.

Reviewed ingredient entryIngredient reference · Preparations vary

AI-generated illustration for visual context. It does not identify a particular product or establish allergen content.

Sources & review

Nutrition reference: Norwegian Food Composition Table — Cheese, Manchego ↗. Values are scaled from 100 g of the recorded edible form. Individual portions have no assumed fixed weight.

Expanded overview, name examples and nutrition notes are database drafts awaiting editorial review. Numeric nutrition values, where shown, have their own source and food-form reference.

The ingredient description and dish connections come from the draft catalogue and may change after review.

Last recorded verification: .