Is Casu Marzu Cheese The Best Sardinian Cheese?

In addition to its beaches, its emerald sea, its beautiful landscapes, the lovely villages and the unique archeological sites, Sardinia is also famous for its typical products.

Among these products, Sardinian cheese is probably the most famous. It should go without saying, since Sardinia has a massive population of goats and sheep.

The overall count of goats and sheep in Sardinia in 2019 was of about 3.1 millions, literally twice the number of people living on the island.

I love cheese. While I am actually lactose intolerant, it is safe for me to have a good, aged pecorino as that is virtually lactose free. After all, I grew up eating my grandpa’s cheese (he had sheep), so it’s something I have soon learned to love.

Cheese in Sardinia typically has a strong flavor. It’s salty, quite peppery and very sharp. However, saying “Sardinian cheese” is quite reductive.

There are so many types of cheese, each with its own distinctive flavor and production method. Sardinian cheese is not only just eaten on its own, but we also use it to create incredible dishes and even desserts such as pardulas or seadas.

While you may surely have hears of Cazu Marzu cheese – Sardinia’s famous “rotten cheese,” there are many more kinds you should try while on the island, and if you are a cheese lover you may be in for a real treat!

If you are planning a gastronomic trip to Sardinia, then you may need some more information about the typical cheeses of the island.

This guide provides a short overview of the most famous Sardinian cheeses, perfect to prepare your palate. And remember, there’s hardly anything better than matching a good cheese with an excellent wine!

Make sure to read my posts A Guide To Sardinian Wines and The Best Wineries In Sardinia for guidance on which wines to try in Sardinia, and where!

Which One Is The Best Sardinian Cheese?

Casu Marzu Cheese

Let me start this guide on Sardinian cheese with one that we don’t nearly eat as much as as the others.

Often cited as one of the most dangerous foods in the world, older generations of locals actually swear by it. Remember, Sardinians are among the oldest people in the world, so Casu Marzu Cheese may not be nearly as dangerous as they say it is.

But I digress…

So, you may ask: “what is the ingredient of Sardinian cheese casu marzu?”

It’s maggots. Yes, you read that correctly.

Casu Marzu Cheese, the Sardinian maggot cheese, is one of the most famous (or infamous) products of Sardinia. You could roughly translate its name to “rotten cheese” (though it is not rotten). Although it’s not exactly inspiring, older generations of locals love Casu Marzu.

Basically, it is a sheep’s milk cheese infested by a particular fly that deposits its eggs in it. When the eggs break, the larvae feed on the cheese. The larvae, or rather, their saliva, give Casu Marzu its unique flavor, creamy and spicy at the same time.

Finding this cheese is not easy. That’s because it is considered an illegal product, as it could cause gastrointestinal diseases. If you want to try it, you will have to go to a local market and ask around. It’s literally sold under the table!

Sardinian Pecorino

When talking about Sardinian cheeses, locals usually think of Pecorino Sardo. Produced since the 18th century, there are two different kinds of Sardinian Pecorino: the Pecorino Dolce, aged from 20 to 60 days, and the Pecorino Maturo, aged over 60 days.

Pecorino Sardo Dolce is smooth and thin, with an aromatic or sour flavor, while Pecorino Sardo Maturo has a more compact texture and a strong, spicy flavor.

These two types make Pecorino Sardo are suitable for all palates, as well as an excellent ingredient for preparing various Sardinian dishes. It’s what you will sprinkle on Sardinian malloreddus, for example, and we use it to prepare sebadas.

Fiore Sardo

Fiore Sardo (which literally means “Sardinian Flower”) is a type of pecorino, produced using artisanal methods. It’s productions dates back to the pre-Nuragic times, before the Romans conquered Sardinia.

The Fiore Sardo has a white color with yellow streaks, with a hard texture, which however is crumbly and grainy to the palate. The flavor is spicy and aromatic.

It takes the name Sardinian Flower from the production method, in fact the aging takes place in chestnut wood molds, which feature a stylized flower shape on the bottom.

Sardinian Provola

A fresh, semi-mature cheese with a distinctive pear shape, Provola Sarda – often called “Peretta” by locals – is among the most popular typical products of Sardinia.

The soft texture and the light taste are suitable for those who prefer cheeses with a more delicate flavor than the Sardinian Pecorino Maturo or Fiore Sardo. It’s the kind of mild cheese you’d give to children, for example.

Casu Axedu

Depending on the place of production, you can find Casu Axedu to have different names, such as fruhe, frughe, frua, fiscidu, bischidu, préta and many others.

Casu Axedu is made from sheep’s or goat’s milk throughout the year. It has a creamy texture. Locals use in soups too. If you have the chance, try the casu axedu with the typical Sardinian crusty bread, the pistoccu.

Cas’e Fitta

The Sardinian “sliced cheese” has a special production method. Once ready, it is sprinkled with salt, left to rest for two days, then turned on the other side and salted again. You are supposed to keep it in brine.

The salty flavor of the cheese makes it suitable for the preparation of typical Sardinian dishes such as culurgiones, a pasta filled with potatoes, cheese, mint and garlic; and soups.

Ricotta Sarda

We use Sardinian ricotta cheese as an ingredient in the preparation of typical dishes, although we also enjoy it with bread or without.

In particular, we use Sardinian ricotta for baked pasta, as well as for some desserts recipes such as pardulas. It is handmade, using traditional techniques passed from generation to generation.

How To Make The Most Of Cheese In Sardinia

Go to a local market

If you wish to see (and taste) as many kinds of cheese in one go, head to a local market!

Each city, town and village in Sardinia has one. In smaller towns or villages the local market will be open once or twice a week; whereas bigger cities like Cagliari and Sassari have a bunch of civic markets that are open Monday to Saturday.

Just walk to the cheese and charcuterie section, ask for the best “formaggio sardo” (formaggio is cheese in Italian) or for a good pecorino, and see if you can try it before you buy it.

The main market in Cagliari is San Benedetto Market, which is currently under renovation works. You will find the temporary stalls in Piazza Nazzari.

My post A Guide To Markets In Cagliari will give you a selection of markets you can visit for your grocery shopping in the city.

If you can’t visit a market, you will easily find good Sardinian cheeses at literally any grocery stall, large or small. Just go to the cheese section, fill your eyes with all the cheeses for sale, and ask to try one or two before you buy. The person behind the counter will normally be happy to let you have a sample or two (as long as you buy).

There are also many places in Cagliari where you can taste and buy cheese. These are my favorite ones:

• SABORES – It’s a wine and cheese shop AND restaurant (I actually love the restaurant). It’s in Via Baylle in the Marina Historic District.
• SAPORI DI SARDEGNA – Lovely shop in Vico dei Mille in the Marina District, it sells lots of Sardinian traditional produce.
• FORMAGGI ARESU – Located in Viale Marconi, outside the center. 

Take a guided tour

Another good idea to try Sardinian cheese is to actually take a guided tour. There are some good options in Cagliari, where most cheese tours will also include a wine tasting experience.

This cheese tasting tour takes you from Cagliari to Dolianova, where you will visit the Argiolas cheese factory, one of the best cheese producers in South Sardinia.

There’s also a wine, cheese and olive oil tasting experience in Serdiana and Dolianova, two villages near Cagliari. It’s a fantastic way to enjoy everything Sardinia has to offer.

Enjoy a cheese platter at a wine bar

In many countries, people have cheese at the very end of a meal, after dessert and with crackers. It’s actually the complete opposite in Sardinia. Here we have cheese as an appetizer or aperitif, often along some charcuterie, and typically with a glass of wine – best if red!

The best place to enjoy this kind of experience will be one of the many wine bars scattered throughout the island. My favorite wine bar in Cagliari is by far Sabores, in the Marina district. Here, owner Samuele will help you pick the best cheese for your taste, and select a natural wine to match your choice.

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