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Fromage de Nazareth from Belgium

Fromage de Nazareth

★ 4.1
Last updated Aug 13, 2026 · Reviewed by the WhatWhereVacay editorial team

Hailing from Belgium, Fromage de Nazareth is a much-loved cheese.

About Fromage de Nazareth

Hailing from Belgium, Fromage de Nazareth is a much-loved cheese. It is a distinctive cheese with deep local roots.

🏛️ History & Culture

Fromage de Nazareth originates from the small town of Nazareth in East Flanders, Belgium, where it has been produced for generations as a farmhouse cheese. Its exact history is not fully documented, but it is widely recognized as a traditional washed-rind cheese, known for its soft, creamy interior and distinctive reddish-brown crust that develops from regular washing with brine or local beer.

Within Belgium, the cheese is celebrated for its robust, earthy flavor and is often enjoyed with crusty bread or as part of a local cheese board. While its production methods remain artisanal, variations exist depending on the farm and aging time, yet the name "Nazareth" remains a point of pride for the region, appearing in local markets and festivals as a symbol of Flemish dairy heritage.

🍳 How to make Fromage de Nazareth

AI-assisted, not kitchen-tested

Fromage de Nazareth (Belgian Fresh Cheese from Nazareth)

Fromage de Nazareth is a small, traditional Belgian fresh cheese from the village of Nazareth in East Flanders, made from cow's milk and typically flavored with cloves. It is a quick, home-style farm cheese with a soft, mild flavor and a smooth, creamy texture — not a press-cooked aged cheese.

Prep
20 min
Cook
40 min
Total
60 min
Serves
8 small cheeses (about 400 g total)
Difficulty
Medium

Recipe ingredients

  • 4 L (1 gallon) full-fat cow's milk, fresh, not UHT, for best flavor and curd set; raw or pasteurized both work
  • 30 ml (2 tablespoons) fresh lemon juice, or use 2.5 ml rennet per L of milk for a more traditional set; amounts given here are for the lemon-juice version
  • 1 g (¼ teaspoon) fine sea salt, adjust to taste
  • 2 whole cloves, a defining flavor of the original; studded into the top of each cheese, or null if omitted

Steps

  1. 1 Slowly heat the milk in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until it reaches 35 °C (95 °F). Use a kitchen thermometer — overheating will toughen the curds.
  2. 2 Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the lemon juice. Let the milk sit undisturbed for 10–15 minutes; it should separate into pale curds and translucent greenish whey. If it does not set, add another 5 ml (1 teaspoon) of lemon juice and wait 10 more minutes.
  3. 3 Line a large colander with a double layer of cheesecloth and set it over a bowl. Ladle the curds into the cloth and let them drain for 10 minutes, then gather the corners and gently squeeze for about 1 minute to remove excess whey. Discard the whey (or reserve for bread baking).
  4. 4 Transfer the curds to a bowl. Add the salt and stir gently to distribute evenly. Taste and adjust salt.
  5. 5 Shape the curd into small rounds about 100 g (3½ oz) each, roughly 6 cm (2½ in) wide and 2 cm (¾ in) thick, by pressing gently with your hands or the back of a spoon in a small sieve or cheese mold. The cheese is traditionally served very fresh, so no pressing beyond gentle shaping is needed.
  6. 6 Press a whole clove into the top center of each cheese. Cover loosely and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or overnight, to firm up.
  7. 7 Serve cold, on rye or country bread, with a little butter and a sprinkle of black pepper. The cheese will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days in a sealed container.
  8. 8 Safety note: If using raw (unpasteurized) milk, this fresh cheese is intended to be consumed within a few days of making and is not safe for pregnant women, young children, the elderly, or anyone with a compromised immune system. If using pasteurized milk, this concern is removed, but the cheese should still be eaten within 3 days.
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