Munster cheese
Photo: Arnaud 25 · CC BY-SA 3.0

A soft, washed-rind cow's-milk cheese from the Vosges valleys, pungent and supple, eaten with cumin seeds and a glass of Gewurztraminer or melted over potatoes.

Munster takes its name from the Vosges town and was first made by monks in the valleys west of Strasbourg, who washed the rinds to preserve the cheese and gave it its powerful aroma. It carries an AOP today, and despite the smell the paste is mild and creamy. Alsatians eat it ripe with caraway or cumin seeds and a sweet Gewurztraminer, or melt it over potatoes. It is the region's great cheese and a fixture of the Strasbourg market stalls.

2 editor picks for Munster cheese in Strasbourg, ranked by editorial score. All Strasbourg signature dishes · Munster cheese across every city.

Learn to cook it, or eat it with a guide

Munster cheese makes more sense with someone from Strasbourg explaining it. These are the classes and tours we have checked, with booking links.

Book food experiences in Strasbourg

See all 155 bookable experiences in Strasbourg