This is a list of cheeses typical of the United States. The list excludes specific brand names, unless a brand name is also a distinct variety of cheese. While the term "American cheese" is legally used to refer to a variety of processed cheese, many styles of cheese originating in Europe are also made in the United States, such as brie ...

You won't find an American-made cheese like the semi-firm, funky and well-aged Cabra la Mancha every day, at least not yet. The fresh-as-falling-snow chèvre is a regional must.

American cheese is a type of processed cheese made from cheddar, Colby, or similar cheeses, in conjunction with sodium citrate, which permits the cheese to be pasteurized without its components separating.

So I asked seven of the country’s leading cheese experts (see their bios at the end) to share what they think are the most important (and most delicious) cheeses that define American dairy...