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Glam Journal

Can you eat the red skin on Edam cheese?

Author

Chloe Ramirez

Updated on April 03, 2026

Can you eat the red skin on Edam cheese?

The red coating on Edam cheese is paraffin wax, which is indigestible but harmless. You can eat it, it will just pass through, but it has no nutritional value, so there’s not much point.

Is the red coating on cheese edible?

So long as the cheese coating in question was not made by man alone (like the red wax on Gouda) the rind is safe to eat. Depending on your palate, you may find that a little rind complements the cheese and enhances its flavor. You may also find it too strong, bitter, moldy or textually unpleasant.

Why does Edam have red wax?

The wax originally helped preserve the cheese by preventing surface mould from developing: it still serves this purpose, though now, it has an additional, thoroughly-modern purpose — to help market the cheese by giving it a distinctive look on the cheese counter. In the Netherlands, Edam is sold without a wax coating.

What do you use Edam cheese for?

It’s a great melting cheese – shred it into pasta, potato dishes, and baked egg casseroles for oodles of creamy goodness. We like to make a pumpkin and spinach lasagna with edam filling in for mozzarella. You can also slice it easily for sandwiches or dice it and toss it with smoked salmon on a salad of mixed greens.

What does Edam taste like?

Edam is a semi-hard Dutch cheese originating in the town of Edam in the province of North Holland. Unlike Gouda, Edam is made with part-skim milk. What does Edam cheese taste like? Edam has a smooth, firm texture with a light, nutty flavor.

Is it okay to eat the red coating on Edam cheese?

The red coating on Edam cheese is paraffin wax, which is indigestible but harmless. You can eat it, it will just pass through, but it has no nutritional value, so there’s not much point. Won’t kill you, won’t make you stronger (sorry, Neitzsche).

What kind of cheese does Edam cheese have?

Edam cheese is a semi-hard pale-yellow cheese usually covered with a red or black wax coating. It has a mild flavor with a nutty as well as slightly salty taste when young. The flavor sharpens with age. As this cheese has a lower fat content, this cheese is softer than its counterparts.

What kind of cheese is coated in red wax?

One of the most popular cheeses that is coated in red cheese wax is Edam. Red cheese wax is also often used commercially on Cheddar cheese and Gouda.

What kind of cheese is red in shape?

Edam is a pressed, semi-hard to hard cow’s milk cheese. It comes in a distinctive shaped red waxed ball. This skimmed or semi-skimmed milk cheese is typically eaten young. There is also a black-wax version of Edam which has been matured for at least 17 weeks. Edam pairs well with a Pinot Noir.

What kind of wax is in Edam cheese?

Edam is traditionally sold in rounded cylinders with a pale yellow interior and a coat, or rind, of red paraffin wax. Edam ages and travels well, and does not spoil; it only hardens.

The red coating on Edam cheese is paraffin wax, which is indigestible but harmless. You can eat it, it will just pass through, but it has no nutritional value, so there’s not much point. Won’t kill you, won’t make you stronger (sorry, Neitzsche).

One of the most popular cheeses that is coated in red cheese wax is Edam. Red cheese wax is also often used commercially on Cheddar cheese and Gouda.

What’s the difference between Gouda and Edam cheese?

If there was a contest for the world’s most perfect cheese, edam just might take the cheesecake. With a smooth texture and a mild, nutty, salty flavor that gets sharper as it ages, this Dutch-style beauty is made from skimmed and part-skimmed cow’s milk, giving it a lower fat content than its compatriot, gouda, and other semi-hard cheeses.