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Gouda is a semi-hard cheese with a cylindrical shape with a convex lateral surface, forming a smooth curve that joins the upper flat surface with the lower one. The height-to-diameter ratio varies from 1/4 to 1/3 and the weight ranges from 2.5 to 30 kg.

It can also come in block form prismatic with square or rectangular faces weighing at least 10 kg, or, finally, as a prismatic block with rectangular faces in which the length of the longer side is more than twice that of the shorter side and a weight between 2.5 and 5 kg.

Except for the second format indicated, which can be presented without rind, all other gouda bears a hard rind that is either dry or coated with wax or a plastic suspension or a film of vegetable oil and yellowish color.

The paste is firm in texture, it can be easily cut. It has straw color. It presents eyes in variable number, regularly or irregularly distributed inside the cheese, more or less round in shape and variable in size from that of the head of a pins to that of a pea.

It is recommended that gouda cheese not be consumed until it has at least five weeks of ripening so that it has reached all its characteristics.

It is very popular in several countries outside the Netherlands, especially in Venezuela. In that country it is known as Torondoy cheese (product of the brand vulgarization phenomenon) or simply as yellow cheese (as opposed to the country's typical fresh cheeses known as white cheese). For its part, in Chile it is known as queso gauda and in Argentina as queso gouda (pronounced gudá).