7+ Fantastic Feta Cheese Substitutes

Feta cheese is a white cheese prepared from sheep’s milk or a combination of sheep’s and goat’s milk. Before it can be used in cuisine, it must be aged in brine for at least six months.

This cheese is crumbly and soft. Greek cheese has a gritty texture and is often cut into huge blocks. It has a moderate to intense sour and salty flavor. It does, however, have a little sweetness and a unique scent.

Despite its crumbly structure, high-quality feta should have a creamy finish. It is used in salads, as a table cheese, in pastries, as a sandwich filling, and in Greek meals. It is a staple of Greek cuisine, where it originated.

If you’re searching for a feta cheese replacement, keep reading to learn about the finest options. Here are seven alternatives to feta cheese that will work well in your recipe.

1. Ricotta Cheese

Ricotta is classified as a whey cheese, as opposed to feta, which is classified as a curd cheese. It is made from whey, a byproduct of cheese making. Ricotta is a whey cheese made in Italy from cow, goat, sheep, or even water buffalo milk.

Ricotta curds are white, creamy, and somewhat sweet. With its salty flavor and soft texture, it is akin to feta cheese. If you want crumbly cheese without the strong taste of feta cheese, ricotta is your best bet. It also contains less salt than feta, which is ideal if you want to reduce your salt intake. Ricotta is a fantastic salad, pastry, and pizza topping.

2. Roquefort Cheese

Roquefort is a sheep milk-based French milk cheese. This cheese is from southern France and is known for its strong aroma and blue veins. It has a semi-hard texture and should be aged for approximately 5 months before eating. With its acidic flavor and crumbly texture, it is remarkably similar to feta cheese.

The cheese has a creamy white color, similar to feta. It has no skin and a tart taste. Its pungent flavor is an acquired taste, and it may ruin your food if you’re not acclimated to it. It, like feta cheese, may be used as a topping for salads, pizzas, and crusts.

3. Mizithra

Mizithra is a mixed-whey cheese prepared from goat or sheep milk, or both. It is of Greek origin, like feta cheese, and has a similar flavor. Mizithra is available fresh, salt-dried, and aged. This aged cheese is thicker, saltier, and more sour.

Fresh mizithra is sweeter and crumblier than feta. This cheese has a similar soft, creamy feel as feta. Mizithra may be readily replaced since the components and flavors are comparable. It may be grated over spaghetti or pizza, used as a table cheese, or baked with.

Related: 8+ Excellent Mizithra Cheese Substitutes

4. Cottage Cheese

Cottage cheese has been around for quite a while. It is supposed to have originated approximately 5000 BC in the Middle East. Cottage cheese is a kind of cheese curd with a non-homogeneous texture. Since it has two cheese components- curds and whey- it is inherently crumbly like feta cheese. It’s creamy and moderate in taste.

If you want a crumbly mild-flavored cheese, try cottage cheese. Yet, since it is not matured, it lacks the tanginess of feta. Cottage cheese is a high-protein food with a low salt and fat level. It is low in calories and is an excellent choice if you want to lose weight. This cheese may be used in yogurt, salads, toast, as a dip, and as a mayonnaise substitute.

5. Cheddar Cheese

Cheddar is a firm natural cheese from the English hamlet of Cheddar in Somerset. Unlike feta cheese, it is prepared from cow milk and is pasteurized. The tanginess of cheddar cheese is determined by its age. Cheese that is 2 to 4 months old tastes mild, but cheese that is 6 to 9 months old tastes harsh. The richer and more complex the tastes get as they age.

It has a strong pungent taste. Mild Cheddar cheese is firm and smooth, while mature varieties are crumbly and crumbly, comparable to feta cheese. Hence, if you want a crumblier texture, use the longer cured cheddar cheese. It is light yellow, as opposed to the creamy white of feta. Cheddar cheese has a natural rind and a delicious, melt-in-your-mouth quality. It may be used as a garnish for salads, a topping for casseroles, or on its own with wine.

6. Goat’s cheese

Goat cheese, as the name suggests, is cheese prepared from goat milk. It has a tangier taste than cow’s milk cheese. They also contain less lactose than feta cheese. It is soft and tastes like feta since it contains 30% goat milk.

Since it has a creamier consistency, it does not crumble like feta. If you like a crumbly texture, use old goats cheese. It has a creamy, tangy taste similar to feta cheese and may be used as a spread or salad garnish.

7. Queso Fresco

Queso Fresco is a Spanish term for fresh cheese. This is a Mexican cheese made from cow milk or a combination of cow and goat milk. The acidification by lemon juice, vinegar, or rennet gives it a mild tangy flavor.

It’s soft, moist, and crumbly, making it an excellent feta alternative. It goes well with Mexican dishes like tacos, huevos rancheros, black beans, and so on.

Conclusion

These feta cheese substitutions are fantastic alternatives. If you’re short of feta or don’t like the taste, any of these cheeses may serve as a good substitute for your meal.