Cheese is one of the most delightful and nutritious food ever made. It is a dairy product that is derived from cow’s milk.
Cheese can also be made using the milk of other mammals such as goats and sheep. There are different kinds of cheese and one of the most popular is the feta cheese.
However, not everyone is fond of this Greek cheese. If you are not fond of feta but need to use one for your favorite recipe, then you need a substitute for feta cheese. I will share with you the 5 substitutes I love the most.
Reason Why People Substitute for Feta Cheese
Feta is one the best tasting cheese around. The Greeks usually sprinkle it on their salads.
Putting it on top your tomatoes, onions, olives, and other green vegetables makes it so delectable. It can also be used to garnish spanakopita, pizzas or pies.
Feta is a curd cheese that is made out of the mixture of sheep and goat’s milk.
However, you can find feta cheese that is solely made from goat’s milk or even cow’s milk today.
The taste of this cheese is best described as salty and tangy. This is natural as feta is a pickled cheese.
This means that the process to create feta includes salting and soaking it in a brine solution. Authentic feta cheese are said to be brined for over three months.
Feta cheese is a good source of riboflavin, calcium, protein, phosphorous and it is low in calories.
People are averting in using it because of its high-sodium content. It is among the top salty cheese types.
Too much salt can also affect your body, so even if feta is low in calories, its salt content can affect your health.
It is also high in cholesterol and saturated fat. This article helps compare feta’s nutritional value with other cheese variations.
People are also avoiding this, even those who are not so critical about their diet, because it is one of the pricey cheeses available.
Without further delay these are the feta cheese alternative that you can choose from.
1. Ricotta Salata
Ricotta salata is one of the cheese alternatives that I will recommend to you. You can consider this as feta’s baby Italian brother.
This Italian cheese is similar to feta in texture, color, and in taste but a bit downgraded in terms of saltiness.
Sheep milk, the whey part, is used to make ricotta salata. It is salted, but not comparable to feta, and then aged for 90 days.
This is a good cheese to use in salads as well. If you need sliced, crumbled or grated cheese on your food then the ricotta salata is one of your best options.
The most notable difference of feta and ricotta salata with feta is that it is firmer and smoother unlike the feta which is very creamy and has a lot of holes on it.
2. Halloumi
Perhaps there is no better way for you to substitute a Greek cheese than with another cheese from Greece.
You will notice a lot of commonalities like its color and saltiness. It is also made out of the mixture of goat and sheep milk, and preserved in brine.
The halloumi contains more fat and calories than the feta though.
The halloumi can be a bit more salty and firm than feta but because it has a high melting point, you can cook it to get rid of the salt content and also get the creamy texture that feta has.
In addition, this cheese is also very enjoyable when grilled and eaten as you are drinking beer, or you can try any of these ways to serve halluomi.
3. Cotija
I would never have thought, and maybe you as well, that Mexico also produce cheese. In fact one Mexican cheese, the cotija, can be a great feta alternative.
Cotija cheese got its name from a town in Mexico. It is a hard but crumbly cheese made from cow’s milk.
The cotija is white, salty, and hard cheese. However, before it ages, it has a creamy texture which might remind you of a feta.
When this cheese ages it becomes firm and hard similar to a parmesan cheese.
This is a great alternative for feta. You can use it by grating the cheese on top of salads.
In Mexico, it is often used to enhance spicy flavors in tacos, tostadas, and chilies. It is also widely used in making elote, a popular grilled corn snack.
4. Cottage Cheese
One common curd cheese product that you can use if you do not want feta is cottage cheese.
Being curd means you can crumble or grate it on top of your favorite salads.
It does not have the same taste with feta though as it has a mild-flavor perfect for sweet or spicy dishes. Its adaptability makes it suitable for enchiladas, lasagnas and even cheesecakes.
If you want to make it taste like feta, you simply add salt and make sodium adjustments that suit your tastes.
The best thing about cottage cheese is that it has the same protein value with feta per ounce but it has low fat and almost non-existent sodium content.
It is also very rich in vitamins and minerals such as vitamins A and B, Calcium and Phosphorous.
If you are a health buff who is very particular about diet then this is the best alternative for feta.
5. Chevre
A different cheese that you can use aside from the ones mentioned above is chevre. This is a cheese that is made out from goat’s cheese.
In fact its name, chevre, is a French word that means goat.
The texture of this cheese varies depending on the moisture it contains. It can be soft, firm, or maybe hard.
Comparable to feta, the chevre is crumbly but it has a low sodium and very mild taste. If you want to make your own chevre cheese.
You can get some health benefits from chevre as well. It provides better source of essential vitamins such as vitamins A and B.
It contains potassium, magnesium, iron, and has fewer calories. You can also use this if you have some allergies to dairy products derived from cow’s milk.
Personally, feta’s salt-content is just too much for me even though I’m not very particular with my diet.
It makes me happy that I can enjoy something similar to feta but not as salty or tangy. I’m really looking forward on making that elote with the cotija on it.
Did you enjoy reading this list? Comment and share this list to help inform others about substitutes for feta cheese. Don’t forget to share your recipe using the cheese choices as well..
