Overview

Feta is a brined curd white cheese made in Greece from sheep’s milk or from a mixture of sheep and goat’s milk. It is a crumbly aged cheese, commonly produced in blocks, and has a slightly grainy texture. Its flavor is tangy and salty, with a creamy mouthfeel that becomes more pronounced as it ages.

Origin and history

Feta has been produced in Greece for thousands of years. In 2002, the European Union granted Feta Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) status, meaning only cheese produced in specific regions of Greece from traditional methods can legally be called Feta within the EU [1]. The cheese is traditionally made by curdling milk with rennet, then cutting, draining, and aging the curds in brine for several weeks.

Varieties and aliases

  • Feta (PDO): Must be made in Greece from at least 70% sheep’s milk, with the remainder goat’s milk (up to 30%).
  • Barrel-aged feta: Aged in wooden barrels, producing a creamier, more pungent cheese.
  • Block feta: The most common commercial form, sold submerged in brine.
  • “Feta-style” or “white cheese”: Non-PDO versions made from cow’s milk or outside Greece, often labeled as such.

Culinary uses

Feta is most famously used in the Greek salad (horiatiki), where it is served as a large slab atop tomatoes, cucumbers, olives, and onions, dressed with olive oil and oregano. It is also crumbled over pasta, baked into pies like spanakopita (spinach and feta pie), or served as a table cheese with bread and olives. Its high salt content and crumbly texture make it suitable for both cold and cooked applications, though it does not melt smoothly like many aged cheeses [2].

Cross-cuisine context

Feta has no direct analogue in Mexican cuisine. The closest textural and functional counterpart is queso fresco, a fresh, crumbly Mexican cheese made from cow’s milk. Both are used as finishing cheeses, crumbled over dishes, and have a mild salty flavor. However, queso fresco is not brined, is much younger (often consumed within days), and lacks the tangy, aged complexity of feta. In other LA-relevant cuisines, feta is sometimes compared to Armenian panir (a brined white cheese) or to the salty white cheeses used in Persian cuisine, such as panir-e kouhi.

Notes for cooks

  • Feta stored in brine will keep for several weeks refrigerated. Once opened, consume within a week for best texture.
  • For a milder, less salty result, rinse feta under cold water before use, or soak it in milk for 30 minutes.
  • When substituting, use a firm, crumbly cheese like queso fresco or ricotta salata, but adjust salt levels accordingly.