Feta cheese is a delicious, crumbly Greek cheese made from sheep’s milk. It has a tangy flavor and salty taste that makes it perfect for adding to salads or using as a topping on pizzas and flatbreads.
And while feta is often enjoyed on its own, there are other cheeses that can be paired with it to create even more interesting flavors and textures. If you want to take your next dish up a notch, consider incorporating some of these complementary cheeses alongside the feta.
What Other Cheeses Go With Feta?
Some of the cheeses that pair well with feta include goat cheese, ricotta, Parmesan, cheddar, jack, cream cheese, Havarti and provolone. These cheeses provide a variety of flavors and textures that can be used to add depth to dishes featuring feta.
1. Goat Cheese
Goat cheese is an excellent pairing for feta, as the two share many of the same flavor characteristics. Goat cheese has a slightly tangy and salty taste that pairs well with feta’s salty flavor. It also has a creamy texture that contrasts nicely with the crumbly texture of feta.
This combination can be used to create flavorful salads, pizzas or flatbreads. Additionally, goat cheese can be melted over dishes featuring feta to give them added depth and richness in flavor.
2. Ricotta
Ricotta is a creamy, mild cheese that can be used to complement feta in a variety of dishes. Ricotta has a softer texture than feta and provides an interesting contrast with the salty flavor of feta. It also adds creaminess and richness to any dish without overpowering other flavors.
When combined with feta, ricotta can help create delicious salads, pizzas or flatbreads. The combination of tangy feta and creamy ricotta creates an irresistible flavor that will leave your guests begging for more.
Additionally, it is easy to melt over dishes featuring both kinds of cheese for added depth and richness in flavor.
3. Parmesan
Parmesan is an aged Italian cow’s milk cheese that has a dry and crumbly texture. Its sharp, salty, and nutty flavor pairs perfectly with the creamy, tangy taste of feta cheese. Combining the two kinds of cheese can create a delicious Mediterranean-style salad or mezze platter.
To give your feta dishes an extra flavor boost, try grating some Parmesan on top before serving. It could be used in bruschettas with tomato and basil, added to frittatas or omelettes with Greek spinach, stirred into stewed lentils with oregano and rosemary, or even melted over focaccia slathered with olive oil and garlic. Parmesan adds an unforgettable twist to any classic feta recipe!
4. Cheddar
For a milder flavor, consider pairing feta with cheddar. Cheddar has a mellow nutty flavor and creamy texture that complements feta’s tangy flavor and crumbly texture.
The combination of feta and cheddar can be used to make flavorful burgers, tacos, and quesadillas. It can also be added to salads, soups, and sandwiches for extra flavor. For a unique twist, try melting the two cheeses together over a roasted vegetable dish or stir them into scrambled eggs for an extra cheesy breakfast.
5. Jack
As Jack cheese is incredibly versatile, it complements Feta nicely. Not only can it be served alongside Feta as part of a cheese plate, but it can also be integrated into dishes utilizing Feta.
Incorporating slices or cubes of Jack cheese into salads makes for a creamier texture and an extra boost in flavor when combined with the salty tang of Feta. Adding Jack to traditional Feta dishes like spanakopita or tyropita is sure to take the flavor combination up another notch!
When using both cheeses together, keep in mind that Jack adds a mild saltiness and slightly sweet flavor that enhances any Feta recipe.
6. Cream Cheese
When you want to add some creaminess and richness to a dish featuring feta, look no further than Cream Cheese. This mild cheese has a soft texture and a subtle flavor that pairs perfectly with the tangy taste of feta.
Cream cheese can be added to salads or sandwiches for an extra creamy texture and flavor boost. It can also be used in a variety of baked dishes, such as pies or quiches, to give them extra richness.
For a different twist, try combining cream cheese and feta in sauces or dips for more flavor complexity. With its creamy texture and mild flavor, cream cheese is a great way to balance out the tangy flavor of feta.
7. Havarti
If you are looking to expand your cheese plate beyond feta, Havarti is an excellent option. This semi-soft Danish cheese comes in a range of flavors, ranging from mild and buttery to more striking varieties, like dill or caraway.
As it does not have a pungent, salty taste like feta, it can help soften the overall flavor profile. Furthermore, its subtle sharpness is arguably more versatile and pairs particularly well with fresh fruit and cured meats – both staples of cheese platters.
A range of Havarti flavors also lends interesting textures in addition to making the experience more varied and stimulating.
8. Provolone
Getting creative with cheese combinations can be a challenging exercise, but one classic mashup that always comes out delicious is the combination of feta and provolone. The salty bite that feta offers is perfectly complemented by the mild nuttiness of provolone.
Furthermore, both of these types of cheese are quite versatile in terms of their meltability and texture, so they work well together in any application like a grilled cheese sandwich or an Italian-inspired quesadilla.
Their complementary flavors also make them excellent pairings for just about any salad, pizza, or pasta dish you could think to make!
9. Mozzarella
Talking about cheeses that pair with feta, mozzarella often comes to mind. Its soft texture provides a contrast to the tangy flavor of feta, creating a delicious bite. It can be melted over pizzas or used in Italian dishes such as caprese salad.
Along with the salty notes of feta, you can also add other classic Italian flavors like oregano, garlic and tomato for something truly unique. Mozzarella is an incredibly versatile cheese and can be enjoyed by simply pairing it with bread or adding dollops of pesto or olive oil while grilling.
10. Gouda
Gouda is an ideal partner for feta cheese in a variety of ways. Not only does its flavor – nutty and buttery with an almost caramel sweetness – complement the tangy taste of feta, but it also does so without overpowering the delicate flavors of the other ingredients in a dish.
Gouda’s semi-firm texture can also help hold together an otherwise crumbly feta and create an interesting texture contrast. Finally, the aesthetically pleasing bright orange hue of this cheese makes for a beautiful dish if you’re looking for visually appealing presentation.
All these qualities make Gouda an excellent choice as part of a mix of cheeses when making dishes that include feta; it provides both aesthetic value and delicious flavor that complements rather than competes with feta’s unique taste.
11. Manchego
Manchego is a traditional Spanish cheese made from sheep’s milk. It has a firm, buttery texture and a slightly sharp taste when aged for more than twelve months. A wonderful way to enjoy it is by pairing it with dried fruits, spiced nuts, and olives alongside the feta on a plate.
Depending on the type of dish you are serving, Manchego can also be used in recipes as an alternative to feta — nutty and far less salty — adding depth of flavor. Its texture works especially well as an addition to salads or pasta dishes.
Whether served cold on a cheese board or hot out of the oven, Manchego is sure to please any palate honoring the tastes of traditional Mediterranean cuisine.
12. Blue Cheese
Have you ever thought about expanding your cheese boards to include something different? Manchego is a great choice for adding to the mix with feta. This Spanish cheese is nutty and hard, with an ivory color and distinctive aroma.
It can be enjoyed as a table cheese or used to add flavor to dishes such as pasta salad, soups, and quesadillas. What sets it apart from feta is that it has long-lasting flavor – where feta’s salty pungency only lasts a few seconds, Manchego maintains its nutty undertones longer on the palate. With just one simple addition, you can revolutionize your cheese boards!
13. Camembert
Going beyond feta, the sheep milk cheese Manchego is another excellent option to include in your platter. It has a nutty and sweet flavor that often pairs exquisitely with both savory and sweet ingredients.
Notably, Manchego is compared to Parmesan due to its hard texture – but only in an unaged variation that’s been aged less than two months. Aged over six months, it has a semi-hard texture but can also be crumbly on the tongue.
Additionally, its complex flavors are embraced by consumers of all age groups due to its mild essence and mellow aftertaste.
14. Pecorino Romano
How delicious and versatile is Pecorino Romano? This Italian sheep’s milk cheese has a tangy, sharp flavor that complements earthier varieties in many dishes. It’s an ideal pairing for feta because of its saltiness and hardness; when mixed together, these two kinds of cheese create a wonderful contrast and even more flavor.
In fact, there are many recipes that call for using both of these cheeses to optimize the final dish. For example, adding aged Pecorino Romano to Greek salad gives it another depth and complexity that further elevates its appeal. Additionally, it can be used as a topping on pizzas and pasta for an extra kick of savory flavor.
15. Halloumi
As we come to the end of our list, let’s not forget halloumi – a semi-hard cheese made with cow’s milk. It has a salty flavor but is much less pungent than feta, and its chewy texture sets it apart from the other choices we’ve looked at.
Halloumi is quite versatile and can be grilled, fried, or even boiled. It’s usually served as part of a mezze platter and pairs well with salads, grilled vegetables, and fruit.
This cheese is a great accompaniment to feta due to its mild flavor and unique texture – a combination that any cheese lover is sure to appreciate.
Conclusion
Feta cheese is a delicious, crumbly Greek cheese that pairs perfectly with other cheeses. Some of the best accompaniments to feta include goat cheese, ricotta, Parmesan, cheddar, jack, cream cheese, Havarti and provolone. These cheeses can add more flavor and texture to dishes featuring feta. Experiment with different combinations of cheeses to create flavorful, unique dishes that will tantalize your taste buds. Enjoy!
