🧀 Feta
A brined cheese made from sheep's milk (up to 30% goat's milk allowed), a protected Greek name.
Feta is a Greek white brined cheese made from sheep’s milk or a mix of sheep’s and goat’s milk (no more than 30% goat’s milk, according to the specification). The milk is curdled with rennet, the curd is cut, placed in moulds to drain under its own weight, salted and then matured in brine — first warm, then cold, for at least two months in total. The result is a soft, crumbly, slightly grainy cheese with no rind and a salty, tangy taste.
Since 2002 “Feta” has been registered in the EU as a protected designation of origin (Regulation (EC) No 1829/2002): the European Commission ruled that it is not a generic term. In the EU, cheese with this name may be made only in mainland Greece and on the island of Lesbos, from the milk of local sheep and goat breeds.
Feta differs from bryndza and other white brined cheeses of the Balkans in its strict requirements for raw milk and region. “Greek-style” cow’s milk cheeses made in other countries cannot be called feta in the EU. Feta goes into Greek salad and the pies spanakopita and tiropita, and is baked and served with olive oil and oregano.
Composition per 100 g
| Fat | 21.5 g |
|---|---|
| Protein | 14.2 g |
| Carbohydrates | 3.88 g |
| Energy | 265 kcal |
| Calcium | 493 mg |
How it connects to milk
🧀 Feta ← used for ← 🥛 Goat's milk → type of → 🥛 Milk
Links
- Made from which milk
- 🥛 Goat's milk
- Made from
- 🥛 Sheep's milk
- Where it is traditional
- 🌍 Southern Europe
- Which peoples make it
- 🧑🤝🧑 Greeks
- Product type
- 🏺 Traditional dairy products
- Part of
- 🧀 Cheese
- Wine and milk
- 🍷 Oak barrel, 🍷 Wine and cheese
- In other topics
- 🧂 Brine, 🫒 Kalamon
Frequently asked questions
What milk is feta made from?
Sheep’s milk or a mix of sheep’s and goat’s milk with no more than 30% goat’s milk. In the EU, cheese made from cow’s milk cannot be called feta.
What is the difference between feta and bryndza?
Both are white brined cheeses, but feta has a protected name: it is made only in Greece, from sheep’s or sheep-and-goat milk, to the official specification.
Where can feta be made?
In mainland Greece and on the island of Lesbos — as set out when the name was registered in the EU in 2002.
Comparisons
Similar
🧀 Pecorino · 🧀 Mozzarella · 🧀 Parmesan · 🧀 Ricotta · 🧀 Halloumi · 🧀 Bryndza
ℹ️ Dairy products contain lactose and milk proteins: if you are lactose intolerant or allergic to milk protein, ask a doctor.