🧀 Manouri
Also known as: Μανούρι
Manouri is a soft Greek PDO whey cheese made from sheep and goat whey enriched with milk or cream; mild, rich and creamy.
Manouri is a soft Greek whey cheese with a Protected Designation of Origin (PDO), registered in the EU in 1996. It is made from the whey left over from sheep and goat cheesemaking, enriched with sheep or goat milk or cream.
Where it is made. The PDO area is Thessaly and Central and Western Macedonia, mountain regions with a long tradition of sheep and goat herding.
How it is made. The whey with milk or cream is heated slowly until the proteins gather into soft flakes. These are collected, drained in cloth bags or moulds and lightly salted. Other Whey cheeses such as ricotta are made in a similar way, but Manouri is much richer: the cream gives it a dense, almost buttery paste.
Taste and texture. The cheese is white and rindless, usually shaped as a cylinder or a pear. The taste is mild, creamy and barely salty with a light milky aroma; the texture is dense yet tender and smooth when cut.
How to eat it. Manouri is eaten fresh with honey, nuts, figs or seasonal fruit, in salads, pies and pastries. It can be baked or lightly pan-fried, as it holds its shape better than ricotta. Light white and sweet wines suit it (see Wine and cheese).
Manouri belongs to the sections Greek cheeses and Protected cheese names; its raw materials are sheep milk, goat milk and whey.
Why it matters to you. Manouri is a fresh product: keep it refrigerated and eat it soon. The name is protected in the EU, so genuine Manouri PDO comes only from Thessaly and Macedonia.
Facts
| Raw material | Sheep and goat whey with milk or cream |
|---|---|
| Country | Greece |
| Region | Thessaly, Central and Western Macedonia |
| Legal basis | EU PDO since 21.06.1996, PDO-GR-0441 1 |
How it connects to Cheese
🧀 Manouri → kind of → 💧 Whey cheeses → kind of → 🧀 Cheese
Links
- Made from which milk
- 🥛 Sheep's milk, 🥛 Goat's milk
- Part of
- 💧 Whey cheeses, 🏷️ Protected cheese names, 🇬🇷 Greek cheeses
Frequently asked questions
What is Manouri made from?
From sheep and goat whey with added sheep or goat milk or cream.
What do you eat Manouri with?
With honey, nuts, figs and fruit, in salads, pies and pastries; it can also be baked or pan-fried.
Is it true that Manouri is just ricotta?
No. Both are whey cheeses, but Manouri is enriched with cream, so it is denser and richer, and it is a separate PDO name.
What to read next
- 🥛 Sheep's milk — The richest in protein and calcium of the common milks; almost all of it goes into cheese.
- 🥛 Goat's milk — Close to cow's milk in its main values; smaller fat globules and a characteristic “goaty” taste.
Similar
🧀 Xynomyzithra Kritis · 🧀 Brocciu · 🧀 Arseniko Naxou · 🧀 Kopanisti · 🧀 Graviera Agrafon · 🧀 Kashkavali Pindou
ℹ️ Dairy products contain lactose and milk proteins: if you are lactose intolerant or allergic to milk protein, ask a doctor.