Baked Feta Recipe (So Easy!) - Wholesome Yum (2024)

FAQs

Which feta is good for baking? ›

Use quality feta cheese.

Find creamy Greek feta. French or Bulgarian white cheese will work great too (which are like feta but can not be given the term because Greece has the PDO for the term "feta"). Do not use crumbled feta, which is too dry and will not work as well in this recipe.

The soft blocks in brine are the best type of feta to use - not the hard crumbly type. Avoid feta made from cow's milk as it's too firm and crumbly. Greek feta 'can' be used, however as it is firmer, your sauce will be slightly grainy. Soft Danish feta made from sheep's milk is the way to go!

Add a small amount of preferably full milk to your jar and drop in your feta. You can use skim or 2% if you prefer. Now turn your stove on to medium heat and allow water to boil. As it heats up, stir it constantly.

Feta Crumbles are so versatile that you can use them to garnish pasta, watermelon, grapes, nuts, chickpeas, potatoes, salads, pizza, or eggs. It's the perfect tangy touch to elevate any dish.

Where the Greek original is made with sheep's and goat's milk, our feta is made with cow's milk to produce a cheese that's less gamy and a little lighter. Of course, because it's produced right here in the USA, it's also a lot fresher – which is kind of the point when it comes to fresh cheese.

While feta cheese provides you with an excellent source of nutrients like calcium and protein, it also contains high amounts of sodium and saturated fat. Feta is lower in fat than many other cheeses, however, and is considered a reasonable option to eat in moderation.

If you want something like Parmesan but that melts, you can find a younger one or use a fresh Asiago. It melts well. The only reason feta cheese is unable to transform into a gooey, creamy, and stringy mess is because of its very high water and acid content.

Danish feta is made from cow's milk and has a milder, creamier texture. Feta purists argue that 'Danish-style' feta, made using the ultrafiltration method, isn't authentic, but many people prefer its creamier, smoother texture. You may prefer to use Danish-style feta for recipes aiming for a smoother end product.

What's more, feta is lower in fat and calories than aged cheeses like cheddar or parmesan. One ounce (28 grams) of cheddar or parmesan contains more than 110 calories and 7 grams of fat, while 1 ounce of feta has only 74 calories and 6 grams of fat (2, 3, 4).

Feta dries out quickly when removed from its brine, so always store feta in the brine it is packed in (we do not recommend buying precrumbled “dry” feta). One final note: It's a good idea to rinse feta packed in brine just before serving to remove excess salt.

What do you do with the liquid in feta cheese? ›

To me, feta brine is perfect in every way. It's salty as all get-out, subtly creamy, and best of all, already in my refrigerator. As a rule of thumb, you can use feta brine to intensify—and seriously elevate—virtually any dish that incorporates feta, as well as many that don't.

Feta cheese pairs wonderfully with tart fruits like cranberries, apples, and pears as well as sweet honeycomb. It also goes amazingly well with olives and tomatoes—all of which can be used to create amazing salads or appetizers.

The salad starts with a base of fresh vegetables, like cucumber, tomato, red onion, and parsley, then gets a dose of protein from tuna and white beans, and is finished off with a tangy homemade vinaigrette and just the right amount of crumbled feta. The combo is absolutely perfect!

"The combination of Mozzarella and Feta with fresh tomatoes and sauteed onions is simply exquisite. It's worth making a fresh batch of dough for this one."

Greek Feta

This is the stuff that you see most frequently. Greek feta is briny, tangy, and sharp, and the fine texture makes it perfect to crumble in salads, sprinkle on cold soups, or toss into some rigatoni with sausage, beans, and greens.

Crumbled feta is convenient, I will not argue with that, but these containers usually contain powdered cellulose or some other form of anti-caking agent, which make for crumbles that can taste dry and rather hard. Crumbled feta is also likely to have a shorter shelf life than a block.

Traditional Greek feta is made with at least 70% sheep's milk, with goat's milk often making up the other 30%. The flavour is salty and tangy, the texture dry and crumbly. When CHOICE taste tested feta cheese a few years back, the 'Greek-style' feta rated highest.

When cooking with feta, it is imperative to understand the differences between Greek, Bulgarian and French. Henderson defines the three as such: “A definitive similarity of these cheeses lies in the ripening process by which blocks of cheese are held in a saltwater brine.