What is the Best Substitute for Feta Cheese?

Feta cheese is a brined cheese made from sheep’s milk that has a soft and crumbly texture. Originally from Greece, feta cheese is a staple in Greek salad dishes. Feta is also used in pastry dishes and as a table cheese.

Various kinds of cheese are great substitutes for feta cheese. Cotija, halloumi, goat cheese, and cottage cheese are examples of feta cheese substitutes that are easy to find in local supermarkets.

These cheeses can be used in place of feta in most dishes, which is why they are popular substitutes.

Best Feta Cheese Substitute: Halloumi

The best substitute for feta cheese is halloumi. Halloumi cheese has a similar texture to feta and hits the same flavor notes.

Halloumi is a Greek cheese made from sheep’s milk, with a salty flavor and crumbly texture. Halloumi also has a high melting point, and because of this, it’s a popular grilling cheese.

Unlike feta cheese, halloumi has a mild flavor, so you should add more salt to the dish or add twice as much halloumi cheese to the recipe when you use halloumi in place of feta.

Other Feta Cheese Substitutes, Alternatives, and Replacements

Here is a list of foods that you can use in place of feta cheese.

Dairy Substitutes for Feta Cheese

Cottage Cheese

Cottage cheese, also known as curd and whey, is a fresh cheese curd with a mild flavor. It has a soup-like texture and is a great feta cheese substitute in salads.

Cottage cheese has a lower sodium content than feta cheese, making it a healthy alternative if you’re on a low-sodium diet or you’re looking for a low-calorie substitute for feta.

You can use cottage cheese as a 1:1 substitute for feta cheese for pasta dishes, pizza, and salads.

Cotija Cheese

Cotija cheese is a Mexican cheese alternative to feta. Like feta cheese, cotija has a crumbly texture, but cotija has a more parmesan-like flavor than feta cheese. Because of this, cotija cheese is most suitable as a 1:1 feta cheese substitute on burgers, salads, and tacos.

Don’t use cotija cheese as a feta cheese substitute for creamy recipes because cotija has a high boiling point, and you won’t get the desired creamy texture from cotija.

Goat Cheese

Similar to feta cheese, goat cheese has a tangy flavor. Goat cheese is creamier than feta cheese, but you can find crumbled goat cheese on the market too.

Goat cheese is a brilliant feta cheese substitute because it has the same tangy flavors as feta cheese. Use goat cheese as a 1:1 substitute for feta in salads, pasta, burgers, and pizza.

Queso Fresco

Queso fresco is another Mexican cheese alternative to feta. This cheese is a good substitute for feta cheese because both feta and queso fresco have the same crumbly texture.

Queso fresco doesn’t go through the same aging and fermenting process as feta cheese, and because of this, queso fresco is milder than feta cheese. When using queso fresco as a feta cheese alternative, you should add more salt to the dish to compensate for the milder flavor.

Use queso fresco as a 1:1 feta cheese alternative and add more salt and pepper to the dish if the dish needs an extra kick.

Roquefort

Roquefort is a blue cheese that is easy to find in most large grocery stores. This cheese has a crumbly, hard texture and shares the same tangy flavors as feta cheese.

Because Roquefort is a blue cheese, it has a more intense aroma than feta cheese and adds depth to recipes. You can use Roquefort as a direct swap for feta in salads, cream cheese sauces, and pasta. If you want to minimize the earthy flavors in your dish, use Roquefort as a 0.5:1 substitute for feta in recipes.

Sharp Cheddar

Although sharp cheddar has a different color and texture to feta cheese, sharp cheddar tastes very similar to feta cheese. You should shred sharp cheddar if you’re adding it to salads and other uncooked dishes as this cheese doesn’t crumble.

Sharp cheddar works well in cooked dishes because it melts easily and has a creamy texture when it’s cooked with butter and cream cheese. Use sharp cheddar as a 1:1 feta cheese substitute in pasta bakes, as a jacket potato topper, and in wraps and burgers.

Panela Cheese

There are lots of panela cheese variations available. Some variations have a rubbery texture, while others are crumbly, like feta cheese. Crumbly panela cheese is harder to find than rubbery panela cheese.

You can use crumbly panela cheese as a 1:1 substitute for feta cheese. Otherwise, use mild panela as a 1.5:1 substitute for feta cheese.

Dairy-Free Substitutes for Feta Cheese

Tofu

Tofu is a soy product that’s a common ingredient in vegetarian dishes. Firm tofu crumbles like feta cheese, and with the right seasoning, tofu can taste like feta cheese too. Here’s what you’ll need to make your own tofu feta cheese:

• 14 ounces extra-firm tofu
• ⅓ cup olive oil
• ⅓ cup water
• Juice and zest of 1 lemon
• 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
• 2 teaspoon salt
• ¼ cup olive brine juice
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon oregano, dried
• ½ teaspoon basil, dried
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper

Press the tofu, then cut it into cubes and mix it with the ingredients in the list above. For the best results, leave the seasoned tofu cubes in the fridge overnight.

This vegetarian feta cheese substitute is a great 1:1 feta cheese alternative in salads and pasta.

Cashew Cheese

Cashew cheese is a good feta cheese substitute in sandwiches and wraps. Cashew cheese has a firm texture and slightly nutty flavor. Cashew cheese works well as a 1:1 feta cheese substitute in dishes that complement its nutty flavor.

Almond Cheese

Almond cheese is another vegan alternative for feta cheese. Like cashew cheese, almond cheese is hard and has a mild, nutty flavor. Almond cheese is milder than feta cheese, but it can still be used as a 1:1 substitute for feta cheese in salads and sandwiches.