There's no single "best," but top experts praise Mt. Vikos for authentic, tangy Greek feta (sheep/goat milk), while Epiros and Dodoni are highly awarded Greek PDO brands, and some prefer buttery French feta (like Valbreso) or sharp Israeli versions for different uses, emphasizing blocks in brine over pre-crumbled.
'Has the texture of feta, but not much else': the best (and worst) supermarket feta, tested
The best feta cheese is firm and crumbly but still creamy. It's tangy but rich. It's great in salads and it also melts into pasta. And, while the actual best feta cheese is probably only found on some island in Greece, you can find some pretty good facsimiles in the grocery store.
Although it isn't the saltiest, Greek feta packs the most flavor of the three, which makes it a transformative addition to simple, one-dimensional dishes. Marinated feta is a go-to appetizer around here. At the end of the day, though, the most important thing to look for when buying feta is how it's packaged.
Authentic Greek feta is traditionally made from 100% sheep's milk, or a blend that includes up to 30% goat's milk. This specific mix creates the cheese's signature crumbly texture and bold, tangy flavor.
Athenos' Traditional feta cheese is made the Greek way – simply and with respect for the ingredients. Ingredients: Feta Cheese (Pasteurized Part-Skim Milk, Cheese Culture, Salt, Enzymes), Powdered Cellulose To Prevent Caking, Natamycin (A Natural Mold Inhibitor). Allergens & Warnings: CONTAINS: MILK.
The authentic Feta from Greece is on the saltier and tangier side of the spectrum, with the undertones slightly reminiscent of lemon. In comparison, American Feta lacks the creaminess but retains the savory flavor profile, with a robust acidic tang.
“So if the product starts to smell yeasty, like proofed bread dough, the product has gone bad.” Harsh, unbalanced flavors: Feta should taste like fresh, mildly tangy dairy. If your feta tastes overly piquant, bitter, rancid, or otherwise unbalanced, it's past its prime.
Some people who produce a small amount of lactase are still able to digest milk products. If levels of lactase are too low, you'll become lactose intolerant and experience symptoms after you eat or drink dairy products. Many people who are lactose intolerant can manage it without giving up all foods with dairy.
Today, under PDO protection, Greek feta must be made from sheep's milk (with allowances for up to 30% goat's milk), and it must be made in Greece. Murray's Feta is made with 100% sheep's milk, and the cheese is barrel-aged, where it develops its perfectly balanced flavor—not overly tangy or salty.
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.
Laclare Farms Goat Milk Feta Cheese. This 100% goat milk feta is from one of Wisconsin's most accomplished goat cheese makers, LaClare Farms. Made with whole goat's milk, LaClare's Wisconsin-made feta is crumbly, salty, and tangy.
Feta also has potential health benefits; it supports bone health with calcium and phosphorus, and its probiotics may aid gut health. However, its high sodium can raise blood pressure, and its saturated fats should be limited.
Feta cheese: Whole blocks of Greek sheep's milk feta packed in brine is ideal, as you'll get those satisfying large pieces that make a Greek salad so special.
It really depends on what flavor and texture you like. The Israeli feta has a lighter, almost spongy texture, while the Greek feta is firm and dense. Israeli feta is very mild, while the Greek feta is delightfully piquant.
Soft, unpasteurized cheeses like feta, Brie, Camembert, blue-veined cheeses, and goat — as well as ready-to-eat meats like hot dogs and deli meats — may contain Listeria, bacteria that cause mild flu-like symptoms in most adults but can be very dangerous for unborn babies.
Other Low Lactose Gardner's Options
Tip for reducing flatulence: If you are able to digest small amounts of lactose, there are many dairy products that are naturally low in lactose, such as butter and hard cheeses as well as camembert and feta cheese.
The minimal carbohydrates in feta ensure that it won't significantly impact blood sugar levels, providing a safe option for diabetics. Feta cheese is also a good source of calcium and phosphorus, essential for maintaining bone health.
Certain fresh cheeses (such as feta or mozzarella) that are sold in vacuum-sealed packages might have an expiration date of a few weeks to a few months, but that only applies so long as the package has remained sealed.
Hotos Feta cheese is a Protected Designation of Origin (P.D.O.) product, made exclusively of 100% fresh pasteurized Greek sheep and goat milk.
One of the easiest and more popular ways to incorporate Feta to a dish is to crumble it. Feta Crumbles are so versatile that you can use them to garnish pasta, watermelon, grapes, nuts, chickpeas, potatoes, salads, pizza, or eggs.
The healthiest cheeses at glance:
Bulgarian feta seems mysterious in composition. The sheep's milk cheese is gently salty like the best Greek Feta, but, like the best French feta, doesn't really crumble as much as it... envelops? It has a tart, salty flavor, that can almost be characterized as lemony.