Feta cheese is a soft and white cheese popular in Mediterranean recipes. Authentic feta cheese is made from sheep or goat milk coagulated with rennet. If you are making homemade feta, you use vinegar to produce curds. Unlike other cheeses, where the process ends with pressing or blending the curds, feta is submerged in brine. The salt brine makes the taste pronounced and adds tanginess. Like other white cheeses, it is creamy and doesn't melt quickly. If you want to experience the Mediterranean charm of feta cheese, add it to your salad served with fresh tomatoes and cucumbers. Whether you crumble the cheese and top it on the salad or melt it into the mix. Some of the best ways to cook with feta cheese include:

Crumbled: The most popular way to incorporate feta cheese into your recipes is to crumble it. The crumbled cheese can garnish pasta recipes, potatoes, salads and pizza.

Feta cubes: You can easily add feta cheese cubes to your dish. Simply cut the feta chunks into cubes and serve them with olive oil or peppers.

Grilling feta: If you want your cheese softer and a little toasty, you can grill your feta cheese. Get a brick of feta and grill both sides until you see the golden grill marks. Grilled feta can be used as a spread for bread.

Baking feta: When you bake feta cheese, it becomes soft and gooey. Ensure the feta chunk is at room temperature before baking it.

Marinating feta: If you want to use feta cheese as a topping, marinating the cheese blocks infuses extra flavour into your dish. The marinated feta cubes are crumbled over salads or served with crackers.

Whipped feta: Looking for a delicious dip for your roasted veggies or crostini? Try whipping feta cheese. The cheese is combined with cream cheese, lemon and olive oil and blended to achieve a velvety and creamy texture.

If you love Mediterranean cuisine, you have probably encountered different types of feta cheese. The Greeks were the first to make feta cheese, but you can find different variations, ranging from soft to semi-hard. Traditional Greek feta cheese is made with at least 70% sheep's milk and 30% goat milk. With its salty and tangy flavour and a dry and crumbly texture, it’s a great addition to different dishes. You can crumble the Greek feta in salads, toss it with rigatoni and sausage, or sprinkle it on soups. It packs the most flavour compared to other feta cheeses in the market.

On the other hand, Danish feta has a milder and creamier texture. If you are aiming for a smoother texture in your dish, Danish feta is your go-to cheese. Danish feta is made from cow's milk, which gives it a mild flavour. The creamy texture of the cheese will win your heart since you can slice or cube it without crumbling. Due to the mild flavour, you can spice it with herbs or olives.

If you are looking to incorporate Greek or Danish feta into your meal plans, here are a few foods to pair them with:

Fruits: You can add Greek and Danish feta cheese to sweet fruits like melons and apricots. The tanginess from the cheese complements the sweet flavours. Crumble the feta cheese on top of sliced watermelons.

Veggies: Greek feta cheese offers a tangy balance and brings out the fresh flavours in vegetables. You can pair it with asparagus, zucchini or red peppers. Try this honey-soy chicken salad recipe with feta cheese.

Proteins: Feta cheese is a great addition to any protein, from steak to chicken or tofu. For instance, you can put together this Dukkah chicken recipe with roast vegetables and feta cheese.