Best Southeastern European Soft Cheese Types
Anthotyro is a Greek cheese made from goat’s and sheep’s milk. The name anthotyro means flowery cheese, referring to the strong aromas of wild herbs. There are two varieties of this cheese – fresh and dry.
The fresh variety is known as anthotyro fresco and has a soft texture and mild flavor. It is typically consumed as a table cheese or used in the preparation of pastries and pies. Combine it with honey and fresh fruits such as apples, pears, and figs.
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This white, soft, brined cheese is made from fresh sheep milk or a combination of sheep and goat milk taken from breeds that graze freely on wild grasses on the island of Lemnos in the northern Aegean Sea. The method of production is quite similar to that of traditional feta cheese, with one significant difference that also gave this cheese its name.
According to the traditional method, the curd is put in a kalathaki ("small basket") for draining and organic acidification, during which time the cheese acquires its characteristic cylindrical shape. Later, the baskets are submerged in brine to mature for at least two months.
Feta is the most famous Greek cheese, affectionately called 'the princess of cheeses'. The cheese is made from sheep's milk or a mixture of sheep's and goat's milk (the latter should not exceed 30%). It is produced in the regions of Macedonia, Thessaly, Thrace, Epirus, the Peloponnese, and Central Greece.
Feta is traditionally produced with non-pasteurized milk, although nowadays the use of pasteurized milk is also allowed. The cheese is made in large square or triangle-shaped molds and preserved in wooden barrels or tin containers filled with brine in order to keep it fresh and to preserve its acidity.
THE BEST Feta Cheeses
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Hidden Springs Creamery
Farmstead Feta
American Cheese Society Judging & Competition Awards - 1st Place 2009, 2011, 2018, 2023
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La Moutonniere
Feta
American Cheese Society Judging & Competition Awards - 1st Place 2005, 2008, 2012
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La Moutonniere
Feta Dans L`huile Aux Herbes
American Cheese Society Judging & Competition Awards - 1st Place 2005, 2007
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Boston Post Dairy
Greek Style Feta
American Cheese Society Judging & Competition Awards - 1st Place 2018
Myzithra is a traditional cheese made from the whey of goat’s or sheep’s milk cheeses. It comes in three main varieties: fresh, sour, and aged. The fresh one is soft in texture and unsalted, typically shaped into eggs or balls.
Its aroma is pungent, while the flavor is quite mild. Sour myzithra is prepared with sheep’s or goat’s milk, yeast, and salt, while the aged variety is hard in texture and very salty. The first two varieties are often used in baked pastries and desserts, while the aged variety is best when grated over pasta, soups, and casseroles.
THE BEST Myzithra Cheeses
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This cottage cheese is made with goat milk or a mixture of goat and sheep milk from breeds traditionally raised in the village of Domokos in the Othrys mountain range in central Greece. It is made following a traditional recipe without the use of rennet.
Once the cheese is drained, it is salted and the product is ready to be packaged and sold. Since it is so rich in flavor but low in salt and fat content, it is an excellent choice for a low fat diet. It has a mild aroma and a hint of sourness that combines well with many other ingredients.
This soft table cheese is made from whey from the processing of Graviera or Kefalotyri Kritis cheeses and the addition of sheep or goat milk, or a mixture of the two. Its name is a combination of two words – mizithra and xyno – meaning 'acidic whey cheese'.
It is produced on the beautiful island of Crete in the Chania, Rethymno, Heraklion, and Lasithi prefectures, where it has been produced since the 17th century. Today, Xynomyzithra Kritis is one of the most popular cheeses made on Crete. This lovely, white, rindless cheese has a distinctive sweet and sour taste, and its texture can vary from creamy to granular. Xynomyzithra Kritis can be used in a variety of recipes, as it becomes milder and softer when cooked.
The name of this cheese is derived from the words galo (milk) and tyri (cheese). This 'milky' cheese is a curd cheese made from milk and yogurt.
It is produced in Epirus and Thessaly in central Greece, and is made from sheep or goat milk, or a mixture of the two. Nowadays, it is mostly produced in August from the thick, fatty summer milk of sheep and goats reared traditionally in the region.
Pljevaljski sir is a staple of many Montenegrin meals. This white cheese is traditionally produced from raw cow's milk. The cheese is characterized by its strong flavor and creamy texture. Its unique aromas are a result of the maturation process which takes place in specially designed wooden barrels - the sliced cheese is salted, placed into wooden barrels, then immersed in brine.
Pljevaljski sir should mature for 15 days before it is ready for consumption. The cheese is so popular that there is even an annual event called Dani Pljevaljskog Sira, where numerous producers from the Pljevalj region present their cheeses.
This cheese is traditionally produced from goat's or sheep's milk, although some dairies also use cow’s milk or a mixture of the three, taken from breeds reared on the Cyclades in the southern Aegean Sea. The diet of the animals is based on the area's endemic aromatic plants, which affect the flavor of their milk.
In recent past, the traditional method of producing this cheese was improved by the addition of fresh butter made from the cream obtained after skimming the milk, but this butter can only amount to 15% of the total weight of the cheese. It increases the fat content and gives Kopanisti an even creamier texture.
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Malaka or Tiromalama is a fresh Greek curd cheese originating from Crete. It is made from sheep’s milk (or a combination of sheep’s and goat’s milk) during the first shaping of Graviera cheese. The cheese is soft and moist in texture, with a typical milky flavor.
It is often compared to mozzarella regarding both the texture and the flavors. Malaka is always consumed after it has been cooked. Due to its sweet, milky flavor and a soft, malleable texture, it is often used as a filling for kalitsounia pies. Interestingly, the word malakono means to soften, referring to the texture of this delicate cheese.
Best Southeastern European Soft Cheeses
Manouri Cheese PDO made by Hotos is a traditional Greek cheese known for its rich, creamy texture and mild flavor. It is produced using whey derived from feta cheese mixed with fresh sheep's or goat's milk cream, adhering to the Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) standards.
This ensures its authenticity and quality, maintaining traditional methods of production. It is often enjoyed on its own, in salads, or as a dessert cheese, sometimes drizzled with honey. Manouri Cheese PDO by Hotos is celebrated for its naturally sweet and slightly tangy profile.
AWARDS
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International Cheese Awards - Gold
2024, 2022
AWARDS
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Global Cheese Awards - Gold
2024
TasteAtlas food rankings are based on the ratings of the TasteAtlas audience, with a series of mechanisms that recognize real users and that ignore bot, nationalist or local patriotic ratings, and give additional value to the ratings of users that the system recognizes as knowledgeable. For the “Top 28 Southeastern European Soft Cheeses” list until February 19, 2025, 4,045 ratings were recorded, of which 1,794 were recognized by the system as legitimate. TasteAtlas Rankings should not be seen as the final global conclusion about food. Their purpose is to promote excellent local foods, instill pride in traditional dishes, and arouse curiosity about dishes you haven’t tried.