Feta is one my favourite cheeses – certainly my favourite for cooking with – and one of those ingredients that it is great to always have in the fridge. Here are 14 of the best dinner recipes with feta, to inspire you to use the feta cheese in your kitchen!
What is Feta?
Feta, originating from Greece, is usually a sheep or goat’s cheese, which is briefly brined to give it a salty flavour. It is semi soft, white and crumbly in texture and is perfect for use as an additional seasoning for savoury dishes.
Feta Substitutes
All of the recipes below are going to be absolutely at their best using feta. Feta has a unique consistency which means that it can melt well in some recipes (like my baked feta and fennel pasta) and hold its shape in others (like my chicken skewers with giant couscous). However, there are a few cheeses that are similar:
- In pastas, risottos and salads: if you are using the cheese in ‘chunks’ in pasta sauces risottos or salads, consider using halloumi or hard goats cheese.
- As a seasoning: if you are crumbling the cheese over the top of a dish, soft goats cheese or Cheshire cheese could work.
- To melt: if you want the cheese to ‘melt’ through a sauce, consider using ricotta (though you’ll have to check your seasoning, because ricotta has less salt than feta).
Feta Uses
You can use feta in so many ways, in so many meals:
- Chunky in pasta sauces: leaving the feta in chunks adds a lovely salty bite to pasta sauces, such as in my quick and easy tagliatelle.
- Melted through pasta sauces: as per the TikTok trend! Feta can be baked until melting, then stirred through pasta with a little pasta water to make a creamy, flavourful sauce.
- In risotto: feta adds another level to risottos. The melty, delectable texture with the al dente rice is divine!
- With couscous: I often use feta in couscous salads. It works well with both normal couscous and the larger pearl couscous.
- As a pie topping: crumbling the feta over the top of a pie (e.g. moussaka) will make that pie topping incredible! The feta caramelises in the oven – yum.
- As a pie filling: as a filling, feta gets soft and melty. That salty filling with crisp pastry is just drool worthy.
- For vegetable stuffing: if you’re stuffing vegetables such as courgettes, aubergines or peppers, feta makes a great stuffing when combined with lentils, rice or couscous.
- As a soup topping: I’m struggling to think of a soup that wouldn’t be improved with a bit of feta crumbled over the top. It adds another flavour level to an already delicious soup.
Dinner Recipes with Feta
Here are some of my absolute favourite recipes with feta. From frittata to pie, from pasta to couscous, we have it all. You’re sure to find something you like. Welcome to the feta club!
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