Cheeses from Greece

A guide to cheeses from Greece, highlighting the country's most notable and diverse varieties.

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Anevato

Exclusive to the Grevena and Kozani regions in Greece, Anevato cheese is made from a mix of goat's and sheep's milk. It features a creamy, grainy texture and a slightly sour taste. Anevato is often enjoyed in traditional pies or simply spread on bread, sometimes paired with honey for a delightful contrast.

Country: Greece
Milk Type: Ewe's or goat's milk or mixtures of both
Texture: Soft
Flavor: Pleasant sourish and refreshing flavor

Anthotyro

Anthotyro is a traditional Greek cheese made primarily from goat's or sheep's milk. It is produced across various regions in Greece, including Macedonia, Thrace, Thessalia, and Crete. This cheese has a hard, whey texture and is known for its salty and tangy flavor profile. The aroma is strong, which complements its white color and natural rind. With a 30% fat content, Anthotyro is often used in cooking or enjoyed on its own. It's also referred to as Anthotyro Fresco or Antotiro. This cheese is a staple in Greek cuisine, offering a taste of the diverse regions from which it originates.

Country: Greece
Milk Type: Goat's or sheep's milk
Texture: Hard, whey
Flavor: Salty, tangy

Anthotyro Fresco

Anthotyro Fresco is a Greek cheese made from goat's or sheep's milk, known for its semi-soft, whey-based texture. With a fat content of around 20%, this cheese has a sweet flavor profile that appeals to many palates. It is a rindless cheese with a pure white color, reflecting its freshness and simplicity. Produced in regions like Macedonia, Thrace, Thessalia, and the islands of Greece, it is often enjoyed in its natural form or used in various Greek dishes. Also known as Fresh Anthotyro or Anthotiro, this cheese is a staple in Greek culinary traditions.

Country: Greece
Milk Type: Goat's or sheep's milk
Texture: Semi-soft, whey
Flavor: Sweet

Barrel Aged Feta

Barrel Aged Feta is a traditional Greek cheese made from a blend of cow's, goat's, and sheep's milk. This pasteurized cheese is aged in barrels, which contributes to its creamy texture and rich aroma. It has a soft, artisan texture that makes it perfect for crumbling over salads or incorporating into various dishes. The flavor is creamy yet tangy, offering a balanced taste that works well in both savory and sweet recipes. The cheese is white in color, typical of feta, and brings a rich, full-bodied experience to the palate. Barrel aging adds a depth to its flavor profile, making it a staple in Mediterranean cuisine.

Country: Greece
Milk Type: Cow's, goat's and sheep's milk
Texture: Soft, artisan
Flavor: Creamy

Batzos

Batzos is a traditional Greek cheese, protected under PDO (Protected Designation of Origin) status. Made from sheep's or goat’s milk, it is a semi-hard, salty cheese, similar to feta but less crumbly. Batzos is aged in brine and has a robust flavor, making it excellent for grilling or serving in salads.

Country: Greece
Milk Type: Goat's and sheep's milk
Texture: Hard , Semi-Hard
Flavor: Sourish and slightly piquant

Feta

Feta is a brined <a href="https://anycheese.com/glossary/cheese-curds/" title="Explore our detailed guide on cheese curds">curd</a> white cheese from Greece, made traditionally from sheep's milk, or from a mixture of sheep and goat's milk. It is crumbly with a slightly grainy texture and has a salty, tangy flavor. Feta is commonly used in salads, pastries, and as a table cheese, and is central to Greek cuisine.

Country: Greece
Milk Type: Goat's and sheep's milk
Texture: Soft, white, aged in brine
Flavor: Sharp to mild

Formaella Arachovas Parnassou

Formaella Arachovas Parnassou is a semi-hard cheese from Greece. It is made using sheep's milk, goat's milk, or a mixture of both. The cheese has been produced in the Arachova mountain area for over a century. It is known for its special flavor and is popular among locals and tourists. The cheese is produced using traditional methods and ripened within the defined geographical area. The milk comes from sheep and goat breeds adapted to the local environment. The cheese is recognized as a Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) product. It is inspected by the Directorate of Agriculture of the Boeotia prefecture.

Country: Greece
Milk Type: Sheep's milk, goat's milk, or a mixture of both
Texture: Semi-hard
Flavor: Peppery, spicy

Galotyri

Galotyri, meaning "milk cheese" in Greek, is a traditional cheese from the regions of Epirus and Thessaly. It is made from sheep's and goat's milk and has a soft, creamy texture with a sour taste. Often used as a spread or in pies, Galotyri is known for its rich, tangy flavor that adds depth to Greek dishes.

Country: Greece
Milk Type: Sheep’s milk, or a combination of sheep’s and goat’s milk
Texture: Soft, curd
Flavor: Moderately sour

Graviera

Graviera is a hard cheese from Greece, traditionally made from either cow's or sheep's milk. The cheese is typically unpasteurized, which contributes to its rich flavor profile. Graviera is known for its nutty and sweet taste, making it a popular choice in Greek cuisine. Its firm texture allows it to be easily sliced, grated, or melted, making it versatile for cooking or enjoying on its own. This cheese is commonly associated with regions like Naxos and Crete, where it is often produced. Graviera's appealing flavor makes it a great addition to cheese boards or as a topping for dishes.

Country: Greece
Milk Type: Cow's or sheep's milk
Texture: Hard
Flavor: Nutty, sweet

Graviera Agrafon

Graviera Agrafon is made in the Agrafa region of Greece. It's a hard cheese from sheep’s milk or a mix of sheep’s and goat’s milk. Aged for at least five months, it develops a sweet and fruity flavor, slightly nutty with a dense texture, ideal for grating or frying as saganaki.

Country: Greece
Milk Type: Sheep’s milk, Goat’s milk (up to 30%)
Texture: Compact
Flavor: Sweet

Graviera Kritis

Graviera Kritis is a popular cheese from the island of Crete, possessing a PDO status. Made primarily from sheep's milk with some goat's milk, it has a sweet, nutty flavor that becomes more pronounced with age. The texture is semi-hard, making it suitable for a variety of culinary uses, from grating to slicing.

Country: Greece
Milk Type: Sheep's milk, Goat's milk (up to 20%)
Texture: Hard
Flavor: Nutty, Sweet

Graviera Naxou

Graviera Naxou, from the island of Naxos, is another variety of Graviera cheese in Greece, known for its rich, buttery flavor and semi-hard texture. Made from cow's milk, or a mix of cow’s, sheep’s, and goat’s milk, it is aged for several months, developing a sweet and fruity profile that makes it excellent for cheese plates or as a table cheese.

Country: Greece
Milk Type: Predominantly cow's milk, sheep’s or goat’s milk (up to 20%)
Texture: Elastic

Kalathaki Limnou

Kalathaki Limnou is a PDO-certified cheese from the island of Lemnos in Greece. It is made primarily from sheep's milk, or a mixture of sheep's and goat's milk. This cheese has a soft texture and a mild, slightly salty flavor. Its unique basket shape (kalathaki means "small basket") gives it a distinctive appearance, and it is often enjoyed in salads or as a table cheese.

Country: Greece
Milk Type: Pasteurized sheep's milk, Goat’s milk (up to 30%)
Texture: Soft
Flavor: Pleasant, slightly acidic

Kasseri

Kasseri is a semi-hard cheese made predominantly from sheep's milk, with up to 20% goat's milk allowed. Originating in Greece, it is smooth and pale yellow, known for its elastic texture and mild, buttery flavor with a slight tang. Kasseri is often used in pies, pastries, and as a table cheese, especially in Greek and Turkish cuisines.

Country: Greece
Milk Type: Goat's and sheep's milk
Texture: Firm to hard
Flavor: Rich

Katiki Domokou

Katiki Domokou is a soft, fresh cheese from the Domokos region in central Greece. Made from sheep's or goat's milk, it has a creamy, spreadable texture and a mild, slightly tangy flavor. This cheese is often used as a spread on bread or as a dip, and is also a delightful accompaniment to fresh vegetables and fruits.

Country: Greece
Milk Type: Sheep’s milk, goat’s milk, or mixtures
Texture: Spreadable
Flavor: Sour, refreshing

Kefalograviera

Kefalograviera is an aged Greek cheese made from sheep's milk or a mixture of sheep's and goat's milk. It has a hard texture and a salty, nutty flavor. This cheese is often used in Greek cuisine for grating over dishes, frying as saganaki, or baked in pastries.

Country: Greece
Milk Type: Sheep’s milk or mixtures with up to 10% goat’s milk; sometimes cow's and sheep's milk (60:40)
Texture: Firm, elastic
Flavor: Pleasant

Kopanisti

Kopanisti is a pungent, spicy cheese found primarily in the Cycladic islands, particularly Mykonos. It is made from cow's, sheep's, or goat's milk and is noted for its strong, peppery and fermented flavor. Its creamy texture makes it excellent for spreading on bread or crackers and is often served as part of a meze platter.

Country: Greece
Milk Type: Whole raw cow’s, ewe’s, and goat’s milk or mixtures, adapted to the region
Texture: Spreadable
Flavor: Intense salty and peppery

Krasotyri

Krasotyri, or "wine cheese," is a semi-hard cheese from Greece that is aged in wine lees, giving it a unique purple rind and a distinct grape-flavored undertone. This cheese has a creamy, rich texture and a subtle wine-infused flavor, making it an exquisite addition to cheese platters or as an accompaniment to robust red wines.

Country: Greece
Milk Type: Sheep or caprine milk, or mixtures
Texture: Semihard
Flavor: Slightly sour

Ladotyri Mytilinis

Ladotyri Mytilinis, also known as oil cheese of Mytilene, comes from the island of Lesvos in Greece. It is made from sheep's milk, or a mixture of sheep's and goat's milk, and is aged in olive oil, which imparts a unique, rich flavor. This cheese has a firm texture and a robust, slightly peppery taste, making it excellent for grating or cooking.

Country: Greece
Milk Type: Ewe’s milk or mixtures with up to 30% goat’s milk
Texture: Hard
Flavor: Strong, salty

Manoura

Manoura is a traditional cheese from the island of Sifnos in Greece. It's aged in wine sediment, which imparts a unique flavor profile—rich and pungent with a hint of wine. Made from sheep's milk or a mix of sheep's and goat's milk, Manoura has a hard texture and is often enjoyed with robust wines.

Country: Greece
Milk Type: Raw ovine milk or a mixture with caprine milk
Texture: Hard
Flavor: Traditional

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