Feta Cheese vs Mâconnais Cheese

Feta Cheese is a soft goat or sheep-milk cheese from Greece, while Mâconnais Cheese is soft, creamy and made from goat milk, originating in France.

What Is Feta Cheese?

Feta is a Greek brined white cheese made from sheep's milk or a mix of sheep and goat's milk. It is crumbly and slightly grainy, tangy and salty, and it anchors dishes like Greek salad and spanakopita.

What Is Mâconnais Cheese?

Mâconnais is a small goat's milk cheese from Burgundy, France, sometimes made with a mix of goat's and cow's milk. It is shaped like a little truncated cone and has held AOC certification since 2005.

What's the Difference Between Feta Cheese and Mâconnais Cheese?

• Origin: Feta Cheese (Greece), Mâconnais Cheese (France)
• Milk type: Feta Cheese (Sheep's milk, sometimes with goat's milk), Mâconnais Cheese (Goat's milk)
• Milk treatment: Feta Cheese (Pasteurized, sometimes raw), Mâconnais Cheese (Raw)
• Texture: Feta Cheese (Soft), Mâconnais Cheese (Soft, creamy)
• Rind: Feta Cheese (None), Mâconnais Cheese (Covered mainly with geotrichum; may develop blue penicillium marks)
• Aging: Feta Cheese (2 months to longer), Mâconnais Cheese (Minimum ripening period results in a weight of 50 to 65 g)
• Taste: Feta Cheese (Sharp to mild), Mâconnais Cheese (salty, tangy)

Side-by-Side Comparison

Taste Comparison: Does Feta Cheese Taste Like Mâconnais Cheese?

Feta Cheese reads as sharp to mild, while Mâconnais Cheese brings salty, tangy character. Aging plays into this as well. Feta Cheese at 2 months to longer develops a different profile than Mâconnais Cheese at minimum ripening period results in a weight of 50 to 65 g.

Can You Substitute Feta Cheese for Mâconnais Cheese?

Feta Cheese can stand in for Mâconnais Cheese in many dishes, but the switch will shift the overall character of the recipe. Expect soft bite and body where the recipe calls for soft, creamy. Flavor-wise, Feta Cheese reads as sharp to mild while Mâconnais Cheese brings salty, tangy notes.

Which Is Better, Feta Cheese or Mâconnais Cheese?

There's no single winner. It depends on your recipe and the profile you want. If you want a soft cheese, go with Feta Cheese. For a soft, creamy profile, Mâconnais Cheese is the better fit. Flavor-wise, Feta Cheese suits recipes that want sharp to mild notes, while Mâconnais Cheese fits dishes calling for salty, tangy.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Feta Cheese the same as Mâconnais Cheese?

No, they're distinct cheeses. Feta Cheese originates in Greece, while Mâconnais Cheese comes from France. Feta Cheese is made from goat or sheep milk; Mâconnais Cheese uses goat. Aging also differs: Feta Cheese is typically aged 2 months to longer, Mâconnais Cheese minimum ripening period results in a weight of 50 to 65 g.

Is Feta Cheese similar to Mâconnais Cheese?

Not closely. They use different milk bases and have distinct profiles.

Can I substitute Feta Cheese for Mâconnais Cheese?

You can, but expect a shift in richness and milk character.

Does Feta Cheese taste like Mâconnais Cheese?

Feta Cheese reads as sharp to mild, while Mâconnais Cheese is salty, tangy.

What is Feta Cheese made of?

Feta Cheese is made from goat or sheep milk (pasteurized, sometimes raw), using rennet. It's typically aged 2 months to longer. It originates in Greece.

What is Mâconnais Cheese made of?

Mâconnais Cheese is made from goat milk (raw), using small amount added rennet. It's typically aged minimum ripening period results in a weight of 50 to 65 g. It originates in France.

Which should I choose, Feta Cheese or Mâconnais Cheese?

It depends on the dish. The texture difference is the biggest practical tell. Feta Cheese is soft, while Mâconnais Cheese is soft, creamy.