19 Best Ways to Cook With Feta Cheese

Quinoa and roasted red pepper recipe — The Spruce / Zorica Lakonic

Feta cheese is made out of sheep's milk (occasionally with added goat's milk) and has a salty and tangy flavor that make it a favorite inside and outside of its home country, Greece. Although many other countries produce similar types of cheese, the name feta can only be used on the labels of Greek cheeses.

Feta is great in appetizers, side dishes, and as an ingredient in salads, main dishes, and savory pastries. Go far beyond the Greek salad and try using feta cheese in these wide-ranging recipes.

Homemade Feta Cheese

01 of 19

Spanakopita (Spinach Pie with Feta)

The Spruce Eats

Spanakopita makes a wonderful meal that suits a brunch, party, or light lunch or dinner. Use phyllo dough, nicely buttered, and fill it with a mixture of onions, spinach, feta, ricotta cheese, spices, herbs, and seasonings before baking until crisp.
02 of 19

Mediterranean Chickpea Salad

The Spruce / Anita Schecter

Feta cheese adds a salty creaminess to this fresh chickpea salad. Thanks to a hearty serving of beans, this salad is filling enough to serve for lunch. It's also nice alongside grilled meat for dinner.
03 of 19

Greek Spaghetti

The Spruce / Elaine Lemm

Ready in just 30 minutes, Greek spaghetti is bursting with flavor. With quick-roasted tomatoes, olives, fresh herbs, and feta cheese, it's a nice change from your typical spaghetti night.
04 of 19

Beet and Chickpea Grilled Cheese Sandwich

The Spruce / Anita Schecter

Tired of the same old grilled cheese? Filled with homemade beet falafel patties and plenty of feta cheese, this vegetarian grilled cheese sandwich is a deliciously satisfying sandwich.

Continue to 5 of 19 below.
05 of 19

Beet Salad With Spinach and Honey Balsamic Vinaigrette

The Spruce

Beets and feta are often paired together, and for good reason—the combination of the earthy veggie and salty cheese is a no-brainer. A lightly sweet and tangy vinaigrette makes this a beet salad to remember.
06 of 19

Tomato Tart with Phyllo and Feta Cream

The Spruce / Anita Schecter

If you have a bounty of ripe tomatoes, use it as an excuse to make this lovely tomato tart. The phyllo dough is easy to assemble for a flaky, crispy crust, and a filling of feta cream takes the dish to a new level.
07 of 19

Roasted Fairy Tale Eggplants With Mint and Feta

The Spruce / Miri Rotkovitz

Small eggplants are delicious when roasted, especially when topped with feta and fresh mint. This mostly hands-off roasted eggplant dish only takes about half an hour to cook, the perfect amount of time to prep your other dishes for a quick dinner.
08 of 19

Feta-Stuffed Chicken Breasts

The Spruce

Filled with cheese and herbs and baked in a quick tomato sauce, serve feta-stuffed chicken breasts over pasta for a nice dinner. It's a dish that looks like you spent all afternoon making but only takes a few minutes.

Continue to 9 of 19 below.
09 of 19

Beet Galette with Feta Cheese and Za'atar

The Spruce / Anita Schecter

A rustic tart filled with roasted beets and feta cheese makes an impressive vegetarian main dish. Try offering a beet galette as a veggie alternative to turkey at your next Thanksgiving meal.
10 of 19

Easy Greek-Style Barley Salad

The Spruce / Ahlam Raffii

Barley and fresh crispy veggies are the perfect pairing for feta cheese. Serve this Greek-style barley salad as a hearty side dish or top with falafel or grilled chicken. Add some fresh greens to make it more salad-like.
11 of 19

Turkey and Hummus Sandwich

The Spruce / Nita West

Don't settle for the same old turkey sandwich. Add some pizzazz with creamy hummus, spicy red onion, and creamy feta cheese. Use fresh sourdough bread for a turkey and hummus sandwich to make it restaurant-worthy.
12 of 19

Roasted Carrots With Feta and Dukkah

The Spruce / Anita Schecter

Roasted whole carrots make a lovely side dish for roast chicken, pork tenderloin, or as part of a vegetarian spread. A simple topping of crumbled feta and dukkah, an Egyptian spice blend that includes seeds and nuts, are a nice touch.

Continue to 13 of 19 below.
13 of 19

Greek Salad With Lettuce and Lemon Garlic Dressing

The Spruce / Ahlam Raffii

You can't make a classic Greek salad without feta cheese. Add it in pretty cubes or simply crumble it on top along with cucumbers, tomato, olives, and a lemon-garlic dressing.
14 of 19

Quinoa and Roasted Feta

The Spruce / Zorica Lakonic

A good quinoa and roasted veggie salad with a generous amount of feta can make a simple-looking bowl of vegetables into something extraordinary.
15 of 19

Middle Eastern Spiced Lamb Burgers With Feta and Labneh

The Spruce / Anita Schecter

The slightly gamey flavor of lamb goes perfectly with feta cheese. Garlic, cumin, and coriander add delicious spice to the lamb burger patties while labneh cools things off. Add your choice of fresh greens.
16 of 19

Spring Peas with Feta

Anita Schecter

Sweet fresh peas, olive oil, sumac, and cheese make a wonderful side dish. Although spring peas with feta can be made with frozen peas, use fresh if you can to enjoy the full flavor of these legumes.

Continue to 17 of 19 below.
17 of 19

Grilled Eggplant Rolls Stuffed With Spinach and Feta Cheese

Young Andrew / Getty Images

A gluten-free take on lasagna, grilled eggplant rolls are special enough for a dinner party. With smoky eggplant, creamy feta cheese filling, and a tomato sauce spiced with herbs, it's an impressive main dish.
18 of 19

Heirloom Tomato Tartine with Feta and Za'atar

The Spruce / Anita Schecter

For an easy snack or appetizer, top crusty bread with a generous smear of feta cheese followed by roasted slices of sweet tomato. Za'atar adds spice without making the tomato tartine spicy.
19 of 19

Mediterranean Pasta Salad

The Spruce / Anita Schecter

This flavorful Mediterranean pasta salad is extremely packable, making it a good make-ahead lunch, potluck dish, or picnic side. The creamy dressing can be made up to a few days ahead of time.

Exploring Greek Food & Culture