17 Greek Cheeses Foodies Love: Greek Cheese Guide

This guide will take you on a flavorful journey through Greece's most popular cheeses.

When you think about Greek cheeses, Feta is probably what comes to mind. But there are plenty of other cheeses from Greece that deserve your taste buds’ attention!

Make no mistake, Feta cheese is pretty delicious, and we will certainly discuss it. But Greek cuisine has so much more to offer cheese lovers.

If you’re a foodie discovering the world of cheese in Greece, you will discover that the Greeks eat a lot of cheese!

One thing to remember is the word for cheese in Greek is tyri. So when you see that, some type of Greek style cheese is almost certainly involved in the dish.

And, of course, try as many cheese dishes as you can!

For special holiday boards, see Christmas Charcuterie Board

Board with Greek cheeses, olives, and tomatoes — Greek cheeses are best enjoyed with other local flavors.

Greek Cheeses List

Whether in Athens or on a secluded island in the Aegean, cheese is an important part of the Greek gastronomy.

And when you are in Greece, the names of Greek cheeses will most often be spelled out in the Greek alphabet. When the name of Greek cheeses are translated into English, you may find multiple spellings for the same cheese. No big deal. The Greek are quite friendly and they’ll be happy to clear up any questions you might have.

1.Feta

A block of Feta cheese on a Greek salad — Feta, one of the best Greek cheeses for salads

Origin of Feta Cheese

Feta is the most famous Greek cheese. In fact, it is the national cheese of Greece.

Culinary historians trace the origin of Greek Feta back thousands of years. It was mentioned in Homer’s Odyssey and is believed to have existed way before that.

Flavor and Texture

Feta is a brined curd cheese made from sheep's milk or a mixture of sheep and goat's milk. It boasts a tangy, salty flavor with a crumbly yet creamy texture.

Culinary Uses

Feta is an incredibly versatile cheese and is found in many traditional Greek dishes.

It is the star ingredient in a classic Greek salad—usually in block form, not crumbled. It is used as a stuffing in savory pies such as spanakopita and cheese pies. And crumbled Feta cheese adds a salty taste to grilled meats and vegetables.

2. Kasseri

Kasseri, the Greek cheese traditionally used for saganaki. — Kasseri, the traditional Greek cheese used for saganaki

Origin of Kasseri

Kasseri is a traditional cheese from central Greece, specifically Thessaly and Macedonia.

Flavor and Texture

Kasseri is a semi-hard cheese most often made from sheep's milk, although it can also contain a blend of sheep’s and goat's milk. It has a mild, buttery flavor with a stringy texture.

Culinary Uses

Kasseri is commonly melted on Greek street food pizzas, known as Peinirli, or eaten as part of a cheese platter.

It is also the main ingredient in the Greek dish saganaki, where it is fried and served with lemon. When it is set on fire tableside and called “Flaming Saganaki Cheese,” that is a Chicago food invention!

3. Mizithra

Soft Mizithra cheese is perfect in Dakos recipes.

Origin of Mizithra

Mizithra cheese is predominantly produced in Crete.

Flavor and Texture

This cheese can be found fresh (soft) or dry (hard). Soft Mizithra cheese is mild and likened to cottage cheese, ricotta, and cream cheese.

Dry Mizithra is usually grated like the Emilia-Romagna specialty Parmigiano Reggiano.

There is also another variation called Xynomizithra with a more tangy flavor and a soft, crumbly texture.

Culinary Uses

Fresh Mizithra is typically used in Greek salads like Cretan Dakos, pastries, and as a dessert cheese, paired with honey and nuts.

4. Graviera

Graviera is one of the best cheese from Greece for a cheese board. — Graviera is one of the best cheeses from Greece for a cheese board.

Origin of Graviera

Graviera is produced in various regions, and three of them have received PDO status from the European Union: Graviera Naxou (from Naxos), Graviera Agrafon (from Western Thessaly and Evritania), and Graviera Kritis (from Crete).

Flavor and Texture

Graviera cheese has a hard texture and a sweet, nutty flavor that can range from mild to sharp, depending on its aging; the longer it ages, the sharper its tang.

Culinary Uses

Sometimes called “Greek Gruyere,” this traditional hard cheese makes an excellent table cheese.

Graviera can be grated on top of hot pasta, or used in baking traditional Greek pies.

5. Halloumi

Grilled Halloumi is a popular Greek appetizer or light lunch.

Origin of Halloumi

Halloumi has its origins in Cyprus, where it’s still widely enjoyed in homes, restaurants, and cafes in Limassol, Nicosia, and throughout the country. However, it is also very popular in Greece.

Flavor and Texture

Halloumi is a semi-hard, unripened cheese made from a mixture of goat milk and sheep milk. It has a pleasantly salty taste and is known for its firm texture that holds up well when grilled or fried.

Culinary Uses

Within contemporary Greek culture and cuisine, Halloumi often appears grilled as an appetizer or added to salads.

Also, its high melting point makes it a great Kasseri substitute in most any saganaki recipe.

6. Kopanisti

The Greek cheese Kopanisti is great to spread on bread — The Greek cheese Kopanisti has a dip-like consistency, making it perfect to spread on bread.

Origin of Kopanisti

Kopanisti hails from the Cyclades islands, particularly Mykonos.

Flavor and Texture

Kopanisti is a spicy, soft cheese with a strong, peppery flavor. Because of its zing, it’s the closest thing the Greeks have to the French cheese Roquefort.

This cow’s milk cheese is also characterized by its creamy, spreadable texture.

Culinary Uses

Kopanisti is an excellent cheese to spread on bread or crackers and often served as a meze (an appetizer or small plate), accompanied by olives and tomatoes.

7. Manouri

The Greek semi-soft cheese Manouri with a drizzle of balsamic vinegar on top — Try the Greek semi-soft cheese Manouri with a drizzle of balsamic vinegar.

Origin of Manouri

Manouri is produced in central and northern Greece, particularly in Thessalia and Western Macedonia.

Flavor and Texture

Manouri is a semi-soft, fresh cheese made from the whey of sheep or goat's milk, mixed with cream. It is rich and creamy, a bit like a cheesecake with a hint of citrus.

Culinary Uses

Manouri is often enjoyed as a dessert cheese—drizzled with balsamic vinegar or honey to make it slightly sweet—or used in pastries. Of course, there are many other yummy desserts in Greece too!

8. Kefalotyri

Kefalotyri, Greek hard cheese — Kefalotyri, is a great Greek hard cheese that pairs wonderfully with figs.

Origin of Kefalotyri

Dating back to the Byzantine era, Kefalotyri is one of the oldest cheeses from Greece.

Flavor and Texture

This hard, salty cheese has a sharp, tangy flavor. It is made from sheep's milk or a mixture of sheep and goat's milk. The color ranges from white to yellow depending on how long it is aged.

Culinary Uses

Kefalotyri is perfect for grating over pasta, grilling, frying (as saganaki), or eating as a snack with wine.

In Greece, it is common to serve a cheeseboard with Kefalotyri, figs, and sausages. As a lover of charcuterie boards, all I can say is “Yes, please!”

9. Anthotyro

A soft, fresh Anthotyro cheese in a basket with lettuce, parsley, and tomatoes — The soft, fresh version of Anthotyro cheese

Origin of Anthotyro

Anthotyro has been produced in many rural regions since the times of Ancient Greece.

Flavor and Texture

The Greek word Anthotyro means “flower cheese,” alluding to the robust aroma of wild herbs.

Anthotyro is produced in both fresh and dry (aged) forms.

The fresh cheese has a mild, milky flavor and a crumbly texture while the aged cheese is harder and more pungent.

Culinary Uses

Fresh Anthotyro is often spread on bread or mixed into different kinds of Greek salads.

The aged version can be grated over main dishes and pastas.

10. Metsovone

Metsovone cheese — Metsovone, the most famous smoked cheese from Greece

Origin of Metsovone

Metsovone hails from Metsovo in the rugged mountain region of Epirus.

Flavor and Texture

Metsovone is a semi-hard smoked cheese made either from cow's milk or a mix of cow’s and sheep’s milk. It has a slightly smoky flavor with a firm texture.

Culinary Uses

Metsovone is perfect for grilling, adding a smoky taste to dishes, or simply eaten as part of a cheese platter.

11. Katiki Domokou

Chunks of Katiki Domokou in a salad — Katili Domokou, a Greek soft cheese, makes any Mediterranean salad even better.

Origin of Katiki Domokou

Katiki Domokou originates from Domokos in central Greece.

Flavor and Texture

This fresh cheese has a light, tangy flavor and a creamy, spreadable texture similar to the Italian cheese ricotta.

Culinary Uses

Katiki Domokou is often used as a spread on bread or crackers and is delightful in salads. It pairs well with fresh fruits, vegetables, and white wines.

12. Ladotyri Mytilinis

The Greek cheese Ladotyri Mytilinis — Ladotyri Mytilinis, nicknamed “Greek Olive Oil Cheese”

Origin of Ladotyri Mytilinis

This Greek cheese comes from the island of Lesbos in the northern Aegean Sea.

Flavor and Texture

Ladotyri Mytilinis is a hard, pale yellow cheese with a piquant and slightly salty flavor. It is aged in olive oil, which gives it a unique taste.

Culinary Uses

This Greek hard cheese can be eaten as a snack with seasonal fruits or used in cooking. It pairs wonderfully with the flavors of Mediterranean cuisine, especially fresh bread, olives, capers, and tomatoes.

13. Formaela

Grilled Formaela cheese — The texture of Formaela makes it one of the best Greek cheeses for grilling.

Origin of Formaela

Formaela comes from Arachova, a mountainous region in central Greece.

Flavor and Texture

Formaela is a semi-hard cheese with a mild, slightly salty flavor and a firm texture.

Culinary Uses

Formaela is delicious when melted, so is often served grilled or fried, sometimes with a little lemon juice to balance out its flavors.

14. Kalathaki Limnou

Kalathaki Limnou, aka Greek Basket Cheese — When purchasing Kalathaki Limnou, or Greek basket cheese, look for the telltale imprints.

Origin of Kalathaki Limnou

Kalathaki Limnou cheese is made on the island of Lemnos.

Flavor and Texture

Kalathaki translates to “small basket,” and you’ll usually see the lines from the basket in which the cheese was aged imprinted on the cheese itself.

Kalathaki Limnou has a mild, slightly tangy flavor with a firm, white texture.

Culinary Uses

This cheese is usually eaten as a table cheese or added to salads and sandwiches. I drizzle a bit of extra virgin olive oil on it, and that’s all I need.

15. Batzos

Greek pastry stuffed with Batzos cheese — Tyropita (cheese pie) made with Batzos cheese

Origin of Batzos

Batzos cheese is a product of tradition from the lush Pindos Mountain pastures.

Flavor and Texture

Batzos boasts a dense and slightly crumbly texture, reminiscent of Feta but smoother and less granular.

Its flavor profile is a delightful blend of sharpness and earthiness, with a distinct tang and saltiness.

Culinary Uses

Savor Batzos' complex flavors as a standalone treat, on a cheese board, or substitute it for Feta in Greek recipes.

Elevate your tasting experience by pairing Batzos with a glass of wine or ouzo.

16. Galotyri

Greek soft cheese Galotyri — With a name that translates to “milk cheese,” it's fitting that Galotyri is one of the creamiest cheeses of Greece.

Origin of Galotyri

Galotyri dates back centuries, and is deeply rooted in the pastoral lifestyle of Epirus and Thessaly.

Texture and Flavor

Originally produced only in the summer, Galotyri was made from sheep or goat’s milk that was especially laden with solids. The cheese was named Galotyri, literally "milk cheese," because the particular quality of the milk used played a key part in the cheese’s flavor and texture.

The velvety, creamy, smooth texture of Galotyri resembles Greek yogurt, as does its intense flavor.

Culinary Uses

Galotyri can be used like Tzatziki sauce, yogurts, and soft Greek cheeses. It makes a great addition to salad dressings and sauces. I find it delightful spread on fruits and complemented with a glass of Greek wine.

17. Pichtogalo Chanion

The yogurt-like Greek cheese, Pichtogalo Chanion — Pichtogalo Chanion, the cheese Greek locals eat like yogurt.

Origin of Pichtogalo Chanion

Only produced in the prefecture of Chania, Crete, Pichtogalo Chanion embodies the rich culinary heritage and robust agricultural traditions of the island.

Texture and Flavor

Pichtogalo Chanion is celebrated for its smooth, creamy texture. Its flavor is mildly nutty with a subtle tang, providing a delightful balance.

Culinary Uses

In Cretan cuisine, Pichtogalo Chanion is a staple ingredient, often used to enhance the richness and flavor of everything from salads to baked goods.

Many Cretans enjoy it as a snack stuffed in a pita, or plain like a Greek yogurt.

Favorite Greek Cheeses

I hope you enjoyed this list of Greek cheeses!

From the soft and spreadable to the Greek hard cheeses, each cheese brings its unique story and taste that reflects the rich history and culture of its region.

Personally, I have a difficult time choosing just one and declaring it the best Greek cheese, but my favorites are all above.

I would love to hear which cheeses you’ve tried and what your favorite Greek cheese is! Let me know in the comments.