Feta Vs Goat Cheese: What's The Difference?

What is feta?

Feta is a brined cheese originating in Greece, traditionally made from sheep's milk or a sheep-goat milk blend (at least 70 percent sheep's milk by EU PDO regulations). The cheese is made by curdling milk, draining whey, salting, and aging in brine for at least 2 months. The brine preserves the cheese and gives feta its characteristic salty, tangy flavor. Authentic Greek feta has a crumbly texture with creamy bite; American-style 'feta' is often made from cow's milk and produces a different texture and flavor. Feta is used extensively in Greek and Mediterranean cuisine: Greek salad, spanakopita, stuffed peppers, pasta dishes, and on top of grilled meats. The brine keeps feta moist; once removed from brine, feta dries out quickly.

What is goat cheese?

Goat cheese (also called chèvre, French for goat) is cheese made from goat milk. Unlike feta's single specific production method, goat cheese encompasses many varieties at different aging stages. Fresh goat cheese is soft, spreadable, and white, with a tangy, slightly grassy flavor. Aged goat cheeses include crottin, banon, valencay, and selles-sur-cher; these develop firmer textures and stronger flavors. Ash-ripened goat cheeses have edible vegetable ash on the rind. Goat cheese has a distinctive 'goaty' flavor from the medium-chain fatty acids in goat milk, which gives it a characteristic tang. The cheese is popular in French and Mediterranean cuisine, used in salads, baked goods, on cheese boards, and stuffed into vegetables or pastries.

How do feta and goat cheese compare?

Milk source differs: feta uses sheep or sheep-goat blend; chèvre uses pure goat milk. Production method differs significantly: feta is brined for at least 2 months in salty solution; goat cheese ages without brining (or with very brief brining). Flavor differs: feta is intensely salty with creamy tang; goat cheese is tangy and grassy with less saltiness. Texture differs: feta is firm and crumbly with distinct cubes; fresh goat cheese is soft and spreadable, while aged goat cheese is firmer but still differs from feta. Calorie content is similar (about 75-100 calories per ounce). Lactose content differs: goat cheese is often easier to digest for lactose-sensitive people due to smaller fat globules and slightly different protein structure than cow or sheep milk cheese.

Can you substitute one for the other?

Yes, feta and goat cheese substitute for each other in many recipes with awareness of texture and salt differences. For Greek salad (where feta is traditional), goat cheese works but produces a tangier, less salty result. For pasta dishes calling for feta, fresh goat cheese melts more smoothly while feta stays in distinct crumbles. For cheese boards, both work; choose based on the other items being served. For baking applications, the moisture and texture differences matter; feta crumbles into baked goods cleanly while goat cheese melts and integrates. Adjust salt elsewhere when substituting goat cheese for feta (reduce other salt by half). Texture-wise, fresh goat cheese substitutes for feta in spreads and dips; aged goat cheese substitutes for feta in crumbled applications.