Sprinkle On Some Feta For A Greek-Style Mac And Cheese

Macaroni and cheese is certainly one of the ultimate comfort foods, no matter what type of cheese goes into the pot. Maybe you keep it classic with sharp cheddar or give it a boost with mozzarella or gruyere, but feta cheese is ideal to put a Greek-style spin on the dish. Remember the viral baked feta pasta that took over your social media feeds a while back? The combination of the tangy cheese and pasta works in the same way to upgrade any macaroni and cheese recipe.

Feta cheese is made from goat or sheep milk, and has a creamy yet crumbly consistency met with tangy and salty flavor that pairs well with a variety of other ingredients. You are most likely accustomed to crumbled feta in a Greek salad, but the cheese can melt to create a creamy macaroni and cheese, too. When you head to the grocery store to buy the ingredients for the Greek-inspired mac and cheese, it's best to buy a block of feta cheese, rather than a variety that's already crumbled, because it will have fresher, stronger flavor. Packaged crumbled feta might also contain preservatives and anti-caking agents so it doesn't clump together. And if you buy feta in brine, be sure to squeeze any excess liquid off the cheese before it goes into the pot to prevent watery mac and cheese. 

The Greek cheese can be crumbled on top of a dish of baked macaroni and cheese as a finishing touch, added to a cheesy béchamel sauce, or melted into the dish or pot of pasta along with butter or another type of cheese. To follow your go-to recipe, reduce the amount of cheese and supplement the rest with feta. You can experiment and pair the feta with the other cheeses in the recipe, or consider using another variety like ricotta to temper its tanginess. 

To lean into the cuisine of Greece, take your recipe one step more Greek and make a spanakopita-inspired mac and cheese including spinach, garlic, onion, and a breadcrumb topping. Or use inspiration from that viral baked feta pasta and add in a handful of fresh cherry tomatoes or sun-dried tomatoes. Or you can keep it super straightforward with Tasting Table's simple mac and cheese recipe and just swap in the feta for the sharp cheddar or use a combination of the two. The cheese also works as an addition to our baked mac and cheese casserole that uses fontina and a panko breadcrumb topping.

And to continue your journey of Mediterranean-inspired flavors, check out some more essential Greek ingredients like olive oil and phyllo dough.