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The production of the original Feta is dedicated to maintaining tradition and excellence and has remained the same since the time of its invention. But then, is Feta cheese vegetarian?
Most feta cheeses are not vegetarian as they are often produced with animal-derived rennet. However, some feta cheese are also made with vegetal rennet, and those ones are considered vegetarian.
That said, you would constantly have to inspect the label of the cheese for what you want, or ask the cheesemonger to ensure it’s suitable for you if you’re a vegetarian.
What is Feta Cheese?
Feta is a salted, cured white cheese that is made from either sheep’s milk or a mixture of both sheep’s and goat’s milk which originated from Greece. It is delicate, with little or no holes, a lightweight touch, irregular cuts, and no skin at all.
It is constructed into giant blocks and aged in a salt solution. Its taste is spicy and could be salty, ranging from mild to sharp. It has a little granular composition. It can also be served cooked (often grilled), as part of a sandwich, in omelets, and many other dishes.
Similar to Greece, Feta has become a regular food base in culinary societies across the world – both cooked and fresh. Always made using a mixture of milk from goats and sheep, the flavors are infused primarily from their forage, resulting in composition and flavor that varies among districts.
Over the years, the level of the popularity of Feta has generated numerous variants from other culinary societies, leading to unusual and tasty twists.
What Does Feta Cheese Taste Like?
These elegant cheeses offer salty and tangy forms when they are eaten wholly, supported by crumbly, seldom creamy compositions. Their differing spice from being stored in a salt solution gives them remarkable taste and aridity, identical to that of dry wine.
Still manufactured in its area of inception, Feta gets its qualities from the areas around central Greece. Also, other variants of white cheese get their taste from regional components and their surroundings.
Each grassland gives unique characteristics of both flavor and composition, making every variant you come across distinctive to its district and country.
Is Feta Cheese Vegetarian?
Yes, it comes in vegetarian and non–vegetarian forms. Some feta cheese brands are produced with animal rennet, while others are prepared with vegetal rennet, also some brands manufacture both.
But then, common feta cheese is often made with either sheep or goat’s milk or both and animal rennet, however, it would be detailed on the ingredient list.
The vegetarian ones are more economical because vegetal rennet is cheaper to produce than animal rennet.
What is Feta Cheese Made of?
Feta cheese is made up of many ingredients, such as the following:
- Sheep’s milk, or a mixture of sheep’s and goat’s milk (it may be pasteurized or not)
- Starter culture of micro-organisms
- Calcium chloride
- Rennet
- Water
- Kosher salt, or another non-iodized salt
- Vinegar (cider or white vinegar)
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Feta cheese be made without rennet?
Yes, feta cheese can be made without rennet! All you’ll need is whole milk, lemon juice or vinegar, and salt. Quick and delightful.
Does Feta cheese contain egg?
No, it doesn’t. The traditional ingredients of feta cheese do not include eggs.
What is wrong with Feta cheese?
Feta cheese has an increased sodium and lactose quantity than other cheeses. Also, when it is prepared with unpasteurized milk, it has the probability to be infected with Listeria bacteria.
Is Feta cheese healthy?
Yes, feta cheese is very healthy. Feta cheese gives you an outstanding source of nutrients like calcium and protein. Feta is also insufficient in fat than numerous other cheeses, it is considered to be an acceptable alternative to be eaten in moderateness.
Does Feta expire?
Sadly, it does. Like all other cheeses, feta cheese can go bad.
Conclusion
I hope we have been able to give a sufficient answer to your question of if Feta cheese is vegetarian. To discuss the delightful cheese in detail would require more than this article but for now, this should be enough.
Feta can be found on various tables that have Greek salad and pastries, Greek dishes spanakopita and tyropita, which are cheese pie and spinach pie. It is often times served with olive oil and saturated with fragrant herbs such as oregano.
