Kefalotyri Cheese: 5 Ways to Enjoy the Tangy Cheese

Kefalotyri (or kefalotiri) is a goat’s or sheep’s milk cheese from Greece and Cyprus. Its tangy, salty, and sharp flavor has been a fixture of Mediterranean culture for almost two millennia since its origin dates back to the Byzantine era. This light yellow cheese takes only a few months to ripen to its full potential. Alternatively, you can eat aged kefalotyri for up to a year or longer if you prefer a drier texture and stronger flavor profile.

Here are five ways to use kefalotyri cheese while you’re cooking:

1. 1. Alongside appetizers: Greek and Cypriot citizens often serve kefalotyri alongside other appetizers (or meze). Pair kefalotyri with red wine, avgolemono soup, and manouri or kasseri cheese for a traditional course of Mediterranean starter dishes.
2. 2. As saganaki: If you want to enjoy your kefalotyri on its own, try making what Greeks and Cypriots call “saganaki”—a crispy, pan-fried dish. Add olive oil to a pan, douse your kefalotyri in flour, and fry it until it’s golden brown.
3. 3. In spanakopita: Combine kefalotyri with feta cheese, spinach, pasta, and other ingredients to make this traditional Greek casserole. If you like this dish, try other similar casseroles, such as moussaka and pastitsio, with a hefty helping of kefalotyri cheese.
4. 4. On pizza: Grate this semihard cheese over tomato sauce and pita bread crust to make a Mediterranean pizza. Add mozzarella and Parmesan if you want to make the dish even cheesier.
5. 5. Over salads: Grate kefalotyri over a Mediterranean salad. Add a dressing with some lemon juice to accentuate the cheese’s tangy flavor notes.

Since kefalotyri can sometimes be difficult to find, it’s helpful to know which other cheeses you can substitute in a pinch. Here are five potential substitutes:

1. 1. Caciocavallo: Another yellowish-white cheese, caciocavallo is a good substitute for kefalotyri because of its similar salty taste. Keep in mind some caciocavallo cheese comes from cow’s milk, while other brands might come from goat’s and sheep’s milk.
2. 2. Gruyère: This type of cheese might come from cow’s milk, but it mimics the taste of kefalotyri well enough to serve as a substitute in a pinch. In contrast, Gruyère is softer and creamier.
3. 3. Halloumi: Before you cook or grill it, Halloumi works as a very salty cheese substitute for kefalotyri. Once you heat it though, Halloumi becomes smoother than its counterpart. Similar to kefalotyri, it has a high melting point—you can cook it for quite some time before it will turn into a liquid.
4. 4. Kefalograviera: This sheep’s or goat’s milk cheese presents perhaps the closest approximation to kefalotyri. While kefalotyri might be harder and saltier, kefalograviera still tastes remarkably similar to the former. You can also try graviera, another Greek cheese in the same general family.
5. 5. Pecorino Romano: While this grating cheese comes come from a different country of origin (Italy) than kefalotyri, you can use it in many of the same ways you would the Greek cheese. Pecorino Romano cheese tastes great on dishes from many different cuisines.

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