Feta Cheese Croutons Recipe

Homemade Feta Cheese Croutons recipe (oven baked) that requires only 20 minutes. Crunchy, garlic-y and scrumptious, these Feta Croutons are the perfect addition to cream soups, salads or as a savory snack.

Growing up in Eastern Europe, a car drive from Greece, sometimes makes me feel I am made of Feta Cheese, Greek Yogurt and Phyllo (just kidding, I’m not!). Joke aside, Feta (or White Cheese) is traditionally enjoyed throughout Europe in different forms and for various occasions. The popular Feta Cheese pasta on Tik Tok is just one (of so many) ways to cook with Feta (or White cheese).

If you are curious to try new recipes that contain Feta Cheese, other than the Feta Cheese Pasta, be sure to look around. I have plenty (& many more to come).

WHAT IS FETA CHEESE? Origin of Feta Cheese

The original, ancient feta cheese is produced from sheep milk (usually pasteurized, thus safe to consume during pregnancy), or a mix of sheep and goat milk. It’s a white, somewhat firm, skinless cheese usually submerged in brine. Since 2002 the name ‘’Φέτα (Feta)’’ has been given special protection under the European Union (EU) Intellectual property law. Thus, Greece has been granted the right to be Europe’s sole producer of feta cheese. That way the EU guards foods from specific regions that follow traditional production processes. And consumers know they are buying a quality product they trust (always a good thing if you ask me).

FETA CHEESE CROUTONS – INGREDIENTS

1. Feta Cheese Block – the main ingredient here is Feta Cheese. Where we live, Feta (or White Cheese) is usually sold in blocks.
2. Olive oil – extra virgin olive oil creates a wonderful coating that helps seasoning stick to cheese during cooking.
3. Bread crumbs – bread crumbs (could use gluten-free too) create extra crispy rind around Feta as it turns soft during baking.
4. Sweet Paprika – adds extra sweetness and flavor to croutons.
5. Herbs de Provence, dried – a lovely mix of herbs (like thyme and rosemary) that additionally deepens these croutons flavor. I prefer dried than fresh as they are usually very finely minced.
6. Garlic powder, optional – I usually add garlic powder to deepen the flavor, but you can skip it if desired.

HOW TO MAKE FETA CHEESE CROUTONS

Preparing Feta Cheese Croutons is really easy. Just follow the steps below.

1. Place your Feta Cheese Block onto cutting board and gently (with sharp knife) cut into small cubes.
2. In a mixing bowl combine sweet paprika, garlic and herbs de Provence. Then add olive oil and mix well.
3. Subsequently add feta cheese cubes (be gentle as they tend to fall apart somewhat easy) and coat well with olive oil-herbs mix.
4. Place coated feta cheese cubes onto non-stick baking sheet and distribute evenly. No cubes should be one over the other. Plus, it’s recommended to leave some space in between as Feta softens during cooking.
5. Bake feta croutons in preheated oven for 10-15 min or until bread crumbs turn brown-ish. Use oven ventilation (or prepare in air-fryer) to get them even crispier on all sides.
6. Once cooked, leave croutons to cool down completely. Do not be alarmed if they are soft when still hot. Feta Cheese will harden once they cool down.
7. Enjoy in cream soups (try our Roasted Tomato soup), salads or as savory snack (with Beer per se).

HOW TO MAKE FETA CHEESE LESS SALTY

Salt is a natural preservative used in the cheese making process to inhibit bacteria from forming and help with the draining of the cheese at later stages. If you feel your feta tastes way too salty, follow these easy steps to create the perfect feta cheese taste:

• Place feta cheese chunk in table water and cover completely
• Leave cheese to sit in water for 2-8 hours, depending on saltiness
• Drain feta from water by letting it sit on clean kitchen cloth or wooden board (approx. 30 min or more as needed)
• Cook immediately or store in air tight container for up to 48h*

*Once feta gets soaked in table water, cheese gets softer which is all natural.

FETA CHEESE CROUTONS – SUBSTITUTION IDEAS

Many of the countries around the Mediterranean and Black sea region prepare the so called white cheese –which is basically Feta cheese made entirely from cow’s milk. So, if you encounter firm, white cheese that has been made from cow’s milk – fear not, it’s perfectly tasty and even good for you.

I’ve seen many US food chains sell the so called ‘’Feta Cheese Crumbs’’ – which sounds like crumbled feta from chunks. So, if you have such cheese on hand, feel free to substitute – just bear in mind that texture and form of your croutons will change.

Herbs: needless to say, you can substitute Herbs de province with whatever taste suits you, or simply use fresh, finely chopped herbs you already have in your pantry/garden.

Gluten-free: this recipe easily converts into gluten-free version once you use gluten-free bread crumbs.

MORE EUROPEAN RECIPES

• Homemade sausage patties (basic recipe)
• Oven Roasted Eggplant Wedges (with olives and tomatoes)
• Easy Braised Beef Recipe (VIDEO)
• Baked Lemon Mustard Steelhead Trout (VIDEO)
• Simple Brown Rice with leeks, tomatoes and olives

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