Feta and paneer are two kinds of cheese for salad or sandwich toppings, or just as a snack. However, they are so much more! Each cheese is a traditional cuisine in its home country and a source of pride for the people who live there. They have significantly diverse flavors, yet it can be difficult to tell them apart at times.
So in this article, paneer vs feta cheese, we’ll compare the two, explain their primary differences, and see if one may be substituted for the other. Take a peek at what we’ve got!
Is Feta Cheese and Paneer The Same?
No, they are not the same. Feta cheese is a salty curd cheese manufactured from sheep’s milk. Feta comes from Greece and means “slice” in Greek. Feta is packed and sold in blocks. A blend of sheep and goat’s milk is used to make the crumbly, brightly colored cheese. Feta is frequently marketed as a healthier alternative to cheeses made entirely of cow’s milk.
Paneer, also known as Indian cottage cheese, is a soft, acid-set cheese prepared from cow or buffalo milk that is popular in the Indian subcontinent. It’s a non-aged, non-melting soft cheese created by curdling milk with an acid derived from a fruit or vegetable, such as lemon juice.
Feta is often aged and curdled using rennet, whereas paneer is typically curdled with acid and not aged. Feta is a sour cheese with a crumbly texture. Paneer is a silky, smooth cheese that does not melt easily at high temperatures.
Feta is commonly served as an appetizer or snack, as well as a salad or pasta topping, whereas paneer is commonly found in Indian cuisines such as curries, dals, and chutneys. It’s also used in a variety of desserts and snacks.
What Is The Difference Between Feta Cheese And Paneer?
Below are the differences between Paneer and Feta Cheese.
Paneer vs Feta Cheese: Origin
Feta is a Greek cheese, while paneer is an Indian cheese.
If you’re putting up a themed meal, knowing where each cheese originated can be helpful. Feta is a typical Greek cheese that can be found all around the Mediterranean coast in various forms.
You can find feta-style cheese across the former Soviet bloc if you travel north and east. Some of it is even made of goat or sheep cheese.
Paneer is a type of cheese native to the Indian subcontinent, but similar cheeses can also be found throughout the old Persian empire. Paneer is commonly used to replace meat in curries, or rolled in dough and fried or baked, or added to sweets and snacks. Paneer can easily absorb the flavors it’s blended with because it’s light and not overly salty. You can find a paneer block at any grocery store, or you can even make it home.
Paneer vs Feta Cheese: Flavor
Feta is made from sheep and goat milk, while paneer is always made from cow or buffalo milk.
Returning to the topic of flavor, feta has a much stronger and sharper flavor than paneer. It’s composed primarily of sheep’s milk, with up to 30% goat milk. This cheese still has a strong flavor and is a very divisive cheese. You either like it, or you don’t.
Paneer is made from cow or buffalo milk. Thus, it appeals to a larger range of tastes. If you know you’ll have picky eaters, feta might not be the greatest option.
If you’re unsure whether to use feta or paneer as a topping, keep in mind that feta will flavor everything you use it on.
Paneer vs Feta Cheese: Calories
Upon the first appearance, feta cheese appears to have fewer calories than paneer cheese.
Since feta cheese contains 265 calories per 100 grams and paneer cheese has 321 calories per 100 grams, the difference is roughly 21%.
The majority of the calories in feta and paneer cheese come from fat.
Paneer vs Feta Cheese: Uses
Feta can be eaten raw, although paneer is normally cooked.
Feta cheese is often served cold or room temperature, straight from the brine. It’s fantastic on a cheese and meat plate, in a sandwich, or even in a panini. The majority of the time, though, feta isn’t cooked.
Fresh, ‘raw’ paneer, on the other hand, is rarely used. You can freeze paneer and use it whenever you like. It’s typically diced and used in stews, curries, bakes, fried dough, desserts, and other dishes. So, if you were unsure what to serve with either of these, we hope this section was helpful.
Is Paneer Cheese Good For Weight Loss?
Yes. Since they are high in protein and calcium, they are not only tasty but also help you lose weight by keeping you fuller for longer. And paneer is high in conjugated fatty acid, which aids weight loss by stimulating the body’s fat-burning mechanism.
So, what about feta?
With so many options, putting together your weight loss diet can be difficult. Is feta cheese a healthy option for weight loss?
Feta cheese has a calorie content of 264 calories per 100 grams. Carbohydrates account for 16.3% of these calories (4.1 g per 100 grams).
Even though feta cheese is not one of the lowest carb cheeses, it is generally suitable for low carb diets such as the keto diet.
When compared to most whole foods, feta cheese has a higher calorie content. Feta cheese has a low-calorie content per 100 grams compared to other cheeses, making it one of the best cheeses for weight loss.
Feta cheese isn’t the worst food for weight reduction, but if you have hard time cutting calories, you might want to try something else. Due to lactose and dairy allergy, some people prefer to forgo feta cheese entirely.
Final Thoughts
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