Feta Cheese vs. Cotija Cheese

Feta and cotija are two types of crumbly, salty cheeses that share some similarities but also have distinctive differences.

Feta is a brined curd white cheese made from sheep's milk and goat's milk that originated in Greece.

Cotija, on the other hand, is a hard Mexican cheese made from cow's milk that is often grated or crumbled over foods.

While they have a comparable texture and both make excellent toppings, feta and cotija vary in terms of their flavor profiles, manufacturing process, milk source, aging time, moisture content, uses in cooking, and more.

Origins and Geographical Ties

Feta traces its origins to Greece, where it has been produced for centuries. The word "feta" comes from the Italian word meaning "slice," referring to the practice of slicing cured blocks of the cheese into pieces for storage and sale. Feta production is also common today in the Balkan region and parts of the Middle East.

Cotija, meanwhile, hails from Cotija, Michoacán, a town in central Mexico. It's one of Mexico's oldest surviving cheeses. Cotija cheesemaking culture spread across parts of Mexico but is especially prominent in Jalisco state. While feta is integral to Greek and Mediterranean cuisine, cotija plays a major role in Mexican cooking.

Milk Source and Animal Origins

The type of milk used is arguably the biggest distinction between feta and cotija. Authentic feta cheese is made from at least 70 percent sheep's milk, with goat's milk comprising the remainder. This milk blend impacts the tangy, aromatic properties feta is prized for. Cotija relies strictly on cow's milk, resulting in some differences in texture and flavor.

Sheep's milk has almost twice the fat of cow’s milk. The higher fat content allows the cheese to take on more flavor during aging. Goat's milk also contains more fat than cow’s milk, as well as protein and minerals. These components contribute to the unique, rich feta flavor profile.

Processing and Aging Differences

Feta and cotija take shape through similar cheesemaking steps like curdling milk, separating curds, salting, pressing, and aging. There are certain variations, however, that give the cheeses their distinctive traits.

One major difference is that feta is brined during the aging period. After the curds are pressed into blocks or rounds, the young feta cheese is submerged into a salty, whey-based solution. It continues to cure for at least two months in the brine, which impacts taste, texture and shelf life. Cotija does not undergo brining.

Feta ages for around 3 months on average. High quality, artisanal feta can age for over a year. The brining phase lasts a minimum of two months. In contrast, cotija is aged from anywhere between 6 months to 3 years. Less aged cotija is softer, while longer aging makes it harder. The lengthy aging concentrates flavors and expels moisture in cotija.

Texture and Hardness

Since feta cures in a salty brine solution for months at a time, it retains more moisture than cotija. Feta has a softer, creamy, crumbly texture. When stored in brine, it does not get as hard as solely aged cheeses like cotija.

The texture of cotija depends greatly on how long it has been aged:

• Young cotija (aged 6-12 months) has a crumbly, feta-like texture.
• Mature cotija (1+ years of aging) is dry and granular, with a hardness approaching parmesan. The longer it ages, the harder cotija gets.

Feta’s brining enables it to remain comparatively moist and soft, even with months of curing. Cotija’s exclusive dry aging intensifies its hard, crumbling properties over time.

Flavor Profiles

Since feta and cotija originate from different parts of the world and utilize different milk sources, you can expect their tastes to differ as well.

Feta is characterized by a tangy, salty, zesty flavor. Some even describe it as having a nutty or peppery taste. This comes from the sheep/goat milk blend, brine aging process, and traditional Greek/Mediterranean seasonings used.

Cotija has a mild, salty, buttery flavor with nutty notes. Less aged cotija is milky and mildly salty like feta. But cotija’s flavor becomes increasingly intense, salty, and umami with more time spent aging. The flavors end up resembling parmesan or Romano rather than feta.

Key Takeaway: Feta is tangy, while cotija is mild when young and intensifies in flavor through extensive aging. Both have saltiness in common.

Price Differences and Affordability

Feta cheese tends to be more affordable than cotija in most locations. Being a staple in Greek and Mediterranean diets, feta is mass-produced around the world. Cotija has a more artisanal, small-batch nature rooted in its Mexican origins.

In areas of Mexico and the Americas with high demand from Mexican populations, cotija pricing is generally cheaper and more on par with feta costs. In the U.S. and further abroad though, specialty imported cotija can cost over 4 times as much per pound compared to mass market feta cheese. For maximum savings, buy domestic feta and cotija made closer to their native regions.

Prevalence and Ease of Access

Feta is by far the more readily available cheese worldwide. As a popular component in Greek salads and Mediterranean foods, feta can be found in virtually every major grocery store's dairy aisle across North America, Europe, Australia, parts of Asia and beyond. Cotija has a more limited presence, sold primarily in specialty cheese shops and Mexican grocery stores.

The global popularity of Greek and Mediterranean fare means feta is manufactured locally across six continents. Cotija production, in contrast, remains highly concentrated in central Mexico. So for most readers, feta will prove significantly easier to locate and purchase locally than authentic cotija.

Cooking Uses and Applications

Feta and cotija share excellent topping potential thanks to their crumbly textures. But their distinct flavors mean they don’t have perfectly interchangeable uses. Here are some staple applications:

Feta Cooking Uses

• Greek salads
• Pasta, pizza, vegetable dishes
• Sandwiches and wraps
• Baked casseroles or sweets like baklava
• Olive/tomato relishes
• Salad dressings when crumbled

Cotija Cooking Uses

• Tacos, tostadas, tamales
• Table condiment for corn, fruits
• Quesadillas, chilaquiles
• Enchilada or mole sauce topping
• Chili, stews, soups

Feta works better in applications calling for a tangy, aggressively flavored ingredient. Cotija is milder, making it more suitable for sprinkling over more delicately seasoned corn or fruit. Their textures may allow substitution in certain recipes, but optimum results come from using feta and cotija in their traditional cultural contexts.

Nutrition Comparison

Per 100g servings, cotija is higher than feta in calories, protein, total fat, and calcium, while being roughly equal in carbs. But feta contains less saturated fat and sodium by a wide margin.

Key Differences

• Origin: Feta is Greek; cotija is Mexican
• Milk: Feta uses sheep/goat milk, cotija just cow’s milk
• Aging: Feta ages for ~3 months, cotija 6 months up to 3+ years
• Texture: Feta is creamier; cotija is drier and harder
• Flavor: Feta is tangy, cotija is mildly salty then intensifies
• Price: Feta is the more affordable, accessible choice
• Uses: Feta suits Mediterranean dishes, cotija for Mexican cuisine

FAQs

Can you substitute feta for cotija?

You can substitute feta for mildly aged cotija in some Mexican dishes, since young cotija has a similar crumbly texture. But feta lacks the same milky, buttery notes as cotija. For a better flavor match, use queso fresco or queso blanco instead.

Is cotija cheaper than feta?

In Mexico and areas with high demand, cotija costs about the same as feta per pound. Internationally feta tends to cost less due to its mass production. Specialty imported cotija can be 4 times pricier than feta for those abroad.

Is cotija healthier than feta?

Cotija contains more beneficial protein and calcium than feta. But feta has less unhealthy saturated fat and sodium per serving. So neither cheese has a distinct health advantage. For improved nutrition, choose low-sodium feta or part-skim milk cotija.

Can you bake with cotija?

Yes, while cotija doesn't melt well, its hard granules retain shape in baked goods. It works nicely sprinkled on top of casseroles or mixed into cornbread, biscuit or scone doughs before baking. Cotija’s crumbles add salty bursts of flavor.

Is feta better than cotija?

It isn’t meaningful to call one “better” overall. Feta suits Mediterranean recipes better thanks to tangy sheep/goat flavors. Cotija excels when you want salty sprinkles on Mexican cuisine. It’s about the right cheese for the dish, not an absolute ranking.

Conclusion

Feta and cotija share similar crumbling qualities fit for topping comfort foods. But upon closer inspection, these iconic cheeses have distinct differences spanning source milk, aging styles, predominant flavors, common uses in regional cooking, nutrition profiles, and pricing.

Greek feta adds tangy, zesty notes perfect in Mediterranean salads and pastries. Traditional Mexican cotija offers mild milky notes to start then progressively intensified savoriness, ideal for crumbling onto corn, tacos, and fruits.