Can You Freeze Feta Cheese?

You’ve just assembled a vibrant Greek salad with creamy, salty feta crumbled over the top. A week later, you find yourself craving that same feta magic, so grab the feta you have left over, only to find it’s now dry and tangy. So, what’s the secret to storing feta to keep it fresher longer?

How to Freeze Feta Cheese

Before you get to freezing feta, you need to pick the best feta cheese possible. Don’t opt for that half-a-block you forgot about that’s been in your fridge for a few days. Instead, you’ll want the freshest cheese you can get.

I also think it’s worth draining the feta from its brine. Although the brine can act as a protective barrier in the freezer, you will also find it takes FOREVER to thaw and takes up a lot of room in your freezer – something I often find comes at a premium.

So grab a new packet of feta, drain it if it’s in a brine and then get to freezing it using my method:

1. Prepare Feta Cheese
   First, decide what size you want to freeze your feta in. I would keep it as large as possible. Think about the quantity you use and then freeze it in portions this size. You can then cube it or crumble it when it has thawed.

2. Wrap Feta Cheese
   Wrap each piece of feta in a layer of cling film to avoid air getting to it. You could wrap it in two layers to err on caution and be 100% certain that air cannot get in.

3. Store in a Container
   Place the feta cheese pieces into a container (I recommend using a rigid box instead of a bag to avoid unwanted damage).

4. Freeze It
   Put the container in the freezer where it can be kept for around 3 months. You can then remove the amount you need, as and when.

How to Freeze Different Forms of Feta

You’ll probably use feta in different shapes, sizes and forms depending on what you’re cooking. But are all these forms of feta suitable for storing in the freezer? Let’s find out!

Block

Ensure the feta block is well-drained of any brine or liquid. Then, wrap the block tightly in plastic wrap, ensuring no air pockets. This helps prevent freezer burn and keeps the cheese from absorbing other flavours in the freezer.

After wrapping, place the wrapped feta block in a freezer bag, squeeze out any excess air, and seal it tight.

Crumbles

Although freezing feta crumbles is technically possible, I advise against it. The reason is that the freezing process affects the texture of the cheese significantly, making it much more crumbly and dry, and this effect is even more pronounced in already crumbled feta.

If you freeze and then thaw crumbled feta, you might find that the texture becomes almost grainy, which is not ideal for many dishes.

Dip

Freezing feta dip is also an option if you have leftovers you want to save. I first transfer the dip into a freezer-safe container, leaving some space at the top as the dip will expand as it freezes. Adding a layer of cling film to the surface of the dip can protect it further before it is sealed.

Of course, freezing and defrosting might slightly change the texture and flavour of the dip, but in my experience, it’s usually still pretty delicious.

How Long Can You Freeze Feta Cheese?

I’ve found that, although you technically can freeze feta cheese for months and months, doing so isn’t the best option if you’re a fan of its distinct flavour. I’ve been in that boat – opening the freezer to find a block of feta that’s been forgotten at the back for who knows how long…

In theory, you could eat this long-lost feta.

However, after a certain point – usually around the 2 to 3-month mark – your once salty and tangy feta starts to lose its characteristic flavour. The creamy, crumbly texture may change as well, resulting in a cheese that’s both bland and dry. That’s certainly not what you want from your feta!

Ultimately, you can freeze feta for as long as you want, but I would stick to freezing it for up to 3 months.

How Do You Defrost Feta Cheese?

When it comes to defrosting feta, the slower, the better. You should place the frozen feta in a bowl and then leave it in the fridge to slowly thaw out overnight.

Don’t rush this process or risk having feta with no flavour and a strange texture.

How to Defrost Feta Cheese Quickly

Feta cheese is best defrosted slowly in the fridge. But this method can take 24 hours, if not longer. If you have forgotten to defrost your feta and need it urgently for dinner tonight, then there is an approach that allows you to defrost feta quickly.

Grab a bowl and fill it with cold water. Do not use warm or hot water. This will not speed up the thawing process but may melt the outside of the cheese. Place your bag of feta cheese into the cold water and allow it to thaw.

This should take around 2 hours to thaw the feta.

You can speed this up further by changing the water every 30 minutes. Remember to stick with using cooled water and not warm water. It might be tempting but warm water will not thaw the centre of the cheese.

Can You Refreeze Feta Cheese?

I strongly suggest NOT refreezing feta cheese. It will not refreeze well at all. You will completely ruin the texture if you thaw it and then refreeze it.

Instead, try to freeze your feta in smaller portions, as I have done in the photos above, so you can easily defrost the amount you need at a time.

Does Feta Freeze Well?

It freezes ok… Unfortunately, it will never beat fresh feta.

That’s why, where possible, try buying feta submerged in brine. Take as much as you need from the brine, and then keep the leftovers in that brine.

This will allow you to keep feta in the fridge for 3 to 4 weeks compared to just a few days when the feta is drained.

Having said that, freezing feta is still a great way to avoid wasting it. If the options are wasting it or freezing it, then still give freezing feta a try.