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Anthotyro substitute

Best substitute

Whole-milk ricotta, drained

Use the same amount by weight after draining as the anthotyro you are replacing

Best for cheese pies

Different texture

Whole-milk ricotta is the closest substitute for fresh anthotyro at 1:1, but it must be drained in a sieve for at least half an hour or a pie filling will leak. Fresh mizithra is almost the same cheese if your deli has it. Well-drained dry-curd cottage cheese also works, rinsed first to cut the salt. For dry, aged anthotyro used as a grating cheese, use dry mizithra or ricotta salata instead.

Other anthotyro substitutes

Ranked, with the exact amount to use

Substitutes for Anthotyro with ratios

  1. 2Fresh mizithra

    Close match

    Use the same amount

    The other Greek fresh whey cheese, made by the same process and often sitting in the same display case.

    What changes
    Best for
    cheese pies, kalitsounia, desserts, salads, spreading

    Practically a sibling. Fresh mizithra is usually a touch richer and creamier because more milk goes into it, so a filling made with it is a little more luxurious and slightly saltier. No adjustment needed. If your shop only sells the hard aged mizithra, that is a grating cheese and belongs in a different recipe.

  2. 3Dry-curd or well-drained small-curd cottage cheese

    Taste and texture differ

    Use the same amount by weight after draining and pressing

    Fresh acid-set curds, sold either dry or swimming in dressing.

    What changes
    Best for
    cheese pies, savoury fillings, baked dishes, budget substitutions

    Works well and costs very little, with two things to fix. It is noticeably more granular than the smooth paste of anthotyro, so pulse it a few times in a food processor or press it through a sieve. It is also considerably saltier, so rinse it under cold water, drain hard, and reduce the salt in the recipe. Use dry curd if you can find it.

  3. 4Farmer's cheese or queso fresco

    Taste and texture differ

    Use the same amount plus 1 to 2 tablespoons cream or milk per cup

    Firm, crumbly fresh cheeses that are pressed rather than left loose.

    What changes
    Best for
    savoury fillings, salads, cheese pies, crumbling over dishes

    Firmer and drier than anthotyro, so it crumbles instead of spreading and a filling made with it can be dry and slightly chalky. Mash in a couple of tablespoons of cream or milk per cup to loosen it. Queso fresco is saltier and tangier, farmer's cheese milder, and neither has anthotyro's faint milky sweetness.

  4. 5Manouri

    Different texture

    Use the same amount

    A richer Greek whey cheese made with added cream, smooth and dense.

    What changes
    Best for
    desserts, sweet pastries, cheesecakes, serving with honey, cheese boards

    A luxurious upgrade rather than a like-for-like swap. Manouri is far higher in fat, so it is denser, silkier and much richer, and a dessert made with it tastes closer to a cheesecake than to a light anthotyro filling. It is also less watery, so no draining is needed. Excellent with honey and walnuts.

  5. 6Dry mizithra or ricotta salata (for aged anthotyro)

    Close match

    Use the same amount

    Firm, salted, dried whey cheeses that grate into shards, matching the aged rather than the fresh version.

    What changes
    Best for
    grating over pasta, salads, baked dishes, finishing

    Use these only if your recipe means dry anthotyro, sometimes labelled xero anthotyro, which is a hard grating cheese. Both are saltier than dried anthotyro, so hold back on added salt. Do not use them in a pie filling calling for the fresh cheese, as they will not soften or bind.

What is Anthotyro?

Anthotyro is Anthotyro, also spelled anthotiro or anthotyros, is a fresh Greek whey cheese made by reheating whey with a little added milk, giving a soft, moist, mildly sweet cheese that is sold either fresh and spoonable or salted and dried hard for grating.

Cooking tips

  • Anthotyro's job in a recipe is soft milky bulk with a gentle sweetness, not salt or tang. If you swap in something saltier like cottage cheese or feta, cut the recipe's salt, and if you swap in something blander, a pinch of sugar in a dessert or a little grated hard cheese in a savoury pie restores the balance.
  • Moisture is the thing that ruins substituted pies. Always drain a wetter cheese in a sieve, weigh it afterwards, and top up to the weight the recipe asks for. Measuring by volume before draining guarantees a wet filling.
  • If a filling still looks loose, stir in a tablespoon of fine semolina or dry breadcrumbs per cup of cheese. It absorbs the free water during baking and firms the slice without changing the flavour.
  • Fresh anthotyro is unsalted or barely salted, so it spoils faster than aged cheeses. Keep it in its own sealed container, use it within four or five days, and do not freeze it, because it separates into grains on thawing.
  • Buy fresh anthotyro for pies, kalitsounia and desserts, and dry aged anthotyro only when a recipe wants a grating cheese. The two are sold under nearly the same name and are not interchangeable.
  • Anthotyro is beautiful eaten plainly with thyme honey, olive oil and cracked pepper, and any of the fresh substitutes above works the same way, so long as you drain it first.

Frequently asked questions

Is anthotyro the same as ricotta?

They are made the same way, from whey heated until it sets, so they are close relatives. Anthotyro is typically drier, smoother and slightly sweeter, while supermarket ricotta is wetter and grainier. Drained ricotta is the standard substitute and behaves very similarly.

What is the difference between anthotyro and mizithra?

Very little when both are fresh, since both are Greek whey cheeses and they are often used interchangeably. Mizithra usually has more milk added, making it a touch richer. The bigger distinction with both cheeses is fresh versus dried, since the dried versions are hard salty grating cheeses.

Can I use feta instead of anthotyro?

Only if you want a much saltier, tangier dish. Anthotyro is mild and sweet, and feta is brined and sharp, so swapping one for one turns a delicate sweet cheese pie into a salty one. In a savoury pie a blend works well: three parts drained ricotta to one part crumbled feta gets you body plus a little punch.

Can I leave anthotyro out of a cheese pie?

Not without replacing it, since it is the bulk of the filling and gives the slice its structure. Any fresh, mild, well-drained cheese will do the job. What you cannot do is make up the whole weight in feta, because the pie will be far too salty.

What does anthotyro taste like?

Mild, milky and gently sweet, with a soft creamy body and only a whisper of salt. It has none of the tang of yogurt cheese and none of the sharpness of feta, which is why it works in both savoury pies and honey-drizzled desserts.

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