Kasseri Cheese substitute

Best substitute

Young provolone (provolone dolce)

Use the same amount as the kasseri cheese you are replacing

Best for saganaki

Different taste

Young provolone is the closest all-purpose swap for kasseri, at 1:1. For fried saganaki use kefalograviera or graviera instead, because they brown and hold their shape. For pizza and baked pies, low-moisture mozzarella mixed with a little grated pecorino gets you the stretch plus the salt.

Other kasseri cheese substitutes

Ranked, with the exact amount to use

2Kefalograviera
Taste and texture differ
Use the same amount
A firm Greek sheep's-milk cheese that browns into a crisp crust without slumping, which is exactly what pan-fried saganaki needs.
What changes
Best for
saganaki, grating over pasta, baked dishes, cheese boards
This is the swap to reach for if the recipe is fried cheese. It is drier, distinctly saltier and sharper than kasseri, so the finished plate tastes more assertive and you lose kasseri's soft buttery pull. Squeeze lemon over it and skip any extra salt in the dish.
3Graviera
Taste and texture differ
Use the same amount
A Gruyere-style Greek sheep's-milk cheese that is sweeter and nuttier than kasseri.
What changes
Best for
cheese pies, baked pasta, saganaki, grating
It melts into a soft slump rather than long strands, so a tyropita made with graviera is creamy but not stringy. The flavour is nuttier and more caramel-like, which is pleasant but reads less like a Greek pizza cheese and more like a gratin.
4Young Gouda or mild Edam
Different taste
Use the same amount
Supermarket semi-hard cow's-milk cheeses whose melting behaviour is very close to kasseri.
What changes
Best for
pizza, baked pasta, cheese pies, toasted sandwiches
This is the easiest swap to actually buy. It melts smoothly and stretches, but it is creamier and rounder with none of kasseri's salty sheep note, so the dish tastes gentler and slightly sweeter. Add a tablespoon of grated pecorino or kefalotyri per cup to put the edge back.
5Low-moisture mozzarella plus grated pecorino Romano
Different taste
3 parts mozzarella to 1 part pecorino, used 1:1 for the kasseri
A two-cheese blend that splits kasseri's job in half: mozzarella supplies the stretch, pecorino supplies the salt and the sheep's-milk sharpness.
What changes
Best for
Greek-American pizza, baked pasta, casseroles, cheese pies
On pizza this is genuinely convincing. Do not use it for pan-fried saganaki, though. Fresh or high-moisture mozzarella releases water into hot oil, spatters, and gives you a pale puddle instead of a browned crust.
6Halloumi (frying only)
Taste and texture differ
Use the same amount
A brined Cypriot cheese that browns beautifully in a pan but does not melt at all.
What changes
Best for
pan-fried cheese, grilling, salads
Be clear about what you are getting: firm, faintly squeaky slices with a golden crust and no molten centre. That is a fine plate of fried cheese, but it is the wrong choice if the recipe wants a gooey pull. Soak the slices in cool water for ten minutes first to pull out some salt.

What is Kasseri Cheese?

Kasseri Cheese is Kasseri (also spelled kaseri, and closely related to Turkish kasar) is a semi-hard Greek stretched-curd cheese made mostly from sheep's milk, with a mild buttery tang and the ability to melt into long stretchy strands.

Cooking tips

Kasseri's job in a recipe is melt plus mild salt, not big flavour. If your substitute melts well but tastes flat, the fix is almost always a spoonful of grated pecorino, kefalotyri or Parmesan rather than more of the substitute.
For saganaki, cut a slab about three quarters of an inch thick, dip it in water (or ouzo) so the flour sticks, dredge it in flour, and fry in a hot, lightly oiled pan for about a minute a side. Thin slices collapse before they brown, whatever cheese you use.
Young kasseri is springy and made for melting; well-aged kasseri turns firm and salty and is better grated. If a shop sells both, buy by intended use rather than by name.
Turkish kasar and Greek kasseri are the same style of cheese, so a Turkish grocery is often the fastest place to find it when a Greek deli is not nearby.
Shred kasseri and its substitutes while cold and straight from the fridge. Semi-soft stretched-curd cheeses smear on the grater once they warm up.
Kasseri freezes acceptably if it is going into a cooked dish. Shred it first, freeze it flat in a bag, and use it from frozen, because thawed slabs turn crumbly.

Frequently asked questions

What does kasseri cheese taste like?

Mild, buttery and lightly salty, with a faint sheep's-milk tang that most people read as a gentle nuttiness. It is much milder than feta or kefalotyri, which is why it works as a melting cheese rather than a seasoning cheese.

Can I just use mozzarella instead of kasseri?

For pizza and baked dishes, yes, but on its own it will taste bland because mozzarella brings stretch without salt or tang. Use three parts low-moisture mozzarella to one part grated pecorino Romano. For pan-fried saganaki, do not use mozzarella at all, as its water content makes it spatter and slump instead of browning.

Is kasseri the same as kefalotyri or kefalograviera?

No. Kasseri is a semi-hard stretched-curd cheese made for melting. Kefalotyri and kefalograviera are hard, much saltier grating and frying cheeses. They are all useful in Greek cooking, but they are not interchangeable if the recipe depends on a stretchy melt.

Can I leave the kasseri out?

Not if it is the point of the dish. Saganaki is nothing but fried cheese, and a cheese pie without cheese has no filling. If kasseri is a smaller part of a topping or a casserole, you can drop it and lean on whatever other melting cheese you have, adding a little extra grated hard cheese for salt.

What is the best kasseri substitute for saganaki specifically?

Kefalograviera, then graviera, then kefalotyri. All three are firm enough to brown into a crust and stay in one piece in the pan. They are saltier than kasseri, so serve with lemon and hold back on any added salt.

Related substitutes

More cheese substitutes

Kasseri Cheese substitute

Other kasseri cheese substitutes

2Kefalograviera

3Graviera

4Young Gouda or mild Edam

5Low-moisture mozzarella plus grated pecorino Romano

6Halloumi (frying only)