Kasseri cheese substitutes
Kasseri cheese substitutes — 6 options, ranked, with the exact amount
Use Young provolone (provolone dolce)
Same amount as the kasseri cheese
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.
- Verdict —
- Tweak it
- What changes —
- different taste, similar texture
- Best for —
- saganaki
Updated 26 Jul 2026 · no sponsored swaps
Every option, one card
Ranked| # | Substitute | Instead of kasseri cheese | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Young provolone (provolone dolce)saganaki | Same amountTweak it | Tweak it |
| 2 | Kefalogravierasaganaki | Same amountYou'll taste it | You'll taste it |
| 3 | Gravieracheese pies | Same amountYou'll taste it | You'll taste it |
| 4 | Young Gouda or mild Edampizza | Same amountTweak it | Tweak it |
| 5 | Low-moisture mozzarella plus grated pecorino RomanoGreek-American pizza | Same amount3 parts mozzarella to 1 part pecorinoTweak it | Tweak it |
| 6 | Halloumi (frying only)pan-fried cheese | Same amountYou'll taste it | You'll taste it |
Young provolone (provolone dolce)
different taste, similar texture
A mild Italian stretched-curd cheese made by the same pasta filata method as kasseri, so it melts into the same long strands.
- Best for
- saganaki, pizza, cheese pies, toasted sandwiches, baked pasta
The melt is nearly identical. The flavour is milder and a touch sweeter, without the faint sheepy tang of kasseri, so a dish made with it tastes rounder and less salty. Add a tablespoon of grated pecorino per cup of shredded provolone to close the gap. For saganaki, cut it thick (about three quarters of an inch), keep it cold until it hits the pan, and flour it well, because it softens faster than kasseri.
Kefalograviera
different taste and texture
A firm Greek sheep's-milk cheese that browns into a crisp crust without slumping, which is exactly what pan-fried saganaki needs.
- 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.
Graviera
different taste and texture
A Gruyere-style Greek sheep's-milk cheese that is sweeter and nuttier than kasseri.
- 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.
Young Gouda or mild Edam
different taste, similar texture
Supermarket semi-hard cow's-milk cheeses whose melting behaviour is very close to kasseri.
- 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.
Low-moisture mozzarella plus grated pecorino Romano
different taste, similar texture
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.
- 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.
Halloumi (frying only)
different taste and texture
A brined Cypriot cheese that browns beautifully in a pan but does not melt at all.
- 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.
Questions
5 questionsWhat 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.
Tips for substituting kasseri cheese
6 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.