Elevate The Flavor Of Pesto With One Creamy, Salty Swap

Traditionally made with fresh basil, garlic, Parmesan cheese, buttery pine nuts, and olive oil, pesto is a versatile and aromatic spread tailor-made for pasta, sandwiches, grain bowls, and much more. Although the prototypical recipe is a tried-and-true classic that needs no fixing, there are no rules against jazzing it up. Whether you make it from scratch or grab a jar from the store, crumbly feta cheese can elevate pesto with little effort.

Feta can be made with goat, sheep, or cow's milk, but most forms flaunt the same mouthwatering flavor profile that walks the line between fresh, tangy, and salty. With a crumbly texture that's surprisingly soft and creamy, feta transforms pesto by adding a touch of zippy, acidic richness that perfectly accents its garden-fresh goodness and earthy undertones. Beyond improving its flavor, feta also thickens pesto for a more lush, fatty texture that transforms its mouthfeel. You can replace Parmesan with feta or use both cheeses to make pesto for an ultra-rich, dairy-forward spread with complex tasting notes that swing between zesty, sharp, and salty.

Pesto isn't confined to its original recipe. Instead, it comes in many different forms and shades of flavor. Luckily, feta can amplify the taste of just about any pesto variety. Consider your options before you introduce feta into your homemade or store-bought pesto.

Sundried tomato pesto flaunts a concentrated and juicy sweetness that's tempered by the salty richness of feta, culminating in a well-rounded and multi-dimensional flavor tapestry that's perfect for adding moisture to Italian subs stacked with cured meat. Pesto made with green onions has a peppery, surprisingly spicy taste that, when combined with feta, boasts a bold but never brash bite that can bolster mild-tasting recipes like basic butter noodles or a plain cheese pizza. Feeling extra spicy? Use tangy feta to cool down the fiery flavor of jalapeño or pepper-infused pesto — perfect on a burger. 

Whether you use pesto to fry your morning eggs or slather it over a batch of juicy, pan-seared lamb chops, feta cheese is an exciting but tame way to give your average jar of pesto a zippy makeover. And if you enjoy feta-studded pesto, try it in chimichurri next.