Kasseri

Name: Pan-Fried Kasseri with Lemon (Tiganiti Kasseri)
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 8 min
Total time: 13 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Greece
Ingredients: 400 g (14 oz) Kasseri cheese; 30 ml (2 tbsp) olive oil; 15 ml (1 tbsp) fresh lemon juice; 2 g (½ tsp) dried oregano; 1 g (pinch) black pepper

Also known as kasseri tiri, kasseri cheese

📍 Northern Greece (Macedonia, Thessaly, Thrace, Lesbos) ★ 4.1

Last updated Aug 26, 2026 · Reviewed by the WhatWhereVacay editorial team

Kasseri is a Greek PDO pasta-filata cheese of sheep's milk (plus up to 20% goat's), mild, salty and elastic, loved sliced, fried for saganaki and melted.

About Kasseri

Kasseri is a semi-hard Greek cheese made chiefly from sheep's milk, with up to twenty per cent goat's milk allowed, and produced in the pasta-filata manner: the curd is heated and kneaded in hot whey until it turns elastic, then pulled and rolled into loaves. The result is a pale yellow, firm but supple cheese with a mild, creamy, gently salty flavour that turns soft and stringy when melted.

It is a protected designation of origin product, confined by law to defined regions — Macedonia, Thessaly, Thrace and the island of Lesbos. Kasseri is made from raw or pasteurised milk, pressed lightly and aged for at least three months, acquiring a faintly tangy finish that deepens the longer it matures. Its stretchy texture puts it in the same family as kashkaval and provolone.

Greeks treat kasseri as an everyday table cheese, sliced onto plates alongside olives, tomato and bread, and it shines when cooked: fried in olive oil for saganaki, melted inside spanakopita and other pies or over grilled meats. It is a rare soft-elastic cheese that is as good melted as raw.

🏛️ History & Culture

Kasseri is a traditional Greek cheese made from sheep's milk, or a mixture of sheep's and goat's milk, with a semi-hard, elastic texture. Its origins are often traced to the broader Balkan and Eastern Mediterranean regions, where similar pasta filata-style cheeses are produced, though the exact historical development in Greece is not precisely documented. The cheese is particularly associated with the regions of Thessaly and Macedonia, where it is produced under Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) status for specific areas.

In Greek cuisine, Kasseri is commonly served as a table cheese, melted in dishes like saganaki (fried cheese), or used in savory pastries. It is also enjoyed grilled or as a topping for various dishes. Regional variations exist across the Balkans, with similar cheeses like kaşar in Turkey and kačkavalj in the western Balkans, but Greek Kasseri has its own distinct identity, shaped by local production methods and the diet of the sheep. Its cultural significance lies in its long-standing role in everyday Greek meals and festive occasions, reflecting the pastoral heritage of northern Greece.

🍳 How to make Kasseri

AI-assisted, not kitchen-tested

Pan-Fried Kasseri with Lemon (Tiganiti Kasseri)

Kasseri is a traditional Greek semi-hard cheese made primarily from sheep's milk (sometimes blended with goat's milk), prized for its pale yellow color, springy texture, and rich, slightly tangy flavor. This simple preparation — sizzled in a hot pan until golden and squeaky — is a classic Greek meze, especially popular on the island of Lesbos where the cheese originates.

Prep: 5 min
Cook: 8 min
Total: 13 min
Serves: 4
Difficulty: Easy

Recipe ingredients

400 g (14 oz) Kasseri cheese, one thick slice (about 2 cm / ¾ inch); sheep's milk version preferred
30 ml (2 tbsp) olive oil, extra-virgin Greek, or null
15 ml (1 tbsp) fresh lemon juice, from about half a lemon
2 g (½ tsp) dried oregano, Greek rigani preferred, or null
1 g (pinch) black pepper, freshly ground, or null

Steps

1 Cut the Kasseri into 4 slices about 1.5–2 cm (¾ inch) thick. Pat dry with paper towels — surface moisture prevents a good sear.
2 Heat the olive oil in a heavy skillet (cast iron or stainless steel) over medium-high heat until shimmering but not smoking, about 2 minutes.
3 Lay the cheese slices in the pan in a single layer with space between them. Fry for 2–3 minutes on the first side, until a deep golden crust forms and the underside is bubbling.
4 Carefully flip with a thin spatula and cook the second side for another 1–2 minutes until equally golden and the cheese is soft and pliable but not fully melted.
5 Transfer to a warm plate, squeeze fresh lemon juice over the slices, and sprinkle with dried oregano and black pepper. Serve immediately while hot and squeaky, with crusty bread or alongside a Greek salad.

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🧺 Key ingredients

sheep's milk
goat's milk (up to 20%)
rennet
salt
hot whey (for stretching the curd)

🍴 Where to eat it

Kasseri stars on Greek taverna tables, sliced as a table cheese, melted inside pies, or fried in olive oil for saganaki. It is a fixture of Thessaloniki's food scene and eaten throughout northern Greece with bread, tomatoes and olives at breakfast or as a meze. Dairies and cheese shops in Athens and Thessaloniki's central markets all stock it.

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