The Turkish pantry

Cheese (white brined or feta)

White-cheese shopping options vary in milk source, salt and texture, so the actual product defines the choice.

Last updated: 17 October 2026

A clearly labeled comparison guide for two shopping options in our recipes, not one interchangeable cheese identity. Milk source, protected names, salt and texture depend on the actual product.

White brined cheese block with cut slices and irregular crumbs on a porcelain plate

Types & forms

Beyaz peynir

Read the milk source, fat level and maturation information on the package.

Feta · comparison

Keep its name and milk-source information distinct from Turkish beyaz peynir.

What to look for when buying

Choose a cheese whose label matches the recipe option you intend to use.
For an unqualified vegetarian dish, confirm suitable rennet rather than assuming all cheese is vegetarian.

Prepare & cook

Drain the portion before crumbling it into haydari or fritter batter.
Taste the cheese before adding the recipe’s final seasoning; saltiness varies.

Store it well

Keep refrigerated and follow the opened-pack storage instructions.
Use clean utensils and retain brine only as directed by the producer.

Substitutions depend on the dish

Switching between the recipe’s two options

Expect differences in salt, moisture and crumbling texture. Adjust seasoning rather than treating their labels as identical.

Nutrition

Beyaz peynir comparison: Edirne cow-milk cheese, cited 2021 study ^[1]

Per 100 g edible portion
Nutrient	Amount
Energy	Not reported
Protein	23.59 g
Total fat	31.8 g
Saturated fat	Not reported
Carbohydrate	Not reported
Dietary fiber	Not reported
Total sugars	Not reported
Sodium	Not reported
Cholesterol	Not reported
Calcium	1,027 mg
Iron	0.58 mg
Potassium	265 mg
Vitamin D	Not reported
Water	39.76 g
Salt	3,960 mg
Phosphorus	883 mg
Magnesium	42 mg

These values describe the cited Edirne cheese study, not every beyaz peynir. Energy and carbohydrate were not supplied or calculated. Salt is separate from sodium. The illustration does not establish a specific origin. Values are rounded for readability; “not reported” does not mean zero. A “<” value is below the source’s measurement limit.

Nutrition values come from the reference source named above. They are published reference values, not our own measurements. Actual products and cooking methods may change the values.

At the Turkish table

Our haydari and mücver offer beyaz peynir or feta. The Ministry describes Edirne beyaz peynir as one Turkish cow-milk brined cheese; that example does not define every product sold as beyaz peynir.