From pasta to stuffed chicken, adding a touch of flavor packed feta cheese goes a long way. In order to prepare delicious and nutritious meals, use the ultimate guide to melt cheese in the microwave for quick solution.
Feta cheese is a brined cheese curd made from sheep or goat milk, and it comes in different forms like crumble, block and wheel.
Feta has a high moisture content, which means a lower melting point. It also has a high acid content and high amounts of calcium, so does affect how feta cheese melts in the microwave?
Soft cheese are not ideal to melt, however the microwave is the best way to melt feta cheese. Place your cheese in a microwave-safe container and add a pinch of cornstarch and splash of milk. Start melting on high for 30 seconds and stir well until it evens out with a smooth saucy consistency.
If the cornstarch start thicken too much, add water to thin out the mixture. Adjust the consistency while heating up the feta cheese to find the right liquidity. But, is it safe to microwave feta cheese?
Can you microwave feta cheese?
Feta cheese has high moisture and will melt very well, especially when nuking the crumble shaped pieces. However, it is not recommended to microwave the original plastic container that feta is stored in.
The plastic containers are meant to be used only once, and are not designed to withstand high temperatures. Putting them in the microwave can cause the plastic to warp or melt, which could potentially leach harmful chemicals into your cheese.
Make sure to bring the cheese to room temperature for 20 minutes, and crumble it before melting on medium heat.
How long does it take for feta to melt?
Depend on how much cheese you are melting and what temperature it is will determine how long it take to melt feta cheese in the microwave.
However, feta isn’t one of those ooey, gooey cheeses. If you have to melt it, put it in microwave on medium power level and nuke for 30 seconds, or until it starts to disintegrate. Add a splash of milk to speed up the process for a smooth creamy sauce.
It is best to crumble the feta cheese into small pieces instead of trying to heat up large blocks. Sometimes feta is really hard to melt, so why is this happening?
Does feta cheese melt?
No, feta cheese doesn’t melt. The cheese curds will soften and become gooey, but it will not melt in the same way that a stringy cheese like cheddar or mozzarella does.
When heated, the feta cheese becomes soft and creamy. It will not liquify and the curds will maintain their shape, but the texture will change significantly.
This has to do with the type of cheese and the process used to make feta, predominantly the high acid content. Here is an in-depth explanation of what is happening.
Why does feta cheese not melt?
In general, cheese with high acidic content tends to become stringy when melted or doesn’t want to melt at all. As a result, it will become extremely soft, but not fully liquify.
The reason why it won’t melt is because the acid dissolves the calcium that normally holds cheese together. When acid-based cheeses are heated, the protein bonds tighten and expel out any water.
As the water evaporates, there is not enough moisture left inside the cheese to completely liquefy. Instead, the protein in the cheese continue to solidify, and that’s why feta cheese may not melt and will retain its shape when heated.
Adding white wine or lemon juice may help bind to the calcium and contribute some water to allow the feta cheese to melt into a liquid state.
Things to know before melting feta cheese in the microwave
If you need to melt feta cheese, select crumble shape instead of block or cubes. The smaller surface area is easier to melt in the microwave with proper temperature and time.
Here are additional things you need to know before melting feta cheese in the microwave:
- Before heating, bring feta cheese to room temperature. This helps the cheese get a head start towards reaching its melting point, but do not leave fresh cheese at room temperature for longer than 2 hours.
- Crumble feta cheese into small pieces to allow the heat to permeate quickly for melting.
- Start with medium heat to prevent the fat from separating out and turning the cheese clumpy.
- To make feta cheese sauce, add a pinch of starch such as flour or corn to keep the proteins from clumping together.
- Stir constantly to reach the smooth sauce texture.
Feta cheese is easy to melt in the microwave. Use microwave-safe container, apply medium heat, add splash of water or acid, nuke for 15 second increments and stir to create your desired consistency.
