Quick Answer: How to Melt Feta Cheese in the Microwave?
Take the feta cheese out of the fridge and bring it to room temperature. Crumble it into small pieces and put it in a microwave-safe bowl. Add a pinch of cornstarch and a splash of milk. Place it in the microwave and melt for 30 seconds at high heat. Take it out and stir well. If needed repeat the process till the desired consistency is reached.
This is a comprehensive guide to melt feta cheese in the microwave. Follow the simple steps mentioned in the article to get perfectly melted feta cheese.
Most home cooks and culinary experts alike consider microwaving as a convenient and easy technique to melt feta cheese.
I have tried this method and it seems that melting in the microwave has made cooking effortless.
It’s time for the first step, which is preparing the feta cheese before microwaving it.
How to Prep Feta Cheese Before Microwaving
Bring the cheese to room temperature before microwaving. Crumble it down to smaller pieces rather than microwaving large blocks of feta cheese.
Take the feta cheese out of the refrigerator and allow it to come to room temperature. The cheese reaches room temperature in 20-30 minutes.
Before proceeding to microwave feta cheese, empty it from the plastic packaging to a microwave-safe bowl. Then crumble it into small portions to speed up the microwaving process.
How to Melt Feta Cheese in the Microwave
Bring the feta cheese to room temperature before microwaving. Crumble it into small portions and place it in a microwave-safe bowl.
Add a pinch of cornstarch and pour some milk into the cheese. Place the bowl in the microwave and heat at high temperature for 30 seconds.
Take it out and stir with a spoon or spatula to get a uniform consistency. If needed microwave it once more for 10-20 seconds to get the desired thickness.
Materials
- Feta Cheese
- Cornstarch
- Milk
Tools
- Microwave-safe bowl
- Spatula/Spoon
Instructions
- Putting feta cheese in the microwave- After taking the cheese from the fridge, let it come to room temperature.
Empty it into a microwave-safe bowl and crumble it into small pieces. Add a pinch of cornstarch and a little milk to the mix and mix well. Place the bowl in the microwave. - Adjusting the microwave settings: Switch on the microwave. Set the microwave at high and heat the fets cheese for 30 seconds.
- Checking in between the process: It is advisable to not leave the feta unmonitored while microwaving. Stir after the 30-second mark and check if the feta is melted.
- Repeat the process till the desired result is reached: If it hasn’t completely melted down, put the bowl back in the microwave and nuke once again for 10, or 20 seconds.
Keep repeating the whole process till the desired consistency is reached.
Tips to Remember While Melting Feta Cheese in Microwave
Here are some tips to consider before microwaving feta cheese:
- It is advisable to use crumble-shaped feta cheese to melt rather than block feta cheese. Crumble is easier to melt compared to block.
- Let the cheese come to room temperature before microwaving to quicken the melting process.
- Do not leave the cheese at room temperature for too long. This could lead to harmful microbial growth in the cheese.
- Remember to crumble the feta cheese before melting. Crumbled feta cheese melts quicker.
- Make sure to keep an eye on the cheese while microwaving. Stir thoroughly at regular intervals to help the melting process.
- Adding a pinch of cornstarch would prevent the protein in the cheese from crumbling. This trick is used to make a feta cheese sauce.
- It is advisable to start the melting process at medium heat in the microwave to avoid any clumping.
Alternate Ways to Melt Feta Cheese
When a microwave is not available to melt feta cheese, you can melt it on the stove by using a double boiler.
Place a pot of water on the stove. Crumble your feta cheese. Pour some milk into a bowl and place it over the pot of water.
Add the crumbled feta cheese to the milk and start heating the pot on medium heat. Keep stirring the mixture to get completely melted feta cheese.
Add cornstarch to thicken it or add water to make it thinner.
How to Melt Feta Cheese quickly
Feta cheese can be melted quickly in the microwave. It only takes about 1 minute to completely melt the cheese in the microwave.
To speed up the melting process, make sure to crumble the feta cheese before placing it in the microwave.
Also, remember to stir the mixture at regular intervals to form a consistent melted cheese sauce. Water or cornstarch should be used to attain the desired consistency.
How to Store Melted Feta Cheese
After melting the feta by adding milk and cornstarch, it is advisable to use it completely in your recipe.
Melted feta doesn’t stay fresh for very long.To avoid wastage, try to melt only the necessary amount of feta cheese rather than melting too much.
Feta that has been opened can be stored in a brine solution ( a solution of salt and water) or salted milk to prevent it from drying out.
Hence, feta can be stored longer than a week using this method.
Is it Safe to Melt Feta Cheese in the Microwave?
Yes, it is perfectly safe to melt feta cheese in the microwave. Due to the high moisture content in the feta, it softens easily.
To prevent any accidents while melting feta cheese, avoid using the plastic container in which feta is packaged to microwave.
Use a microwave-safe bowl instead. Also, monitor the melting process to avoid overheating.
How Long does it Take to Melt Feta Cheese in the Microwave?
Feta cheese melts quickly in the microwave. Melt at high heat for 30 seconds. After stirring, repeat the process at 10 or 20-second intervals to get perfectly melted feta cheese.
However, the amount of feta taken to be melted along with the temperature set for melting affects the time needed to completely melt the cheese.
A splash of milk can be added to the feta to form a creamy texture quickly.
Does Feta Cheese Melt?
No, feta cheese does not melt. It will only soften while other cheeses like mozzarella turn into a gooey stringy goo that stretches when pulled.
Feta cheese unlike mozzarella or cheddar has high acidity and moisture level. That is why it holds shape when melted.
The texture will significantly change making it creamy and soft but it wouldn’t liquefy on melting.
Why does Feta Cheese Not Melt?
The high acid content is one reason why feta cheese does not melt like other cheese. The high acidity prevents it from melting.
Feta cheese keeps its shape together due to the calcium it has.
When heated, the acid dissolves the calcium and the protein bond in the cheese starts to tighten up. As water is evaporated, the cheese solidifies rather than melting.
FAQs
No, feta cheese does not melt even if it is crumbled.
The high acid content in the feta cheese prevents it from melting, whether it is crumbled or not. It merely softens and becomes creamy.
No, fat-free feta cheese does not melt. It is usually shredded and mixed with other ingredients to combine into recipes easily.
Feta cheese is already a low-fat cheese and it doesn’t melt on heating. It merely becomes soft and creamy. Thus, the lack of fat does not help in melting it.
Bottomline
I hope this article covered all your queries about melting feta cheese in the microwave.
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