Trahana Soup With Feta Cheese (thick and creamy)

Trahana soup is a delicious wintry comfort food. A thick and creamy traditional Greek pasta soup with savory feta cheese. Cooked on the stovetop in less than 30 minutes!

Wondering what Trahana Soup tastes like? Trahana soup or Trahanosoupa as we call it in Greece is thick, creamy, and very tasty. Think of a pasta soup with plenty of melted feta cheese inside!

Table Of Contents

• What Is Trahana?
• How Is Trahana Pasta Made?
• How To Cook Trahana
• Trahanosoupa Ingredients
• Extra Ingredients
• Where To Find Trahana
• How To Make The Soup
• Serve With
• Recipe

What Is Trahana?

Trahana is a traditional Greek pasta that looks like cous cous. There are two types of Trahana. Sour Trahana and Sweet Trahana. In this recipe, we use Sour Trahana. Sour Trahana is the one used traditionally to make this old-fashioned Trahana soup. If you want to know how the Trahana pasta is made and what's the difference between sour and sweet keep reading!

How Is Trahana Pasta Made?

Sour Trahana is made with fermented milk that's left to go sour and then gets mixed with pasta flour. Some people use yogurt instead of milk as a quicker way to make Trahana since the milk fermentation takes a few extra days to make.

Most people who hear the word Sour Trahana think that it tastes sour. But that's not the case. It is as sour as the taste of cheese (another fermented milk product).

That's why Sour Trahana is traditionally cooked with lots of feta cheese inside and most times milk as well.

Sweet Trahana on the other hand is made with plain milk, instead of fermented. Plus butter and eggs in some recipes. And of course, it isn't sweet. It is called this way to distinguish it from sour Trahana.

How To Cook Trahana

To cook Trahana you need to simmer it with milk, water, and/or stock. According to each recipe, you may use chicken stock, vegetable stock, or even beef stock. And in some recipes, Trahana gets cooked in tomato sauce as well. Like this Sour Trahana Soup With Tomato And Sausage (another flavorful and hearty wintry food).

The more you cook Trahana the thicker it gets. It absorbs liquid a lot. Even when you take it off the heat, it keeps getting thicker. That's why it is better served right away. While it's still hot. If it thickens too much, you can always restore it to its former texture by adding a splash of hot water to it and giving it a good stir.

Trahanosoupa Ingredients

To Make Trahana soup you need:

• Trahana: the traditional recipe calls for sour Trahana but you can use sweet/plain Trahana instead. In that case, you may want to add a bit of sour milk to the soup for that extra tang.
• Milk, water, or stock. If you want a real creamy Trahana, make it with milk. Traditionally in Greece, goat milk is used.
• Feta cheese
• Butter. In the original old-fashioned recipe, sheep butter is used. You can use also goat butter or even cow's instead. You can even brown the butter for extra flavor.

Extra Ingredients

• Onions. In some Greek Trahana recipes, onions are sauteed before adding the Trahana to the pot.
• Pancetta, ham, or Greek sausage. Dice and brown in butter before you add and saute the Trahana.

Where To Find Trahana

You can buy Trahana pasta in Greek food grocery stores or online. You can buy sour Trahana online here. Or you can even make your own Trahana at home following this tutorial.

How To Make The Soup

To make Trahana soup saute the Trahana in some melted butter. No need to get any color just a light toasting to enhance its flavor.

Next, pour in the hot water and milk (or stock). Season with salt and pepper and simmer gently over medium-low heat. Stir often so it won't stick to the bottom. When the soup is thick and creamy and the Trahana is cooked (soft but still slightly al dente) add the feta cheese and stir until it melts.

Take off the heat and stir in some extra butter.

Serve With

Serve Trahanosoupa with some extra crumbled feta on top, a pinch of ground nutmeg, and plenty of freshly ground pepper. Also, some crunchy bread on the side. If it is good old-fashioned sourdough bread, the better!

Recipe