How to Reduce the Saltiness of Cheese

The most practical way to reduce the saltiness of cheese is to slice it and soak it in cold water or milk for a few hours. Salt moves from the cheese into the liquid; the more often the liquid is changed, the faster the cheese loses salt. For brined cheeses such as white cheese, this method usually makes a noticeable difference in 2–4 hours; harder cheeses may take a little longer. The drained cheese can then be used in recipes where salt is less noticeable, such as salads, meze platters, or borek filling.

Why is cheese so salty?
Cheeses such as white cheese and tulum are kept in brine for a long time to increase their shelf life; the longer they remain there, the higher their salt content becomes. Some inexpensive or quickly produced cheeses may have a higher salt content than standard. Improper storage conditions can also cause more salt to penetrate the cheese, especially in cheeses kept in brine for a long time.

Slice the cheese
Slice the cheese about 1.5 cm thick. Thin slices lose salt much faster than thick pieces because the surface area in contact with water increases. The thinner the slices, the faster the salt is removed; however, very thin slices may fall apart while soaking, so about 1.5 cm is a balanced choice.

Soak in cold water or milk
Arrange the slices in a wide container and add enough cold water or milk to cover them completely; keep the container in the refrigerator throughout the soak. Milk makes the cheese’s flavor less sharp than water and adds a lightly creamy texture. Do not use hot water; the heat can soften the cheese and make it fall apart, damaging its texture and causing salt to leach unevenly.

Change the liquid and taste
Change the water or milk about once an hour and taste a small piece; stop when it reaches the salt level you want. Soaking for 2–4 hours is enough for most white cheese. Each time you change the liquid, discard the old liquid and wash the container; leaving the cheese in the same liquid for a long time can cause some of the salt to move back into it.

Which cheeses does this work for?
This method works best with brined cheeses such as white cheese, lor cheese, and fresh tulum cheese; their porous structure makes it easier for water to enter and carry salt out. The process is much slower and the result more limited with denser, less porous cheeses such as kashar. This method is not recommended for mold-ripened cheeses; water or milk can damage the mold layer and disrupt the cheese.

Does soaking it in ayran work?
In some kitchens, lightly salted ayran is used instead of water or milk to reduce cheese’s saltiness. Ayran’s mild tang adds a subtle aroma while drawing out salt in a similar way. Soaking in ayran should be a little shorter than in milk or water because its acidity can soften the cheese more quickly.

What happens if the soaking time is too long?
If cheese is soaked in water longer than necessary, it may lose not only salt but also its distinctive flavor and texture; overly waterlogged cheese starts to fall apart and may become too soft to spread on bread. Checking the cheese every few hours is therefore the safest way to stop once the desired texture and salt balance are reached.