Nabulsi cheese

For other uses, see Nabulsi.

Nabulsi is a Palestinian white brined cheese made in the Middle East. Its name refers to its place of origin, Nablus,^[3] and it is known throughout the West Bank and surrounding regions. Nabulsi, along with Akkawi cheese, is one of the principal cheeses consumed in Jordan.^[4] It is produced primarily from sheep's milk; alternatively, goat's milk may be used. Nabulsi cheese is white and rectangular in shape. It is semi-hard with no gas holes.^[4] It becomes soft and elastic when heated. It is a typical ewe's or goat's milk cheese, but is traditionally flavored with mahleb (Prunus mahaleb) and mastic (Pistacia lentiscus) added to the boiling brine. It is a major ingredient of the Middle Eastern dessert knafeh.^[5]

Nabulsi cheese
A block of Nabulsi cheese, nigella sativa seeds are mixed into the cheese
Region	West Bank
Town	Nablus
Source of milk	Cow, sheep, goat[1]
Texture	Semi-hard, elastic when heated, brittle when dry[2]
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Production

The cheese can be prepared using cow, sheep or goat milk, or a mixture of cow and sheep milk to create mashmouleh (Arabic: مشمولة) cheese.^[1][5]

The cheese is first prepared by heating the milk and then adding the mastic gum and mahaleb, and then, after it is cooled, rennet is added.^[5]

Consumption

Soft Knafeh with Nabulsi cheese filling

The cheese is widely used in the middle east and Southeast Europe.^[1][6]

After the cheese is prepared, it is stored in brine, it may be later desalted for use in the production of bakery goods and desserts such as knafeh, where the stretchability of the cheese is desired, additionally, it may be eaten fresh, or after its fried in oil.^[1][7]

To desalt the cheese, it is soaked in fresh water—often refrigerated—for several hours or overnight, which helps reduce its saltiness before consumption.^[8]

In regions where Nabulsi cheese is not readily available, some recipes will substitute it for Mozzarella and/or Ricotta, sometimes combined with other softer cheeses, this aims to replicate the texture of heated Nabulsi cheese.^[9][10]

Health Concerns

The high salt content of brined Nabulsi cheese may lead people with issues like hypertension or kidney stone disease to avoid it, the salt content is intentionally increased by sellers to help preserve the cheese in storage, hence its recommended by the WHO to reduce the saltiness prior to consumption.^[11]

See also

• Food portal

• Brined cheese – Cheese that is matured in brine
• List of cheeses – List of cheeses by place of origin
• Palestinian cuisine – Types of food in Palestine culture