Trahanas Soup with Butter & Feta

Jenny Skrapaliori-Graves | Last Updated: January 29, 2026

Creamy traditional Greek trahanas soup made with butter and feta, topped with cracked black pepper and chili flakes, served with crusty bread.

Trahanas soup with butter and feta is the kind of food Greeks grow up on. It’s humble, comforting, and deeply familiar, the bowl you crave when the cold settles in, and you want something warm, nourishing, and uncomplicated.

This white trahanas soup is made with sour, flour-based trahanas, gently simmered until creamy, then finished with good butter, tangy feta, and plenty of freshly ground black pepper. It’s rustic food at its best—simple ingredients, carefully handled.

If you’re a fan of our Trahanas Soup with Butter & Feta, you’re in for a treat with our Traditional Lentil Soup, White Bean Soup, and Creamy Chickpea Soup!

Overview

Why you will love trahanas soup

It’s pure comfort food, Greek-style
Perfect for cold days, sick days, or quiet dinners at home
Simple pantry ingredients, big payoff
Customizable depending on the trahanas you have
Ready in about 30 minutes

Packaged sour Greek trahanas made with milk and wheat, a traditional pantry ingredient used for creamy Greek trahanas soup.

What is trahanas?

Trahanas is a traditional Greek pantry staple made from fermented milk and wheat or flour, dried and stored for winter. It’s been used for centuries to make nourishing, comforting soups during cold months. There are many regional variations:

Sour or sweet
Flour-based or cracked wheat
Fine or coarse

Where to find trahanas
In the U.S., trahanas is most commonly found at Greek or Mediterranean grocery stores. It’s also available online from specialty Greek food shops, making it accessible even if you don’t have a local market nearby.

This recipe uses sour, flour-based trahanas, which cooks into a creamy, porridge-like soup similar to risotto or thick polenta. It’s naturally filling, easy to digest, and deeply comforting—true Greek comfort food.

Here what you need

Ingredients for traditional Greek trahanas soup including sour trahanas, goat’s milk, butter, feta cheese, onion, sea salt, and black pepper.

Sour trahanas – This recipe uses flour-based sour trahanas, not the coarse, cracked-grain version. Texture and cooking time will vary depending on how dry and finely shaped your trahanas is.
Butter (sheep & goat butter if possible) – Butter gives the soup its rustic aroma and richness. The amount here adds depth without making the soup heavy.
Goat’s milk – Don’t skip it. Goat’s milk softens the acidity of the trahanas and creates a creamy, velvety broth. If unavailable, whole cow’s milk will work.
Feta cheese – Use Greek feta in brine and crumble it coarsely. You want small, creamy pockets, not a smooth melt.
Onion – Just a small one, sautéed gently. It adds sweetness without overpowering the soup.
Black pepper – Be generous. Trahanas loves pepper—preferably freshly ground and a bit coarse.

Step by step

Finely chopped onion sautéing gently in butter as the base for Greek trahanas soup.

Step 1: Start by melting half the butter in a medium pot over medium heat. Add the finely chopped onion and sauté gently for about 5 minutes, until soft and translucent but not browned. This step builds a mild sweetness that balances the tangy trahanas.

Sour trahanas toasted with sautéed onion in butter before adding liquid.

Step 2: Add the trahanas and stir well so it’s fully coated in the butter.

Greek trahanas soup simmering with milk and water until creamy and thickened.

Step 3: Pour in the goat’s milk and the hot water, stirring continuously. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil. Lower the heat slightly and simmer for about 15 minutes, stirring often, until the trahanas softens and the soup thickens into a creamy consistency.

Butter and crumbled feta melting into creamy Greek trahanas soup at the end of cooking.

Step 4: Finish by adding the remaining butter and the crumbled feta. Season lightly with salt if needed and plenty of freshly ground black pepper. Stir gently, remove from the heat, and serve hot.

Close-up of creamy Greek trahanas soup with feta cheese, black pepper, oregano, and olive oil, a classic Greek comfort food.

Serving Suggestions

Serve trahanas soup hot, finished with more crumbled feta, a sprinkle of chili flakes for gentle heat and a few oregano leaves—fresh if you have them, dried if you don’t (both work beautifully).
A piece of crusty bread on the side is essential, perfect for dipping and scooping up every last creamy spoonful.

Can’t Find Trahanas?

If trahanas isn’t available, you can still make a comforting, creamy soup using common U.S. pantry staples. While nothing replaces trahanas exactly, the options below come very close in texture and warmth.

Pastina or tiny pasta stars are the easiest and most familiar substitute
Fine bulgur (No. 1) gives a more rustic, wheat-forward result
Orzo works well for a smoother, soupier version
Farina (Cream of Wheat) mimics the creamy body of flour-based trahanas

Adjust cooking time and liquid slightly depending on the substitute you use.

Liquid Ratios & Cooking Adjustments

Pastina / Tiny Pasta Stars (Best Overall)

Use: ¾ cup pastina
Liquid: 3½ cups total (milk + water combined)
Cook time: 8–10 minutes
Result: Creamy, spoonable, very comforting

Fine Bulgur (No. 1 / Extra-Fine)

Use: ¾ cup fine bulgur
Liquid: 3 cups total
Cook time: 10–12 minutes
Result: Slightly grainy, rustic, closest in flavor

Orzo

Use: ½–¾ cup orzo
Liquid: 4 cups total
Cook time: 12–15 minutes
Result: Silkier and more soup-like

Farina (Cream of Wheat – Savory)

Use: ½ cup farina
Liquid: 3 cups total
Cook time: 5–7 minutes
Result: Very creamy, porridge-style

Storage and reheating

Trahanas soup thickens as it cools—think risotto, not broth.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Reheat gently on the stovetop over low heat.
Add hot water or milk, a little at a time, stirring until creamy again.
Avoid the microwave if possible; it tends to tighten the texture unevenly.

Jenny’s tip: Finish reheated soup with a small knob of butter and a fresh sprinkle of black pepper to revive the flavor.

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