Sirene (Bulgarian white cheese)

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By Nikola · Precision Nutrition L1 · Updated 5 November 2026

Sirene, Bulgarian white brined cheese, is a ripened cheese made from cow’s, sheep’s, goat’s or buffalo milk that matures and is stored in salty brine. It is a good source of protein and calcium, about 17 g of protein and over 500 mg of calcium per 100 g in the cow’s milk version, but it is also very salty: 100 g can hold more than 1.2 g of sodium, which is about 3 g of salt. The type of milk changes the taste, fat and calories, so cow’s, sheep’s and goat’s sirene are not the same. Greek feta is a separate product with a protected name and has its own entry: feta cheese.

Sirene nutrition per 100 g

Nutritivo	Cow’s milk, brined	Sheep’s milk, brined
Proteína	16.8 g	15.9 g
Fat	19.7 g	26.5 g
of which saturated	11.2 g	17.1 g
Carbohydrate	6.0 g	4.6 g
Colesterol	70 mg	94 mg
Sodio	1,224 mg	1,006 mg
Salt (sodium × 2.5)	about 3.1 g	about 2.5 g
Calcio	537 mg	482 mg
Fósforo	364 mg	331 mg
Potasio	160 mg	120 mg
Energy (calculated)	about 270 kcal	about 320 kcal

Source: Bulgaria’s National Centre of Public Health and Analyses (NCPHA), Bulgarian food composition database (828 foods, 2021): “Cow’s brined white cheese” and “Sheep’s brined white cheese”. The database gives no energy value for these entries, so we calculated it with 4 kcal/g for protein and carbohydrate and 9 kcal/g for fat. Salt is calculated with the EU labelling rule (sodium × 2.5). Brands and fat levels differ, so check the label.

A usual 50 g portion of cow’s milk sirene gives about 8 g of protein, 270 mg of calcium and about 1.5 g of salt, close to a third of the 5 g a day the World Health Organization sets as the upper limit.

Glycemic index

Sirene has very little carbohydrate and does not raise blood sugar; that is why cheeses are not included in the international glycemic index tables.

Cow’s, sheep’s, goat’s: what is the difference

• Cow’s milk sirene is the most common and has the mildest taste; according to NCPHA data it has less fat than the sheep’s version.
• Sheep’s milk sirene is fattier (26.5 g of fat per 100 g) with a fuller, sharper taste.
• Goat’s milk sirene has a distinctive taste; the NCPHA database has data only for some goat cheeses, not for the brined type.
• Desalted sirene has the same composition as brined sirene but about half the sodium, according to NCPHA, a useful choice if you watch your salt.

Sirene and feta: not the same cheese

“Feta” is a protected designation of origin in the EU: feta is made in defined regions of Greece only from sheep’s milk or sheep’s milk with up to 30% goat’s milk, and it ripens for at least 2 months. Bulgarian white cheese can also be made from cow’s milk, follows a different process and has its own taste. So a “feta-style” cheese is not feta, and feta is not sirene; the two foods have separate entries. In salads and pastries, sheep’s milk sirene is a close substitute for feta.

Health benefits: what the evidence says

• Protein. About 16-17 g per 100 g, with all the essential amino acids.
• Calcium and phosphorus. 100 g of cow’s milk sirene gives over half a gram of calcium and about 360 mg of phosphorus.
• A fermented food. Sirene is made with a starter of lactic acid bacteria, but after ripening and storage in brine the number of live bacteria varies widely; do not count it as a probiotic.

How to eat sirene

• Cut the salt: soak the cheese for a few hours in cold water or fresh milk before eating, or choose desalted sirene.
• With plenty of vegetables: shopska salad with Tomates, pepino, pimientos y cebolla, grated sirene on top; roasted courgettes with sirene and eneldo.
• With legumes: a warm lentil o chickpea salad with a little sirene gets flavour without extra salt.
• Desayuno: a slice of wholemeal bread, a little sirene, tomate and fresh herbs.
• Storage: in its brine, in a closed container in the fridge; out of the brine sirene dries out quickly.

Who should be careful

• High blood pressure and kidney disease. Salt is the main issue: 100 g of cow’s milk sirene gives more than half the daily upper limit for salt. Choose desalted sirene, keep portions small and do not add salt to the dish. See also Dieta tablero.
• Milk protein allergy. Sirene contains milk proteins.
• Pregnancy. Cheese made from unpasteurised milk carries a risk of listeria; choose sirene made from pasteurised milk.
• Saturated fat. Sheep’s milk sirene contains over 17 g of saturated fat per 100 g; if your doctor has advised you to limit saturated fat, eat it in small amounts.

Traditional view (Ayurveda)

In Usha and Vasant Lad’s food guidelines, cheese is favourable for Vata (hard cheese in moderation), while hard and salty cheeses are on the list to avoid for Pitta and Kapha. So salty brined sirene suits Vata better than Pitta and Kapha. This is a traditional view, not a clinical finding.

Related entries and articles

• Feta cheese – the Greek PDO cheese
• Greek yogurt
• Huevos
• lentejas – warm salad with sirene
• Dieta tablero – eating with less salt

FAQ

How much salt is in sirene?

About 3 g of salt per 100 g of cow’s milk brined sirene according to NCPHA data (1,224 mg of sodium). Desalted sirene contains about half as much.

Are sirene and feta the same?

No. Feta is a protected name for Greek cheese made from sheep’s milk or sheep’s milk with up to 30% goat’s milk. Bulgarian white brined cheese can also be made from cow’s milk and follows its own process.

Can I eat sirene when trying to lose weight?

Yes, in small portions. Sirene is filling thanks to its protein and fat, but it is calorie-dense (about 270-320 kcal per 100 g) and salty, so 30-50 g per meal is a sensible portion.

Sources

1. National Centre of Public Health and Analyses (Bulgaria): Bulgarian food composition database, 2021. ncpha.government.bg
2. Specification of the protected designation of origin “Feta” (EU GI register). ec.europa.eu
3. World Health Organization: Salt reduction (under 5 g of salt a day). who.int
4. Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 – food information to consumers (salt = sodium × 2.5). EUR-Lex
5. Lad U, Lad V. Food Guidelines for Basic Constitutional Types, from Ayurvedic Cooking for Self-Healing, 2nd ed. The Ayurvedic Institute. ayurveda.com

This page is for information only and is not medical or dietary advice.