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    Home » Appetizers

    Baked Feta Appetizer

    Published: Jun 12, 2020 » Modified: Apr 27, 2022 » By: Kylie » This post may contain affiliate links. » 99 Comments

    514.8K shares
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    This Baked Feta Appetizer comes together in just minutes with only a handful of ingredients - olives, sun-dried tomatoes, fresh garlic, olive oil, and dried herbs. Bake it all together with a block of feta cheese until it's warm and creamy then serve with crispy crostini!

    White plate filled with baked feta olives and herbs
    Table of Contents show
    You Will Love This
    Ingredients and Substitutions
    Instructions
    Tips
    FAQ
    Quick & Easy Appetizers
    Baked Feta

    You Will Love This

    • It's so quick and easy! The only prep work required for this baked feta is thinly slicing the garlic! Other than that it's pretty much just throw everything in a baking dish and bake. Which is what makes it one of our family's favorites.
    • It's feta like you've never had it before! We've all enjoyed crumbled feta on a Greek salad or a vegetarian pizza, but this baked feta is a warm, decadent way to enjoy feta cheese in a whole new way! It's got roasted olives, garlic, and sun-dried tomatoes in an olive oil marinade. The flavors are amazing, the texture is indulgent and the way it all comes together will make this your go-to appetizer recipe too! If you love this one be sure to check out my Herb and Garlic Marinated Feta recipe too!
    • It's a delicious appetizer or side dish to serve along with:
      • One-Pot Mediterranean Pasta
      • 15 Minute Greek Pasta
      • Mediterranean Flatbread Pizza
      • Baked Mediterranean Salmon
    Sliced bread with a chunk of baked feta on it

    Ingredients and Substitutions

    • Feta - For the best flavor and texture, buy a block of feta (preferably in brine) instead of the pre-crumbled stuff.
    • Pitted Olives - A jar of pitted, Mediterranean olives will usually provide a convenient medley of green and Kalamata olives. If you’re not a fan of one or the other, though, just get the kind you prefer.
    • Sun-Dried Tomatoes - Get sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, rather than dried ones, if you can. Dried tomatoes will need to be reconstituted for this recipe.
    • Olive Oil - The olive oil is a key player, here, so get a good one: preferably cold-pressed and organic.
    • Fresh Garlic - Freshly minced garlic always has a better, bolder flavor than the stuff in a jar. I totally get that sometimes you just need the convenience of pre-minced garlic, but it’s not worth it for this appetizer.
    • Dried Oregano, Thyme, and Rosemary - You can use an Italian seasoning blend in place of the dried oregano, dried thyme, and dried rosemary if that’s all you have available.

    Instructions

    Add feta to a small baking dish. Add olives and sun-dried tomatoes to the baking dish around the block of feta.

    Small white baking dish with olives, sun dried tomatoes and a block of feta in it

    In a small dish combine olive oil, sliced garlic, oregano, thyme, rosemary, and a couple pinches of salt and pepper. Pour over the feta, olives, and sun-dried tomatoes. 

    Small white baking dish with olives, sun dried tomatoes and a block of feta in it

    Bake for 20 minutes. Broil for 1-2 minutes. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley and sliced French bread or crostini. 

    White plate filled with baked feta olives and herbs

    Tips

    • My favorite feta to use for this recipe is the kind that comes as a block in a brine liquid. Being stored in brine gives the feta cheese a lot of extra moisture which helps to increase the creaminess in this baked feta. Just make sure you drain the brine off before baking!
    • If you can't find a block in brine, just a regular block of feta will work as well. It will give you a very similar taste and texture as the feta that comes in brine. Honestly, crumbled feta would likely work too, the presentation will just be slightly different and you may need to bake it for less time.
    • If you're not into olives, try roasting the feta with grape tomatoes instead! Keep everything the same, just replace the olives with tomatoes! The tomatoes will become tender, roasted, and delicious! You could also just skip the olives all together and enjoy this baked feta with the sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, and herbs!
    White plate filled with baked feta olives and herbs

    FAQ

    Does feta cheese melt in the oven?

    Feta cheese gets soft in the oven, but it does not melt, because of its relatively high acid content. When acidic cheeses like feta are heated, the proteins tighten, expelling moisture. That moisture evaporates and the cheese becomes too dry to liquify. This baked feta recipe does give you soft, spreadable feta, but it's not melted feta.

    What can I do with a block of feta cheese?

    An old marketing slogan promised us that, u0022everything's betta with fetau0022 and they weren't wrong! A block of feta has endless potential and dresses up everything it touches. In this baked feta recipe, it's transformed into a warm, cozy appetizer with sun-dried tomatoes, olives, and crispy crunchy crostini!

    What goes well with feta?

    Feta cheese originated in Greece and is associated with Mediterranean and modern Middle Eastern cuisine. That means feta goes well with other flavors and dishes from the same regions, including olives, hummus, pita, nuts, bell peppers, and roasted veggies. In this feta dip, we pair it with olives and sun-dried tomatoes along with garlic and herbs for a classic Mediterranean-inspired flavor!

    How do you use feta in brine?

    You can usually buy feta in a few different ways: in brine, vacuum packed, or crumbled. It's technically all feta, but the feta in brine is going to be creamier and more flavorful. Once you've used the block of feta for this easy feta appetizer recipe, you can use the leftover brine as a base for dressing or to marinate veggies before roasting.

    Quick & Easy Appetizers

    • The Best Dry Rub for Ribs
    • 5 Ingredient Smoked Queso - NO VELVEETA!
    • Air Fryer Green Beans
    • The Best Cheese Quesadilla Recipe
    Print

    Baked Feta

    Print Recipe
    Pin Recipe

    ★★★★★

    5 from 45 reviews

    This Baked Feta Appetizer comes together in just minutes with only a handful of ingredients - olives, sun-dried tomatoes, fresh garlic, olive oil, and herbs. Bake it all together with a block of feta cheese until it's warm and creamy then serve with crispy crostini!

    • Author: Kylie
    • Prep Time: 5 minutes
    • Cook Time: 20 minutes
    • Total Time: 25 minutes
    • Yield: 8 servings 1x
    • Category: Appetizer
    • Method: Oven
    • Cuisine: Greek/American
    • Diet: Vegetarian

    Ingredients

    Units Scale
    • 8 oz. block feta
    • 1 cup pitted olives, drained
    • ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes
    • ⅓ cup olive oil
    • 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
    • ½ teaspoon dried oregano
    • ½ teaspoon dried thyme
    • ½ teaspoon dried rosemary
    • Kosher salt
    • fresh cracked pepper

    For serving:

    • fresh chopped parsley
    • sliced French bread or crostini

    Instructions

    1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. 
    2. Add feta to a small baking dish.
    3. Add olives and sun-dried tomatoes to the baking dish around the feta.
    4. In a small dish combine olive oil, sliced garlic, oregano, thyme, rosemary, and a couple pinches of salt and pepper. 
    5. Pour over the block of feta, olives, and sun-dried tomatoes. 
    6. Bake for 20 minutes. Broil for 1-2 minutes.
    7. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley and sliced French bread or crostini. 

    Nutrition

    • Serving Size:
    • Calories: 166
    • Sugar: 2.4 g
    • Sodium: 269.1 mg
    • Fat: 15.5 g
    • Saturated Fat: 5.6 g
    • Carbohydrates: 3.5 g
    • Fiber: 0.5 g
    • Protein: 4.6 g
    • Cholesterol: 25.2 mg

    Keywords: baked feta, baked feta recipe, feta cheese recipes

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Nia Hartman

      February 25, 2021 at 10:11 pm

      Looks great. I have hint to find brined feta. First off the crumbled stuff tastes like freezer burn since it is exposed to so much oxygen. A vacuum packed 8oz package is $10 at Ralph’s grocery store here. I go to an Italian deli and get 4 LB of feta in a bucket of brine for $25. They normally don’t have it on sale but the manager said I can buy it. I get one every 2 or 3 weeks. Ask your local deli.

      Reply
      • Kylie

        February 25, 2021 at 10:25 pm

        That is SUCH a great tip!!! I'd never thought of that! My mouth is watering just thinking of all the things I could make with 4 pounds of feta 🙂 Thanks for sharing, Nia!!

        Reply
    2. Kim

      February 18, 2021 at 1:36 pm

      OMG...this was so good my husband and I ate it all ourselves. I left out the olive oil, as the tomatoes had a lot of oil. Added some chopped dried figs.
      Better than a response appetizer, thank you!!

      Reply
      • Kylie

        February 18, 2021 at 1:43 pm

        I am so glad to hear that you both enjoyed this appetizer! It's one of our family's favorites too! Thanks for leaving a review - I really appreciate it 🙂

        Reply
    3. Becky

      February 16, 2021 at 5:47 pm

      Can any leftovers, or if not eating right away, be heated/reheated in the microwave?

      Reply
      • Kylie

        February 16, 2021 at 5:56 pm

        I think that could work! You might want to try heating in intervals of 10-20 seconds in the microwave though!

        Reply
    4. Kathleen

      February 13, 2021 at 6:55 pm

      I made this and everyone literally freaked out. They couldn’t stop eating it. I don’t even like feta and I thought this was wonderful. I did not use sun-dried tomatoes because I do not like them but I used a combination of multi colored cherry tomatoes and it turned out awesome!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Kylie

        February 13, 2021 at 8:46 pm

        Haha this is the best review ever!! 🙂 🙂 🙂 I am so glad that you enjoyed this recipe, Kathleen! Cherry tomatoes are a great substitution for sun-dried; good idea! Thanks for leaving a review - I really appreciate it!

        Reply
    5. Carol

      February 08, 2021 at 8:58 am

      So easy to make, yet so delicious! Me and my husband shared it as a main course with some crostini, it is very filling. Will be making again on Valentine’s night.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Kylie

        February 08, 2021 at 9:17 am

        What a great idea, Carol! This would be a delicious main dish 🙂 So glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for leaving a review!

        Reply
    6. Dio

      February 05, 2021 at 9:20 pm

      I usually just enjoy recipes I find online without commenting, but I must say this is the most amazing appetizer ever. I followed the instructions as directed and it came out perfectly. Never imagined you could use feta like this. Thank you for sharing!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Kylie

        February 06, 2021 at 11:18 am

        I am so glad to hear that you enjoyed this feta appetizer, Dio! This is one of our family's favorites too. I love the way it showcases the feta uniquely as well. Thanks for leaving a review - I really appreciate it 🙂

        Reply
    7. Judy C.

      January 11, 2021 at 9:22 pm

      My favorite was to eat feta! I love how rustic this appetizer is and yet, it feels very elegant at the same time. Amazing that something that takes just a few minutes to prepare can be so delicious. I bake mine a few minutes longer to get the feta really soft and also broil it longer because I love the char on the cheese. I’ve made this exactly as written but have also added artichokes, cherry tomatoes, or roasted red peppers depending on what my mood was. All I can say is YUM!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Kylie

        January 11, 2021 at 10:08 pm

        YUM indeed - artichoke hearts, tomatoes, and roasted red peppers sounds AMAZING!! Add some toasty bread and that's basically a meal in itself; I love it! thank you so much for leaving a review, Judy. I really appreciate it 🙂

        Reply
        • Kristen

          April 22, 2021 at 5:17 pm

          This has become my spur of the moment go to appetizer. The ingredients can be bought and kept on hand for a long time, so you can throw together this fabulous app at a moments notice. Not to mention the endless comments on the great taste.

          ★★★★★

    8. Rebecca

      January 08, 2021 at 11:48 pm

      So easy to make and so creamy when warm to dip crackers in. I added red chillies for an extra kick. I needed slightly less oil because of the oil in my sun dried tomatoes aswell but will be making again because it was a gorgeous supper to share or lunch. I also plan to make the pizza dough pretzel bites and slow cooker queso dip soon. I’m enjoying the whole blog. Thank you ☺️

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Kylie

        January 09, 2021 at 12:33 pm

        I could go for some crispy crackers and warm feta RIGHT NOW! I am so glad that you enjoyed this recipe, Rebecca. Thank you for leaving a review - I really appreciate it 🙂 I can't wait to hear what you think of the pretzel bites and queso dip!!

        Reply
    9. Hannah

      January 08, 2021 at 10:06 pm

      I didn’t have the tomatoes but made it anyway and it is quite possibly the best thing I’ve made in a very long time!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Kylie

        January 09, 2021 at 12:34 pm

        YESSSSS!!! I am so glad that you enjoyed this baked feta, even without the tomatoes! Thank you for leaving a review - I really appreciate it 🙂

        Reply
    10. Gillian

      January 06, 2021 at 5:45 pm

      I’d give it more than 5 stars, it’s so easy and so good. I added about two cups of cherry tomatoes to this recipe and it was so good!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Kylie

        January 06, 2021 at 5:48 pm

        I wish I could let you give it more than 5 stars 😉 Cherry tomatoes would be DELICIOUS in this recipe. Thank you so much for leaving a review, Gillina. I really appreciate it 🙂

        Reply
    11. Kim

      January 02, 2021 at 9:30 am

      New favorite appetizer and very easy to make! I adjusted the recipe a bit and used jarred roasted red peppers instead of sun dried tomatoes and used garlic infused evoo instead. (Have friend that cannot have garlic.) I did make ahead of time (without evoo and spices), took out of refrig about hour before and added evoo right before baking. I also found jar of mixed greek olives at my grocery store which was perfect amount. I used regular feta - not brined.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Kylie Lato

        January 02, 2021 at 10:13 am

        YUM - roasted red peppers would be great in this appetizer!! 🙂 I'm glad to know that it worked out to assemble ahead of time - thanks for that tip!! I really appreciate you taking the time to leave a review, Kim!

        Reply
    12. Stephanie

      January 01, 2021 at 12:15 am

      So good and soo easy! I just made it for the second time for a New Years Eve get together. Every body raved!! It’s soo yummy!!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Kylie Lato

        January 01, 2021 at 2:05 pm

        I love to hear that, Stephanie!! I'm so glad you enjoyed this feta appetizer. Thank you for leaving a review - I really appreciate it 🙂

        Reply
    13. Andrea

      December 23, 2020 at 5:36 pm

      This recipe looks and sounds delicious. I'm definitely making it. I was wondering if you could prep everything the night before and then just pop it in the oven the next day.
      Thank you!

      Reply
      • Kylie Lato

        December 24, 2020 at 12:36 pm

        It's one of our favorites!! The only two issues I see with making it ahead is that the olive oil will solidify in the fridge. But I think if you prepare it ahead, refrigerate, and then let it sit out for an hour or two before popping it in the oven it could work. I'd love to hear how it goes if you end up trying it!

        Reply
    14. Sandra

      December 23, 2020 at 4:21 pm

      I made this last night and it was a huge hit! I loved how easy it was to make and everyone that had it raved about how good it was. I will definitely make again!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Kylie Lato

        December 24, 2020 at 12:57 pm

        I am so glad you enjoyed this recipe, Sandra!! Thank you for leaving a review - I really appreciate it 🙂

        Reply
    15. Carol

      December 19, 2020 at 3:27 pm

      For your fans in Atlanta, the International Bakery on Cheshire Bridge has the BEST Greek Feta in the world! Ask for Tom, the owner.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Kylie Lato

        December 20, 2020 at 10:13 am

        I definitely will next time I'm in the area! Thanks Carol!

        Reply
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    HELLO FROM THE MIDWEST - I'm Kylie and as a mom and blogger, I understand how hard it can be to get a wholesome dinner on the table at the end of a long day. Here at Midwest Foodie, I focus on sharing simple recipes that make it easy to feed your family real food.

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