This 20-minute baked feta recipe is easy and makes a delicious appetizer. It's made with only five ingredients and is topped with honey and zaatar.
Every Mediterranean spread needs a collection of mezzes! You can go all out by making a mezze platter with some marinated feta, tirokafteri, fried halloumi, whipped feta and many others, or you can have a simple but mighty spread with some homemade hummus, pita chips and this delicious baked feta with honey and zaatar. It's simple, yet every bite is so flavorful and delicious!
Table Of Contents:
Can We Cook Feta Cheese?
Yes! Feta is a creamy solid cheese that you can easily cook with. It can be baked like I've done in this recipe or even pan fried. Make sure to use quality feta at all times for maximum flavor and perfect texture.
Why This Recipe Works
- It's unique: Some love feta as it is and some are not big fans. But when it comes to this honey topped baked feta, everyone swoons! The combination of honey and zaatar with feta, similar to our peach salad with feta and zaatar, is a lovely balance of sweet, salty and tangy.
- Super easy and quick: This recipe is as easy as place on the skillet, bake and then broil! It takes about 20 minutes from start to finish, and most of the work is done by the oven!
- The possibilities are endless: Not a fan of honey? Try maple syrup. Add any other spices you fancy. Whatever you use to make this delicious feta appetizer, it's going to be yummy!
Ingredients
- Feta: When it comes to feta, I love getting mine from local Mediterranean, Greek or Turkish shops. Their cheese has a great flavor and texture. However, It's also possible to make this recipe with regular feta cheese you find at any supermarket. Just make sure you're getting a block of feta cheese and not crumbled.
- Olive oil: You need a drizzle of olive oil to help the cheese soften and bake better.
- Honey: Honey adds a hint of sweetness to feta and pairs really well with it. The amount of honey used to make this appetizer is totally up to you and how sweet you'd like the appetizer to be. I like mine to be sweet, but I still want to taste the saltiness and tanginess of feta.
- Zaatar: Zaatar is a spice made mostly from sumac and thyme. You can use store bought zaatar or make it at home.
- Oregano: This one is optional, but I love the addition of oregano to feta as it gives a nice earthiness to the whole dish.
How To Make Baked Feta
- Preheat the oven to 375°F and place the block of feta on a cast iron skillet.
- Drizzle olive oil on the feta and bake for 15 minutes.
- Turn on the broiler and top the feta with honey, zaatar and oregano.
- Broil for 3-5 minutes until the top is toasted and the cheese is warm.
Tips To Make Baked Feta
- When broiling the feta, keep a close eye since broilers are different in each oven and the feta might burn.
- If you don't have a small cast iron skillet, you can use a pan or any other oven safe dish.
- You can use honey, maple syrup or agave in this recipe.
Serving Suggestions
Baked feta is one of our favorite Christmas appetizers that everyone loves and devours the moment it's on the table. You can serve it with pita bread, pita chips or Turkish pide bread.
Leftovers
This baked feta is best served immediately when it's all warm and gooey. However, if you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days. You can either reheat in the oven at 300 degrees F until warm or serve at room temperature.
Frequently Asked Question
The best feta for this recipe is a block of Greek feta in brine. The brine keeps the feta flavorful and soft. Make sure to pat dry it before coating it with olive oil.
Yes, reheating feta in oven will make it soft and creamy again.
This depends on the recipe and how salty the brine is. For this recipe I don't recommend rinsing the feta. Since we are going to bake it, we're looking for less water content and that's why I pat dry feta prior to baking.
More Recipes Using Feta
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Step-by-Step Recipe
Baked Feta Recipe with Honey And Zaatar
Ingredients
- 8 oz feta cheese see notes
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoon honey
- 1 ½ tsp zaatar
- 1 teaspoon oregano
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Place the feta on a small cast iron skillet.
- Drizzle with olive oil and bake for 15 minutes.
- Turn the broiler on and top the feta with honey, zaatar and oregano.
- Broil for 3-5 minutes until the top is toasted and the cheese is gooey. Top with more zaatar if desired.
- Serve with crackers, bread or pita chips.
Notes
- It's best to use a block of feta in brine since it has a lot of flavor, but the ones that are in a package without brine work too. If using feta in brine, make sure to pat dry the feta just a bit before baking.
- The amount of honey, zaatar and oregano used in this recipe is up to you and how sweet and tangy you'd like your baked feta appetizer to be.
- If you don't have a small cast iron skillet, use a baking dish or any other oven safe dish.
Julia
I love feta! Must give this recipe a try, it looks so tasty!
Taylor Kiser
My mouth is watering over this!! Can’t wait to make it!
Tara
This baked feta looks absolutely incredible! Love that color and the honey, zaatar, and oregano seasoning. So easy too!
Beth
This looks so delicious and tasty! I can't wait to make this! My daughter and I are going to love this!
Jersey Girl Cooks
hand me a big fork! This is absolutely delicious!