This easy baked feta recipe is a warm, creamy Mediterranean-inspired appetizer with olives, roasted red peppers, garlic, and herbs. Ready in under 30 minutes, it's perfect for entertaining and delicious with crusty bread or pita.
Want another show-stopping appetizer? Try my octopus salad recipe.
Recipe Summary: Easy Baked Feta with Olives and Roasted Red Peppers
- ✅ Recipe Name: Easy Baked Feta with Olives and Roasted Red Peppers
- 🕒 Ready In: 25 minutes
- 👪 Serves: 6 (easy to scale)
- 🍽 Calories: 228 per serving
- 🥣 Main Ingredients: Feta cheese, olives, roasted red peppers, olive oil, honey
- 📖 Dietary Info: Vegetarian, party-friendly
- ⭐ Why You'll Love It: Warm, creamy, and ready in under 30 minutes, this easy appetizer is perfect for holidays, parties, or casual entertaining.
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This baked feta recipe is an easy appetizer that always feels a little special. Creamy baked feta, briny olives, roasted red peppers, garlic, herbs, and a drizzle of honey come together in just 30 minutes for a crowd-pleasing dish that's perfect for entertaining.
Serve it with crostini, crusty bread, pita chips, or fresh veggies. If you love Mediterranean-inspired appetizers, be sure to try my whipped ricotta dip, halloumi skewers, or tomato galette next.
Why you'll love this recipe
- Warm, creamy, and full of flavor: Baked feta becomes irresistibly soft while olives, roasted red peppers, garlic, and herbs create a bold Mediterranean topping.
- Easy to make: Just layer the ingredients and bake for an impressive appetizer with minimal effort.
- Perfect for entertaining: Serve it with crostini, pita chips, or crusty bread for a shareable appetizer that's always the first to disappear.
- Easy to customize: Add sun-dried tomatoes, artichokes, fresh herbs, or your favorite olives to make it your own every time.
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Ingredients
- Block of feta cheese. I prefer feta packed in brine for the creamiest texture and best flavor, but any block of feta works well.
- Pitted olives. A mix of Kalamata and green olives adds the perfect balance of briny, salty flavor, but use your favorite variety.
- Roasted red peppers. Jarred roasted red peppers make this recipe quick and easy while adding a touch of sweetness. I love the pre-sliced ones for easy assembly.
- Extra virgin olive oil. Infuses the feta with rich flavor and creates the delicious herb and garlic mixture.
- Honey. Adds just the right touch of sweetness to balance the salty feta and olives.
- Garlic. Fresh minced garlic gives the best flavor as it bakes into the olive oil.
- Dried herbs. Basil, oregano, rosemary, and thyme add classic Mediterranean flavor. Fresh herbs work just as well: use about twice as much as dried.
- Fresh parsley. A sprinkle of chopped parsley adds fresh color and brightness before serving.
- Crusty bread or baguette. Perfect for scooping up every bit of the warm, creamy feta and flavorful olive oil. For another easy appetizer to serve with it, try my baked Boursin cheese or whipped ricotta dip.
See the recipe card at the end for the full list of ingredients with the quantities.
Variations
| Add artichokes | Stir in marinated artichoke hearts before baking for even more Mediterranean flavor. |
| Make it spicy | Add crushed red pepper flakes or Calabrian chiles for a little heat. |
| Swap the peppers | Use oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes instead of roasted red peppers for a richer flavor. |
How to make Baked Feta
- Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350°. Grease a baking dish with olive oil, then add feta to the center, and arrange olives and red peppers around the outside.
- Step 2: Whisk together olive oil, honey, minced or pressed garlic, and dried thyme, rosemary, basil and oregano until well combined.
- Step 3: Pour mixture over the feta, olives, and peppers, and season with salt and pepper.
- Step 4: Bake for 20 minutes, until feta is soft and spreadable, and olives and peppers are lightly caramelized.
Expert Tips
- Use feta packed in brine: It bakes up creamier and has the best tangy flavor. It also makes the best spinach feta pizza!
- Serve it warm: Pair with crusty bread, crostini, pita, or your favorite crackers for easy dipping.
- Don't waste the leftovers: Toss the warmed feta with cooked pasta and a splash of pasta water for an easy meal, or add it to my Greek-inspired Greek yogurt chicken salad.
Easy Baked Feta Recipe FAQs
When feta is baked, it softens and becomes warm and creamy without completely melting like mozzarella or cheddar. It holds its shape and develops a rich, spreadable texture that's perfect for scooping onto crusty bread, crackers, or pita.
Yes! Feta is one of the best cheeses for baking because it softens and becomes creamy while still holding its shape. Its tangy, salty flavor mellows slightly in the oven, making it perfect for dips, appetizers, pasta dishes, and Mediterranean-inspired recipes.
If you tried this Easy Baked Feta with Olives and Roasted Red Peppers or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. Thanks for visiting today!
Easy Baked Feta Recipe
Equipment
- 9x13" glass or ceramic baking dish
Ingredients
- 1 8 oz block of Feta cheese
- 1 cup pitted olives (Kalamata, green, or mixed)
- ¼ cup jarred roasted red peppers, sliced thinly
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- ½ teaspoon dried basil
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon dried rosemary
- ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
- kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
- chopped fresh parsley, for garnish
- crusty bread or baguette, for serving
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease baking dish with olive oil, and place the block of feta in the center of a baking dish.
- Add the olives and sliced peppers to the dish, arranging around the outside of the feta cheese.
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine the olive oil, minced garlic, honey and spices.
- Pour the mixture over the feta and olives/peppers.
- Season with kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste.
- Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes, uncovered.
- Optionally: Broil under your oven's broiler for 2-3 minutes, to form a golden crusty exterior to your feta. Be sure to use a broiler-safe pan for this step.
- Serve hot with crusty bread or baguette!
Sharon says
I love this quick appetizer for game nights with friends, or an easy party appetizer. It's so easy to make, and the briny olives and salty feta are perfect on baguette or crackers.