This straightforward baked feta recipe with tomatoes makes right into a heat Greek-inspired appetizer in underneath 25 minutes. Scoop it up with crusty bread for a scrumptious snack!
Right here’s a recipe impressed by my journey to Greece a number of years in the past: I got here to like a sure baked feta appetizer. I had it ready in several methods however it was all the time scrumptious: melty, gooey feta in a tomato sauce, typically with onions or purple peppers, sprinkled with a number of herbs.
One server introduced it out to us and declared, “Feta within the oven!” and I discovered this was the English translation on most menus. Alex and I even recreated it a number of instances whereas in Greece within the kitchen of our rental dwelling. This baked feta is the model I make now at any time when buddies come over, and it disappears sooner than anything on the desk!
Why You’ll Love This Baked Feta Recipe
- It’s completely scrumptious. One of the best appetizers are sometimes the only. A block of feta goes right into a small dish with tomatoes, garlic, and olive oil, then bakes till it’s heat and melty: pure heaven!
- It’s impressed by an actual recipe in Greece. It’s not precisely what I had there, however it has an identical, carefree vibe!
- It’s straightforward to make: It comes collectively in underneath 25 minutes, most of it hands-off oven time, and it’s very versatile.
Components You’ll Want
Whereas in Greece, we baked the feta with massive contemporary tomatoes and it turned out superbly. We tried this at dwelling within the US, however the tomatoes got here out too watery. We switched to cherry tomatoes, which labored higher. Right here’s what you’ll want:
- Feta cheese: Use a strong block of feta, not the pre-crumbled type. I purchase feta packed in brine for the most effective texture and taste.
- Cherry tomatoes: That is my secret to a jammy, non-watery outcome.
- Garlic: This provides simply the precise savory taste.
- Olive oil: An excellent drizzle is important.
- Dried oregano: The traditional Greek herb right here. Contemporary oregano or thyme are good if in case you have them.
- Kalamata olives: Non-compulsory, however they add a briny punch.
The right way to Make Baked Feta
That is barely a recipe and extra of a technique; right here’s the essential method:
- Preheat and prep. Warmth the oven to 400°F. Halve the cherry tomatoes and toss them with a number of pinches of kosher salt whereas the oven comes as much as temperature.
- Place the elements in a small dish. In a small oven-proof dish, add the tomatoes, minced garlic, and olives. Place the block of feta within the center, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with oregano.
- Bake and serve. Bake for about 18 minutes, till the feta is heat and tender and the tomatoes are burst. Serve instantly.
For a tip: If you happen to’d like, you possibly can place the dish underneath a broiler for the final minute or two to get a frivolously golden shade to the highest of the feta.
Methods to Serve It
Baked feta is at its finest served heat proper from the oven with one thing to dip it, and some Mediterranean-style platters alongside. Right here’s what I’d advocate:
Taste Variations
- Honey baked feta: Drizzle heat honey over the feta simply earlier than serving for a sweet-and-salty distinction.
- Roasted purple peppers: Add sliced roasted purple peppers to the dish earlier than baking for additional sweetness and shade.
- Baked feta pasta: That is the viral recipe that took over the web! Make double the recipe (8 oz feta and a couple of pints tomatoes) with ¼ cup olive oil, then stir the entire softened combination right into a pound of scorching cooked pasta with a splash of pasta water.
Storage and Make-Forward
Baked feta is finest contemporary and heat. Leftovers maintain in a sealed container within the fridge for as much as 3 days: reheat gently in a 350°F oven. It’s also possible to assemble the entire dish forward, cowl it, and refrigerate for a number of hours earlier than baking: simply add a couple of minutes to the bake time.
Dietary Notes
This baked feta recipe is vegetarian and gluten-free.
Baked Feta with Tomatoes
This straightforward baked feta recipe with tomatoes makes right into a heat, creamy Greek-inspired appetizer in underneath 25 minutes. Scoop it up with crusty bread for a scrumptious snack!
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Prepare dinner Time: 18 minutes
- Whole Time: 23 minutes
- Yield: 4 as a small appetizer 1x
- Class: Appetizer
- Methodology: Baked
- Delicacies: Mediterranean
- Food regimen: Vegetarian
- 8 to 10 cherry tomatoes*
- 1 garlic clove
- 2 tablespoons contemporary parsley
- 10 Kalamata olives
- 4 to 5 ounce block of feta cheese
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- Kosher salt
- Preheat the oven to 400ºF.
- Slice the cherry tomatoes in half and add a number of pinches kosher salt. Finely mince the garlic. Chop the parsley.
- In a small oven-proof dish, place the tomatoes, garlic, parsley, and Kalamata olives, then high with the feta cheese. Drizzle with the olive oil and sprinkle with the dried oregano.
- Bake for about 18 minutes, till the feta cheese is heat and tender. Serve instantly with crackers, pita, or bread.
Notes
*Be aware that the portion measurement is a modest appetizer for 4. For a extra substantial portion, the recipe is well doubled.
