A quick, easy baked feta appetizer bursting with bright Mediterranean flavors. Creamy, briny feta roasts with sweet cherry tomatoes, savory olives, tangy lemon, garlic and fresh herbs—serve it hot from the oven with crusty bread for dipping.
This recipe is a flexible template: swap seasonal vegetables, fruits, herbs or spices to make it your own baked feta flavor adventure.
Why this Baked Feta Works
- Roasting tomatoes: Roasting cherry tomatoes concentrates their sweetness and amplifies their flavor.
- All the flavors: Creamy, salty feta pairs beautifully with sweet tomatoes, rich olives, bright lemon, garlic and fresh herbs.
- Versatile: Swap toppings seasonally—try roasted peppers, figs, grapes, or citrus for different profiles.
- Low maintenance, highly impressive: An easy oven-baked dish that feels special enough for guests but simple enough for weeknights.
The recipe scales easily—double or halve as needed.
How to Make this Recipe
Place one or two blocks of feta in a baking dish and surround them with cherry tomatoes, olives, lemon zest and juice, garlic and fresh herbs. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and bake until the tomatoes blister and the feta warms and softens.
No advanced techniques required—the measurements are intentionally flexible so you can add as many tomatoes or olives as you like. If you prefer a dairy-free version, omit the feta and roast the other ingredients the same way.
Motto all summer long: all the colorful tomatoes all the time!
Note: The stems on cherry tomatoes are left for presentation—remove them if you prefer.
Baked Feta Topping Variations
Feta: swap for halloumi if you like a firmer cheese.
Tomatoes: no cherry tomatoes? Use diced larger tomatoes or substitute sun-dried tomatoes, roasted peppers, onions, grapes, figs or citrus segments.
Herbs: try thyme, parsley, dill or a mix of fresh herbs.
Spices: experiment with cumin, smoked paprika, chili flakes or cayenne to change the flavor.
Winter version: Swap summer tomatoes for citrus segments like blood orange, add olives and fresh dill for a bright, seasonal twist.
Cook’s Tips
- Storage: Store baked feta and the infused oil in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3–4 days.
- Serving suggestion: Serve warm with toasted bread, pita or crackers for scooping.
- Make it your own: Infuse the oil with herbs or spices before drizzling—this dish is perfect for experimenting.
More Tomato Recipes
For additional tomato ideas, explore guides and seasonal recipes for using colorful tomatoes in many preparations.
- Tomato Confit — low-and-slow roasted cherry tomatoes in olive oil until jammy and umami-rich.
- Tomato Galette — a savory galette with juicy tomatoes and creamy cheese.
- Tomato Watermelon Salad — a refreshing summer salad balancing sweet, salty and tangy flavors.
- Gazpacho — a chilled tomato soup made vibrant with seasonal fruit additions.
- Tomato Puff Pastry Tart — flaky pastry with lemony ricotta and ripe tomatoes.
- Cherry Tomato & Burrata Pasta — roasted tomatoes and creamy burrata create a comforting summer pasta.
- Tomato Tart — mustard-laced crème fraîche, ripe tomatoes and flaky butter crust.
If you try this recipe, please leave a comment to share how it turned out. Keep exploring seasonal recipes and colorful produce guides to inspire kitchen creativity.
Let’s make waves in the kitchen.
Baked Feta
Ingredients
- 10.5 oz Greek feta
- 2-3 cups cherry tomatoes stemmed or left on the vine
- 1 cup olives
- 1 zest & juice lemon
- 2-3 cloves garlic thinly sliced
- 2-3 sprigs basil
- 2-3 sprigs oregano
- 1/2-1 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon chili flakes
- kosher salt to taste
- pepper to taste
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 400°F.
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Place the feta blocks in a baking dish.
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Scatter the cherry tomatoes and olives around and over the feta. If space is tight, layer tomatoes and olives—double layering is fine.
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Add lemon zest, garlic slices and fresh herbs.
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Whisk olive oil with lemon juice and drizzle evenly over the dish.
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Sprinkle with chili flakes, salt and black pepper.
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Bake 20–30 minutes, until the feta is soft and tomatoes are blistered and juicy.
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Serve warm with crusty bread for scooping.
Notes
- Storage: Baked feta and the olive oil will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3–4 days.
- Serving suggestion: Serve warm with toasted bread, pita chips, or crackers for dipping.
- Make it your own: Flavor the oil with your favorite herbs and spices—this recipe is meant for you to get playful and experiment.
Did you make this recipe? Please share and tag @danielagerson! I’d love to see your version.