Baked Feta with Cherry Tomatoes and Olives

This baked feta with cherry tomatoes and olives, tossed with olive oil, herbs and various seasoning, is bursting with juicy and cheesy flavors. It makes an easy appetizer to serve with slices of bread, and a delicious creamy sauce to make baked feta pasta.

Here’s a recipe I’ve been making on repeat over the last few months. Baked feta became a popular food trend after it went viral on TikTok, and there is a reason for it. With just a handful of ingredients, no cooking skills and basically no effort, baked feta makes a great comforting dish for any occasion. I like it for brunch with toasted bread, as a shared appetizer with crackers, or with pasta for a quick dinner on a busy week night.

What is baked feta?

Baked feta is a simple recipe made by oven roasting a block of feta cheese with cherry tomatoes and/or olives. The ingredients are simply tossed together in olive oil with herbs, garlic and other seasonings, and baked until tomatoes burst and release their juice, and the feta becomes soft and creamy. You can serve it as an appetizer, a pasta sauce, or as a side to any dish of your choice.

The ingredients you need

The recipe I’m sharing with you is somehow a premium version of baked feta, with all the add-ins to make it extra delicious. But depending on the occasion or the ingredients you have at hands, you can tweak the recipe in so many different ways. Here’s what you need to make baked feta:

• Cherry tomatoes (or olives, if you want to go for an olive version).
• Garlic slices
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Herbs (fresh and/or dried): oregano, thyme, basil…
• Salt and freshly ground pepper.
• For the premium version as shown in the photos, consider using both cherry tomatoes AND olives (green olives, kalamata olives), garlic AND shallots, pine nuts… and all the other ingredients (olive oil, herbs, salt and freshly ground pepper).

How to make baked feta?

Whether you go for a simple or the premium version as described above, baked feta remains an incredibly easy dish to prepare, in just 3 steps:

1. Place the feta cheese in the center of a baking dish that is safe for the oven, and surround with cherry tomatoes, olives, garlic and shallots.
2. In a small bowl, combine the olive oil with the herbs, and pour over the dish, tossing well. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
3. Bake until the tomatoes become juicy and the feta soft and creamy, tossing as necessary. Top with toasted pine nuts, and serve immediately.

Serving suggestions

I like to serve baked feta for breakfast or brunch, as a side for scrambled eggs, and with large slices of homemade no-knead bread to dip into the juicy and cheesy mixture. This combo is just amazing! You can also serve it as an appetizer, alongside with crackers. Then of course, and that’s how the recipe went viral on TikTok (and took the popular name of TikTok pasta), you can use it as a pasta sauce for a quick weeknight dinner.

Recipe variations

• Use cherry tomatoes only, or olives only.
• Skip shallots or replace them with ½ red onion, sliced.
• Play with various herbs and topping ideas. Fresh basil, thyme, rosemary, walnuts, pine nuts, are all possible options to consider for this baked feta recipe.
• Use a block of fresh goat cheese instead of feta for a quick variation.
• Add a drizzle of honey before serving to play with sweet and savory flavors.

You can also make the recipe on the stovetop over medium heat, covering with a glass lid until cherry tomatoes burst and become juicy. Although I personally prefer the oven version, this is a great option to consider for busy days, as it cooks much faster.

More Mediterranean-inspired recipes:

• Mediterranean Chickpea Zoodles
• Whole Wheat Mediterranean Pizza Star Ring
• Mediterranean Vegetable Quiche with Feta Cheese
• Mediterranean Chickpea Couscous Salad

Other dips and appetizer ideas:

• Harissa Cauliflower Walnut Dip
• How To Make a Perfect Cheese Board
• Tarte Soleil Appetizer

Baked Feta with Cherry Tomatoes and Olives

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• Author: Delphine Fortin
• Prep Time: 5 mins
• Cook Time: 30 mins
• Total Time: 35 minutes
• Yield: 8 servings 1x
• Category: Appetizer
• Diet: Vegetarian

This baked feta with cherry tomatoes and olives, tossed with olive oil, herbs and various seasoning, is bursting with juicy and cheesy flavors. It makes an easy appetizer to serve with slices of bread, and a delicious creamy sauce to make baked feta pasta.

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

For the baked feta:

• 1 6-ounces (170g) block feta, drained
• 1 lb (450g) cherry tomatoes*
• 3.5 ounces (100g) green and kalamata olives, pitted*
• 4 cloves garlic, sliced
• 3 to 4 small shallots, halved or quartered depending on size
• ⅓ cup (80 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
• ½ lemon, freshly squeezed
• ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
• ½ teaspoon dried oregano
• A pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)
• Salt and freshly ground pepper

To serve:

• 3 Tablespoons pine nuts, toasted
• Fresh thyme/rosemary/basil leaves, chopped
• Slices of No-Knead Bread, lightly toasted and drizzled with olive oil

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Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
2. Place the feta in an oven-proof baking dish. Surround with cherry tomatoes, pitted olives, garlic and shallots.
3. In a small bowl, combine olive oil, lemon juice, herbs, red pepper flakes (if using), salt and pepper. Drizzle over the cherry tomatoes, olives and feta.
4. Bake for 30 minutes, or until the feta has softened and the cherry tomatoes started to burst**. Serve immediately with toasted bread and/or crackers, or as a sauce with pasta.

Notes

* You can also make a simple version with cherry tomatoes only, or with olives exclusively. This baked feta pasta is delicious served as a shareable appetizer, perfect as a side for a brunch with eggs, or to garnish some cooked pasta.

** To ensure you get blistered tomatoes, you can set the oven to broil at the end or turn the temperature to 430°F (220°C) during the last 3-5 minutes of cooking.

Appetizers, Cheese, Family-Friendly, Quick & Easy, Sides, Spring, Summer, Vegetarian

Did you make this recipe?

Lastly, if you make this Baked Feta with Cherry Tomatoes and Olives, be sure to leave a comment and give this recipe a rating, letting me know how you liked it. And of course, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Thank you and enjoy!