Baked Feta Recipe with Marinated Olives
This baked feta recipe is warm, creamy, and topped with herby marinated olives. It is an easy Greek-style appetizer served with crisp toasted ciabatta.
Ingredients
For Olive Marinate
- 80 ml extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 tablespoon fennel seeds crushed
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 20 g chopped fresh parsley
- 6 fresh basil leaves chopped
- 1 orange slice finely diced
- 4 cloves garlic crushed
- 200 g pitted green olives drained
- 200 g pitted black olives drained
For Baked Feta Cheese
- 200 g feta cheese
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- Toasted ciabatta slices for serving
Instructions
- In a bowl, combine 80 ml extra virgin olive oil, 1 tbsp red wine vinegar, 1 tsp dried oregano, 1 tbsp fennel seeds, 1 tsp dried thyme, and 1 tbsp paprika. Stir in 20 g chopped fresh parsley, 6 fresh basil leaves, chopped, 1 orange slice, finely diced, and 4 cloves garlic , crushed, until well combined.
- Add 200 g pitted green olives and 200 g pitted black olives to the marinade. Toss well until evenly coated, then cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.
- Preheat the oven to 390°F / 200°C (355°F convection / 180°C fan). Place 200 g feta cheese on a parchment-lined baking dish and drizzle with 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil. Sprinkle with ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper, ½ tsp red pepper flakes, and ½ tsp dried thyme. Bake for 15–20 minutes until soft and lightly golden on top.
- Transfer the warm baked feta to a serving platter and spoon the marinated olives around it. Serve immediately with toasted ciabatta slices.
Notes
Crush the Fennel Seeds Fresh: I like to crush the fennel seeds right before mixing the marinade because the flavor becomes much more fragrant and noticeable.
Let the Olives Marinate Longer: The olive mixture tastes even better after sitting overnight, giving the herbs, garlic, and orange time to blend together.
Do Not Overbake the Feta: I remove the feta once it softens and turns lightly golden so it stays creamy instead of becoming dry.
Serve with Warm Bread: Toasting the ciabatta right before serving makes the contrast between the crisp bread and warm feta much better.
Nutrition
Calories: 240kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 18g | Cholesterol: 0.1mg | Sodium: 1049mg | Potassium: 117mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 1225IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 69mg | Iron: 1mg
