Mediterranean Baked Feta With Tomatoes and Olives
Norma Kelly
Baked Feta With Tomatoes
A warm block of feta baked under cherry tomatoes, Kalamata olives, red onion, garlic, oregano, and parsley, served immediately with pita or crisp flatbread.
Nutrition (per serving)
This baked feta is the kind of appetizer that asks very little from the cook and gives back something warm, salty, and bright. A block of feta softens in the oven while cherry tomatoes slump, olives release their briny edge, and the onion and garlic mellow just enough.
The dish is best served straight from the baking dish, before the feta firms back up. It will not melt into a sauce; instead, it becomes spoonable and creamy at the edges, ready to be scooped with pita, crackers, crostini, or torn flatbread.
Use a sturdy block of feta packed in brine rather than pre-crumbled cheese. The block holds its shape during baking and gives you a better contrast between the soft cheese and the juicy tomato topping.
The amounts are flexible. More tomatoes make the dish saucier, extra parsley keeps it fresh, and a final turn of black pepper is usually all the seasoning needed because feta and olives already bring plenty of salt.
Ingredients
- Cherry Tomatoes, halved:1 cup
- Kalamata Olives, pitted and chopped:1/3 cup
- Garlic, minced:1 clove
- Red Onion, thinly sliced:1/4 cup
- Fresh Flat-Leaf Parsley, finely chopped:2 tablespoons
- Dried Oregano:1 teaspoon
- Extra-Virgin Olive Oil:1 teaspoon
- Freshly Ground Black Pepper:to taste
- Feta Cheese, in one block:8 ounces
- Pita, crackers, crostini, or flatbread, for serving:as needed
Instructions
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Heat the oven to 400°F and choose a small ovenproof baking dish that holds the feta snugly.
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In a bowl, combine the cherry tomatoes, Kalamata olives, garlic, red onion, 1 tablespoon of the parsley, oregano, olive oil, and a few grinds of black pepper.
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Set the feta block in the center of the baking dish and spoon the tomato mixture over the top, letting some of it fall around the sides.
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Bake for 15 minutes, until the tomatoes look juicy and slightly collapsed and the feta is warmed through and soft at the edges.
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Remove the dish from the oven and let it stand for 1 minute so the bubbling juices settle without cooling the cheese too much.
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Scatter the remaining 1 tablespoon parsley over the top and add another small grind of black pepper if desired.
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Serve immediately with pita, crackers, crostini, or flatbread, scooping some softened feta and tomato-olive topping onto each piece.
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If the feta firms up before serving is finished, return the dish to the warm oven for 3 to 5 minutes to soften it again.
Tips & Notes
- For a grill version, place the feta on a doubled sheet of foil, pile the tomato mixture on top, fold the edges into a shallow packet, and grill over medium-high heat for about 15 minutes.
- Do not add salt before baking; feta and Kalamata olives usually provide enough.
- If your tomatoes are very small, leave some whole so the topping keeps a mix of juicy and intact pieces.
