Baked Feta with Tomatoes & Olives

This baked feta “mezze” is full of vibrant flavors and perfect when you want to throw something simple together as an appetizer or snack.

Inspiration:

This baked feta “mezze” is full of vibrant flavors and perfect when you want to throw something simple together. All you have to do is preheat the oven, toss everything in a baking dish and wait 40 minutes. Red and orange peppers are on the sweet side so they pair well with the salty feta, tangy tomatoes, and briny olives. Serve with crackers or pita slices and it’s guaranteed to be a favorite.

Ingredients:

Serves 4

1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
1 red bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced
½ medium red onion, thinly sliced
1 cup kalamata olives, pitted and halved
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon oregano or thyme (fresh is best!)
 ¼ cup olive oil
8 ounce block feta cheese, patted dry
¼ teaspoon red chili flakes
Salt and pepper
Handful of fresh herbs (mint, parsley, oregano or thyme - whatever you have on hand) Crackers for serving

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Toss the tomatoes, bell peppers, onions, olives, garlic and herbs with the olive oil in a 9 x 9 oven-safe dish. Season with a pinch of salt and a few grinds of pepper. Nestle the feta in the middle and sprinkle with the chili flakes. Add a drizzle of olive oil on top of the feta cheese.

Bake for 30 minutes, until the cherry tomatoes burst and the feta cheese softens & starts to look golden on top. Remove from the oven and garnish with fresh herbs. Serve warm with crackers or pita slices.

A few notes:

Be sure to use a small baking dish so the tomatoes and veggies cook down and get nice and juicy.

Since the feta is the main event here, purchase a quality block to really make this dish shine. It will be worth it. Crumbled feta, is too dry and will not work.

You can also substitute jarred roasted peppers or experiment with different veggies that you have on hand. 

Feeling fancy? Have leftovers? Consider tossing with your favorite pasta, mixing with a whole grain, adding to an egg scramble, or topping your pizza.