Herb marinated feta

Herb marinated feta

Greek feta marinating in a herb, lemon and chili pepper infused olive oil

Feta is the king of cheeses, in our opinion.  It is perhaps the best known Greek cheese and is so loved that it finds its way into so many recipes.  Whether it is used to fill kalitsounia, or covered in sesame seeds and fried, or added to an amazing Greek salad, feta makes everything betta! 🙂 Growing up, a breakfast, lunch and dinner were never complete if there wasn’t an oval shaped bowl holding pieces of feta available. It didn’t really matter what was being served; the general consensus was that feta goes with everything.

When our parents hosted parties and gatherings, and felt like they wanted to be a little fancy, the offered feta would be drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with dried oregano, straight from Greece.  What a beautiful and simple combination.  Memories of feta served this way are what inspired us to develop this recipe for herb marinated feta.  Here, the olive oil is infused with fresh herbs, including oregano, along with some other stuff, and the feta soaks in it for a few hours.  The feta flavour is enhanced, but not overpowered.  Serve this herb marinated feta with some fresh bread, use it to top a salad, or as part of a lovely meze platter.  Or just pop the cubed pieces into your mouth as if they were popcorn.  We won’t tell.
Herb marinated feta
Helpful hints
Truth is, although there are many ways to enjoy this herb marinated feta, mixing it in with something else like a salad will make the herb flavour less pronounced.
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We call this an herb marinated feta but the truth is there is more than just herbs going on.  Lemon peel, peppercorns and hot peppers all add to the complexity of the marinade.
Just as you want to be sure to use the best quality Greek feta for this recipe, you should also seek out the best olive oil.  We find it preferable to source out smaller distributors of olive oil that you can trust and that you know will offer a quality product.
Herb marinated feta
Using pretty jars and decorating them nicely means that you can easily gift this herb marinated olive oil to anyone who likes to eat. This could make a lovely end of school year teacher’s gift, a hostess gift, or a gift to yourself…because you’re awesome, and you deserve it.
Herb marinated feta
Looking for other delicious ways with feta?  We’ve got you covered. Check out these recipes:
Tyrokafteri  (spicy feta spread)
Warm feta packages
Grilled watermelon and feta salad
Herb marinated feta
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Herb marinated feta

Herb marinated feta

Greek feta marinated in herb infused olive oil with lemon and chili pepper
5 from 2 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Appetizer, meze, Side Dish
Cuisine: Greek
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Cooling time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Author: Mia Kouppa

Ingredients

  • 1/4 pound Greek feta
  • 1 cup (250 mL) olive oil
  • 1 sprig fresh rosemary
  • 2 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 4 chives
  • 1 sprig fresh oregano
  • 1/4 tsp peppercorns
  • peel of half a lemon
  • 1 dried hot pepper or 1/4 teaspoon dry chili flakes

Instructions

  • In a small sauce pot combine the olive oil, the fresh herbs, the lemon peel and the peppercorns. Crush your dried hot pepper so that some of the seeds are exposed and add the hot pepper and seeds to the olive oil mixture as well.
  • Heat over medium heat until the oil starts to sizzle. Remove from the heat and pour all of the contents of your pot into a glass measuring cup or a bowl to cool.
  • Meanwhile, cut your feta into cubes, approximately the size of playing dice.
  • Choose a jar which is large enough to hold all of the feta and the olive oil and herb mixture.
  • Once the olive oil has cooled, add half your cubed feta to the jar and add in the herbs, peppercorns, lemon peel and hot pepper. Add the rest of the feta and then pour in the olive oil. Your feta should all be covered by oil. If it is not, simply top up your jar with some extra olive oil.
  • Cover your jar or bowl well and place in the refrigerator. Your marinated feta is best either a few hours later, or the next day.
  • Enjoy!

Notes

You may find that the olive oil solidifies somewhat after being in the refrigerator.  It is best to bring your jar to room temperature before serving.
When your feta is done, use the infused oil in your cooking, salad dressing, or to drizzle over toast for breakfast. 
 

Thanks for sharing!

6 Comments

  1. popsiclesociety says:

    Wow, delicious 😋

    1. miakouppa says:

      Thank you so much 🙂

  2. a little Swiss, a little Canadian says:

    Beautiful! 😍😋

    1. miakouppa says:

      Thank you so much 🙂

  3. Nick @ GreekBoston.com says:

    Greek feta is certainly delicious on its own. However, it tastes even better when it’s marinated! Lemon and feta are natural complements and this recipe is delicious!

    1. miakouppa says:

      Thanks Nick! Yes, lemon and feta are a winning combination; add the herbs and you’ve got an amazing flavour profile 🙂

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