Baked feta with honey
A delicious way to serve this quintessential Greek cheese! A block of feta baked until softened and then drizzled with honey and topped with fresh mint and chili flakes. The combination of salty, sweet, minty and with a touch of heat is absolutely amazing.
When I was a kid, my Greek parents entertained all the time. When time was limited, their Greek hospitality shone through with easy recipes, many of which were made with feta – which was always available. They often made a super simple whipped feta dip recipe, offered an elegant feta and fig crostini, or popped baked feta wrapped in filo dough into the oven
This recipe for baked feta with honey was another staple, because it is so easy. All you need is some pita bread or slices of bread and the time to enjoy it!
Why you will love this recipe
Caramelized flavour
This is one of my favourite ways to serve up feta (to go along with about 20 other favourite ways to serve up feta). By baking it and then drizzling it with honey you get a nice caramelization during a short broil in the oven.
Soft and creamy texture
Although not a very melty cheese, feta gets beautifully soft and a little creamy when it warms up, making it perfect for spreading on pita, crackers or slices of baguette. You can also just scoop it up with a spoon and make no apologies!
So easy!
There is really nothing complicated about this recipe. All you need are your simple ingredients, and a bit of time in the oven. You can even prepare your bread or crackers while it bakes.
Key ingredients
Feta Always use Greek feta which is made with sheep milk or a combination of sheep and goat milk. The flavour and texture cannot be beat. A rectangular piece of feta, about 1/2 inch to 1 inch thick, is perfect for this recipe.
Olive oil You only need a bit of olive oil to brush onto your feta and to oil your pan, but use Greek olive oil which has a floral and deep flavour.
Honey The sweetness in this dish comes from the honey. I always use either Greek honey or locally made honey. Be mindful about purchasing a brand you can trust, to be sure that your honey is pure (without sugar or corn syrup).
Mint Fresh mint, finely chopped, is such a great addition here. The combination of mint and feta is actually really popular in Greek cooking, and with good reason.
Chili flakes I love a bit of heat in appetizers that combine feta and honey. You can add as much, or as little as you like.
How to make it
Preparation
- Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit
- Pat your feta dry with a clean paper towel.
- Grease your baking pan with a bit of olive oil.
Instructions
Step 1
Place your feta in the center of your baking pan and brush the top lightly with oil. Place in middle rack of your oven and bake for about 10 minutes.
Step 2
Carefully remove the pan from the oven and turn your oven to Broil. If there is a lot of liquid on the bottom of your pan soak it up carefully using paper towels (be careful, the pan is hot). Drizzle the top of your feta with enough honey to cover the surface completely.
Step 3
Return your pan to the oven and broil it for approximately 5 minutes, or until the parts of your feta are golden brown and caramelized. Check on your feta every 2 minutes or so because every oven is different and you don’t want your cheese to burn.
Step 4
Remove the feta from the oven and drizzle with some additional honey. Add the chopped mint and chili flakes and serve immediately with pita bread, crackers, or sliced bread.
Recipe tips and helpful hints
Choose the best feta
The best feta is a Greek feta. Greek feta is made with sheep or goat milk, or a combination of the two. It is a far superior product than feta made with cow’s milk. Try to purchase Greek feta, even it if means you have to order it online.
Add as much chili flakes as you like
I love to add chili flakes to my food, and especially like how it pairs with feta. You may have noticed this combination in my recipe for fried phyllo wrapped feta. The nice thing about the chili flakes is that you can add as much or as little as you like, and you can even add the chili flakes to only one part of the feta. That way, anyone eating it has the option to have the heat, or not.
Recipe variations
Baking feta can almost be seen as a blank canvas, to which you can add a variety of ingredients. Another variation to this recipe would be to top your feta with olives and oranges, like I do in my recipe for baked feta with orange and olives.
Recipe substitutions
Use maple syrup instead of honey
This would be another great way to make this recipe. The maple syrup will add sweetness, a maple flavour, and will also caramelize when broiled.
Substitute the mint with another fresh herb
The mint here is phenomenal. The mint and cheese combination reminds me of the kalitsounia I had in Crete where some of the little fried cheese pies had mint mixed into them. Perhaps that is what inspired my parents to top their baked feta with honey with some finely chopped fresh mint. Whatever the reason, it is a delicious result.
Still if you prefer not to use mint you can substitute it with fresh thyme – that would also be pretty lovely.
Use dry mint
Although fresh mint is great, you can also use dry mint. You will need about 1/2 the amount of dry mint because the flavour tends to be more pronounced.
Storing and reheating
This appetizer is best served immediately after it is made.
Frequently asked questions about baked feta with honey
Will my feta melt if I bake it for too long?
True Greek feta, made with sheep or a combination of sheep and goat milk, will not really melt. It will get soft and very spreadable but it will not melt to the point where it loses its shape entirely.
Will my cheese and honey burn if I broil it for too long?
The potential for this happening is there! Every oven is different which is why I advise you to keep a close eye on your dish when you are broiling it. It can go from caramelized to burnt pretty quickly.
Related recipes
If you love recipes with feta, I think you will love these:
Kalitsounia A traditional Greek cheese pie filled with a creamy feta and ricotta filling.
Sesame coated fried feta with honey and walnuts Easy, and so delicious. The textures here are wonderful.
Baked feta with honey
Ingredients
- 7 ounces Greek feta piece should be of uniform width
- 1 tsp olive oil, plus more for oiling the pan
- 2 tbsp honey plus more for drizzling
- 1/4 tsp red chili flakes or to taste
- 1/4 tsp fresh mint, chopped
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Pat your feta as dry as possible. Lightly oil the entire base of your small casserole dish, or any oven-safe baking pan.7 ounces Greek feta
- Place your feta in the middle of your baking dish, and lightly brush the top of your feta with about 1 teaspoon of olive oil.1 tsp olive oil, plus more for oiling the pan
- Bake on the center rack of your oven until the feta is warm and soft around 10 minutes. Your feta will not melt.
- Remove the feta from the oven. If there is a lot of liquid on the bottom of your pan soak it up carefully with a paper towel. Careful not to burn yourself.
- Set your oven to broil.
- Drizzle enough honey to cover the entire top of the feta. You will likely need at least two tablespoons of honey. Place back in the oven. Broil for about 5 minutes, checking it every couple of minutes. (Every oven is different, so watch your cheese carefully). Your edges of the feta, and part of the top, will become nice and golden.2 tbsp honey
- Remove your baking pan from the oven and drizzle the top of your feta with some additional honey. Add the red chili flakes and chopped up mint.1/4 tsp red chili flakes, 1/4 tsp fresh mint, chopped
- Serve immediately with some fresh bread and enjoy! Keep in mind, that the serving pan is very hot.
Notes
Nutrition
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This looks truly delicious! Perfect for a party!
It is!! Thanks Dorothy! 🙂
OMG!!! made this baked feta with honey as a snack. It was absolutely beyond fantastically delicious❣❣❣❣ The mint and the chili flakes complimented this dish with extraordinary flavor❣❣❣❣ I used stale tsoureki bread and was a great choice. Couldn’t stop eating it, so I added some of this into my 2 beaten eggs for a spectacular Greek Omelet (talk about Heavenly)❣❣❣❣ ABSOLUTELY SOOO WORTH MAKING THIS DISH!! Will definitely be making this more often. Thanks again.
This has made us to happy Konstatina!!! Thank you for trying our recipe and for taking the time to comment! We are thrilled that you loved it so! Enjoy your day and hope you find much more to love here with us 🙂 xoxo Helen & Billie