Bacon wrapped dates stuffed with feta (Τυλιχτοί χουρμάδες σε μπέικον και φέτα)
Medjool dates stuffed with feta flavoured with orange and mint, wrapped with bacon, and baked until perfect.
Greeks love mezes, little bite-sized (usually) appetizers that you can serve before a meal, or in place of a meal. It is not unusual to be served several platters of mezes, along with a lovely glass of ouzo or ouzo-infused cocktail, and be fully satisfied. The mezes are usually plenty, and they are so delicious that you are never wanting for a complete and formal meal. Common on the meze table are spanakopita, tyropita, meatballs (keftedes) and dips or spreads. Less common would be something like these dates, stuffed with feta enhanced with orange zest and mint, wrapped in bacon. These bite-size morsels of sweet, salt, savoury and awesomeness will definitely make you smile.
Key ingredients
Medjool dates The juiciest dates ever! These perfectly sweet, caramel flavoured dates are meaty, soft and perfect for stuffing. Their pit comes out easily too, which is an added bonus!
Feta Of course I only use Greek feta which is made with either sheep milk, or a combination of sheep and goat milk. Stay away from any feta labeled Greek-style. That is usually made with cow milk. If you want to learn more you can read all about Feta facts: Everything you need to know about Greek feta cheese and how to use it.
Orange rind I try to use organic oranges when I can if I will be using the rind. You don’t have to though. Just be sure you wash your oranges really well and stay way form any blemished parts of the peel.
Mint There are so many varieties of mint! I like to use fresh spearmint or Moroccan mint in this recipe.
Bacon Plain bacon strips work best here. They should not be thick cut because that makes wrapping the dates more difficult, and it will take longer to cook. I do not use flavoured bacon in this recipe, but you certainly can if you want to.
Recipe substitutions
Instead of feta you can use goat cheese or another soft cheese for the filling. A boursin would work well too.
Experiment with the flavours. You can use grated lemon or lime zest instead of orange and different types of herbs.
If you prefer to keep this recipe vegetarian, skip the bacon!
How to make these feta stuffed dates wrapped in bacon
Nothing could be easier than making these stuffed dates, which is why they are the perfect addition to a meze table!
Step 1
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Step 2
Combine the feta, orange rind and mint in a bowl and use a fork to mash everything together.
Step 3
Remove the pit from your dates using a paring knife. Make a slit along one side of the date and open it up using your hands. Add approximately 1/2 teaspoon of filling to each date using a small spoon.
Step 4
Cut your bacon strips in half lengthwise and then again in half crosswise. Place your date on top of the bacon strip, filling side down. Wrap the bacon around your date. You can add a second strip of bacon if you prefer.
Step 5
Place the bacon wrapped dates on your baking tray, filling side up and bake in the bottom rack of your oven for 15 minutes. Allow to cool for about 5 minutes before serving.
Helpful hints
It’s pretty essential to use the plump Medjool variety of dates for this recipe; these dates are large enough to make stuffing easy. It is uncommon to find Medjool dates which are already pitted, but that’s okay. It is very easy to remove the pit with a sharp paring knife. Directions for doing so, as well as a video link of pit-removal in action, are in the recipe itself.
Greek feta will always win out over other types of feta, so be sure to get the best quality Greek feta you can get your hands on for this recipe. A little goes a long way as you will not be stuffing each date with more than about a teaspoon of crumbled cheese.
Try to buy good quality bacon strips. They should be fatty, but not overly so. When you wrap your date in bacon, wrap it in such a way that the top (where the feta is) does not have the ends of the bacon; the date should sit on the two ends, to keep the whole thing together as it bakes.
Although delicious warm, hot cheese can really burn your mouth, so eat carefully. Be especially careful if you have little mouths that you are feeding. It is best to let cooked dates sit for about 5 minutes; they will still be warm, but will not be dangerously hot.
Related recipes
If you love these savoury stuffed dates, then I think you will also love these recipes:
Chocolate covered prunes with almonds
Dates stuffed with almond butter and coconut
Healthy banana bread with dates
Spinach salad with peaches and dates
Storing
These bacon wrapped dates stuffed with feta are best served soon after they are made. You can however assemble them in advance and back them just before serving.
If you happen to have leftovers, store them in the refrigerator and heat in the microwave or oven.
Recipe
Bacon wrapped dates stuffed with feta
Equipment
- paring knife
Ingredients
- 9 Medjool dates
- 2 tbsp finely crumbled Greek feta
- ¼ teaspoon grated orange rind
- ¼ teaspoon finely chopped mint
- 3-4 slices bacon
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 °F
- In a small bowl combine the crumbled feta, orange rind and chopped mint.2 tbsp finely crumbled Greek feta, ¼ teaspoon grated orange rind, ¼ teaspoon finely chopped mint
- Pit your dates by using a paring knife (or other small knife). Slice into the date, cutting towards the end of the date that has the stem. While you are cutting through the date, use your knife to push the pit out of the end of the date. See video here.9 Medjool dates
- With your pit removed, carefully make the slit large enough so that you can use a small spoon to stuff your dates. Place about 1/2 teaspoon of the feta mixture into each of the dates.
- Take a piece of bacon and cut it in half. Then, cut each half into half lengthwise.3-4 slices bacon
- Wrap each date with a piece of bacon, with the ends of the bacon strips meeting on the underside of the date. Meaning, when you place your dates on the parchment lined baking tray that you have ready, the feta will be visible on top, and the date will be sitting on the two ends of the bacon.
- Bake on the bottom rack of your oven for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes.
- Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
The date name is Medjool, also Canadian bacon is a very different thing in America, looks like a pork loin. Hard to trust a recipe with typos and questionable advice just fyi.
Hey Kate! Thanks for pointing this out! You’re right that Medjool is the more common spelling, and we appreciate catching that. Also, great point about Canadian bacon meaning different things in different places. In this recipe we mean regular sliced bacon sold in Canada (not back bacon / peameal style Canadian bacon that many Americans think of). We’ll clarify that in the post to avoid confusion. Thanks for the feedback!