If you’re only crumbling feta cheese on top of dishes, you’re missing out on its ability to shine on its own. So, it’s worth transforming a regular block of feta cheese into a batch of marinated feta that your taste buds will love. Cubes of feta cheese sit in a flavored oil mixture until it’s soaked up all of the delicious savory flavors. This cheese is great to enjoy as a condiment or appetizer, especially for a holiday food spread. Even better, marinated feta takes just five minutes to prep before chilling in the fridge. Read on to learn more about this cheesy favorite and an easy recipe to recreate soon!
The ingredients in marinated feta
While there are many variations of marinated feta, it’s often made with Greek feta cheese, olive oil, herbs, like rosemary and thyme and lemon juice. These ingredients are placed in a mason jar, which is sealed and refrigerated at least overnight. The small holes in the feta soak up the oil and seasonings, allowing the salty cheese to also become herby and tangy.
Delicious ways to enjoy marinated feta cheese
Once your feta is fully marinated, you can eat it in a number of ways. The easiest way is to serve it with toasted bread or pita chips as a snack. It’s also a great addition to a charcuterie board or antipasti platter. If you’re keen on using it as a condiment, place it on top of salads or serve it with roasted meats or vegetables.
The ideas for enjoying marinated feta are seemingly endless but they don’t stop there. You can use the leftover oil in the jar for salad dressings, drizzling over cooked dishes, marinades or to simply dip bread into.
A tasty and easy marinated feta recipe
This marinated feta recipe comes from blogger Nicole Modic (@kalejunkie). It’s important to use a block of feta cheese like Président Feta Chunk instead of the crumbled kind so you can slice it into chunks and create bite-sized pieces of marinated cheese. The recipe also includes green onions and garlic for a sweet, pungent flavor. Plus, crushed red pepper flakes add a bold kick to this marinated feta–feel free to add as much or as little as you like. Don’t be surprised if the entire jar of this flavor-packed feta is devoured quickly!
Marinated Feta
Ingredients:
- 1 (8 oz.) block feta cheese (preferably Greek feta), drained if necessary
- 2 lemon, 1 sliced + the other cut in half to squeeze on top
- 4 green onions, sliced thin
- 3 garlic cloves, mashed
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- Crushed red pepper flakes, to taste
- ¾ cup to 1 cup extra virgin olive oil
- Freshly cracked black pepper
Directions:
- Active: 5 mins
- Total time: 5 mins + overnight rest time
- Yield: 8 servings
- Place feta on clean cutting board and cut into small, bite-size squares.
- Add to jar, along with lemon slices, green onion, garlic, thyme, and red pepper flakes. Squeeze ½ lemon on top, add any remaining feta. Top with red pepper flakes, then cover with olive oil.
- Seal tight and let marinate in refrigerator overnight. Serve as desired.
- Note: The marinated feta will last in the fridge for up to 3 weeks if the feta is covered in oil at all times. After the feta has been eaten, use the leftover flavored oil as you would plain oil.
