Baked Feta With Honey

Updated Nov. 9, 2023

Baked Feta With Honey
Christopher Testani for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.
Total Time
30 minutes
Rating
5(2,595)
Notes
Read community notes

A drizzle of honey and a blast of heat transform a standard block of crumbly feta into an unexpectedly luscious, creamy spread for pita and vegetables. This, with a hunk of crusty bread and a glass of chilled white wine, is the perfect warm weather supper. If you can't get your hands on thyme honey, the regular sort will do just fine.

Featured in: FOOD: THE WAY WE EAT; Olympic Dinners

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Ingredients

Yield:4 to 6 servings
  • 18-ounce block of feta, preferably Greek, blotted dry
  • Sprig of fresh thyme, optional
  • 2tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1tablespoon honey
  • Black pepper
  • Pita bread, toasted and cut into wedges
  • Heirloom tomatoes, roasted beets, nuts or pickled vegetables (optional)
Ingredient Substitution Guide

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Select a small oven-to-table earthenware dish or a small ovenproof sauté pan. Place the feta in the dish, top with thyme, if using, and cover with the olive oil. Bake until the cheese is soft and springy to the touch but not melted, about 8 minutes.

  2. Step 2

    Heat the broiler. Heat the honey in the microwave or over a pan of simmering water until it is fluid enough to be spread with a pastry brush, then paint the surface of the feta with it. Broil until the top of the cheese browns and just starts to bubble. Season to taste with black pepper. Serve immediately with pita wedges and, if desired, sliced heirloom tomatoes, roasted beets, nuts or pickled vegetables.

Ratings

5 out of 5
2,595 user ratings
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Cooking Notes

I've made this recipe twice now to rave reviews. One note: I'd suggest keeping an attentive eye on the honeyed cheese while broiling. I've had the honey flame quite spectacularly both times. Not a big deal if you remove it immediately but something to watch - and that small bit of extra care is well worth it for this delicious dish.

The first time I cooked this I accidentally microwaved the honey a little longer (to the point that it was bubbling). I still went ahead and used the honey to make this. It turned out absolutely divine! The second time I microwaved the honey to the point it was hot and easy to spread as the recipe says. I was somewhat disappointed. It tasted good but not anywhere near as good as the first time. From that I concluded that the first time the honey caramelised and almost burnt but made it better!!!

Try this with an added extra of sprinkling za'atar on top.
Another tip: to avoid the whole lot going up in flames underneath the broiler - or grill as we call it on the banks of the Thames - use a blow torch. That way you control the process.

Tried both French and Israeli feta. The Israeli cheese browned up nicely under the broiler, and kept its shape. The French rounded at the edges and didn't brown all that well. But I found the Israeli too salty. The French was creamy, sweet and wonderful. I put quartered peaches and split figs under the broiler with the cheese, drizzled with honey. Excellent!

Good w/ tomato wedges and halved figs. I usually choose French or Israeli feta over Greek, but I think you need the firm, dry, briney Greek for this high-heat preparation. The honey melted off of the cheese more than I liked, so next time I'll either score the top before broiling, or top with slices of fig or crushed walnuts, to hold the honey (they might crisp nicely under the broiler). Pan drippings were delicious on bread. I could imagine this with a drizzle of aged balsamic, too.

In Greece, we add a sprinkling of sesame seeds for an added touch.

This is a fantastic recipe. Easy but really transforms the feta into something so different from what you expect. We didn't have any thyme honey so just threw some scattered thyme on top at the very end--but did give it some broil time. Crisped it up a little and was just great.

The only worry I had after I made this was that my guests were going to destroy the serving dish trying to get this delicious appetizer out of it and into their mouths.

I used a ceramic gratin dish but and brushed with plain honey. Another user noted that one should watch the honey under the broiler closely - good advice because it browns quickly. I finished it after taking out of the oven with some chopped fresh thyme.

Delicious!

I didn't have all the equipment, but tinfoil wrapped up around the edge of the feta, placed on a ceramic plate, did just fine. Be careful about melting the honey - only 1 minute in the microwave, and you don't need a brush; a spoon will do. Broiling was ~4 minutes.

Absolutely divine. I am not a feta-fan (my boyfriend is), but both of us devoured this cheese. Sweet and savory. Great alone, with crackers, or on salad (we tried all 3). TBD how it is as leftovers.

10/10 recommend

Having read the comments, I didn't use olive oil. I baked the feta in a ceramic dish till soft, then poured honey over it and continued baking, rather than broiling. Then topped with fresh oregano (more Greek?) and pepper, and served with baguettes. Creamy, sweet, salty, herbal, warm; it was a hit with everyone aged 5 to 71. And so easy! So nice to have people for brunch as an excuse to make something like this--not the kind of thing one would generally make just for the family.

I cut pita into triangles and oiled with olive oil and put them in the oven with the feta on a separate sheetpan. Both done at the same time. I sprinkled zaatar on the pita chips. Then put the honeyed feta under the broiler for maybe 3 minutes. This is a great recipe.

Infused honey w/ fresh thyme -- let site for a day. Might use a tad less olive oil next time. Blotted feta on and off for 4 hours before making dish. Add a sprig of thyme on feta before serving. Lovely presentation served in earthenware dish. Served with baked pita triangles, sliced cucumbers & sliced tomatoes - all sprinkled with za'atar. Guests said it was one of the best appetizers ever! It's very easy to make and the tastes are so mouthwatering good. Will make again and again.

This could work for Passover to be used with Matzah.

This is surprisingly good. A note: include the tomatoes. The first time I made this I wondered, ‘why tomato’? When I tried it I realized. The second time around I roasted some heirloom cherry tomatoes in olive oil, salt, and pepper and served them alongside. Yum!

Easy and delicious. I cooked and served this in a mini cast iron skillet. I did not have Greek thyme honey, but mixed fresh thyme with regular honey and microwaved for 15 seconds before spreading on the feta and broiled for about 4 minutes. It may take a new place beside baked brie in my appetizer rotation!

Using sheep's milk feta yields the creamiest results.

I’ve made this a few times in my grandfather’s smallest cast iron pan and it’s always delicious. Served tonight with apple slices and red grapes, and it was the best yet.

Fabulous! Perfection!

delicious, quick and easy. all my favorite things. I would suggest not rushing it as I did this time. so good, could be better!

So yummy! Put jn a small cast iron, sprigs of thyme on top, more olive oil, more honey. Make sure to serve right out of the oven!

Delicious and a real show stopper!

I used some homemade habanero honey (soak a sliced chili in a cup of honey for a few weeks). I ate it on crackers, because I burned my baguette slices in the toaster. It was fantastic.

Delicious and gone in a matter of minutes. The teenagers loved it! We had a jar of pickled red onions that complemented this perfectly, and we ate it with all of the leftover fancy crackers from Christmas. Made it as an appetizer and I was too full for dinner afterward! (Teenagers weren't though. :) )

Made this last night for NYE for my husband and me. I was at the grocery store and saw the standard 8 oz. block of feta and a 16 oz. block, so I opted for the larger. Well, let's say we have a lot of leftovers because a little of this goes a long way. It's delicious and so simple. I didn't add the thyme, and it was still fantastic. The honey ends up sinking under the olive oil, so when serving/eating, make sure to dig down to get the honey. Definitely a quick and easy cocktail app.

For some reason, this did not work for me. The honey slid off and pooled in the pan. The feta got kind of hard rather than melting.

Lavender honey is wonderful in this recipe!

Great impromptu app! Quick, easy, affordable. Offered Stacy’s plain pita chips for dipping - a big hit!

This is a SHOWSTOPPER, so delicious and incredibly quick and easy to make.

Add cheese?

A hint if you find this too salty. When I lived in Istanbul in the mid 60s Turkish feta, identical to Greek, was a staple. Turkish friends taught me it's customary to pour off the brine and soak the cheese in either water or milk for a few days before serving. I prefer it around day 4, creamy and a bit softer but still lightly salty. Until feta became common in America I never had it any other way. Also, I agree with the reviewer who says Bulgarian feta is the best, though it's tough to find.

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Credits

Adapted from Sara Dickerman

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