A few years ago, baked feta pasta was all anyone could talk about. (That’s the influence of viral TikTok recipes, y’all!) While there are hundreds of versions online now, the original recipe can be traced back to Finnish blogger Jenni Hayrinen. A few years ago, she launched National Uunifetapasta Day (Finnish for “oven-baked feta pasta”) with the aim to inspire everyone to cook baked feta pasta together on that day. And once the idea took off, “the stores actually ran out of feta cheese here,” Hayrinen told Today. So, of course, this inspired us to reimagine some of the best feta recipes and see how we can bring this classic salty cheese to life in different but just as delicious ways.
When choosing these feta recipes, we wanted to follow the same criteria as the baked feta pasta: simple ingredients, easy to make, and tastes delicious. Read on to learn which ones made the cut—and don’t forget to add feta to this week’s grocery list.
Featured image by Suruchi Avasthi.
15 Fet Recipes to Make, Stat
Feta Salad With White Beans and Lemon Relish
Why We Love It: The perfect protein-packed lunch, this salad has everything you could possibly want: creamy white beans, fresh and crunchy cucumber, and of course—those torn chunks of bread that soak up all the lemony goodness. Tossed with big salty blocks of feta, it’s truly a bowl that has it all.
Hero Ingredient: Yes, you can eat the lemon rind! Packed with plenty of vitamins, minerals, and fibers, it doesn’t simply benefit your health, but it also adds a punch of tart, acidic flavor to this salad. Toss the lemon relish on top with a heavy hand.
PHOTO: Processed with VSCO with a4 preset
Baked Feta
Why We Love It: Let me introduce our Food Editor, Suruchi Avasthi’s version of the baked feta recipe. This delicious appetizer can be served with a variety of fruits and veggies or on a charcuterie board like this. Sounds—and looks—like heaven, no?
Hero Ingredient: Capers bring their salty, briny flavor to the table (or board) for a perfect bite every time.
Watermelon Chopped Greek Salad
Why We Love It: Sweet, refreshing watermelon comes together with salty, rich feta to create a deliciously dynamic salad that’s perfect for a light lunch or as a side at dinner. This one checks all the boxes.
Hero Ingredient: I love the briny touch that a handful of kalamata olives add to this salad. Combined with the feta, the resulting salty punch perfectly balances out the watermelon’s sweet and juicy bite.
Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Whipped Feta and Hot Honey
Why We Love It: We have a soft spot for sweet potatoes here at Camille Styles. This creamy versatile vegetable can be cooked in so many different ways. (If you haven’t cooked Camille’s crispy roasted sweet potatoes, you’re missing out.) But it’s the feta that really sets this recipe apart. The cooking method is also unique, utilizing both steam and then a roast that yields a delicious char. Sign me up.
Hero Ingredient: Hot honey! Once again, honey enters the picture with all the sweet and spicy flavors you didn’t know you needed.
Mango, Avocado, & Feta Salad
Why We Love It: If you’ve never added mango to your salad, then you’re officially missing out. The touch of sweetness with the salty feta and creamy avocado is what salad dreams are made of. This recipe also has chopped pistachios for added crunch and mint for freshness. Yum!
Hero Ingredient: Pistachios bring a nice crunch to the top of this salad that pairs perfectly with the creaminess of the avocado and the softness of the mango. It’s truly a match made in heaven.
Pan-Fried Feta With Peppered Honey by Half Baked Harvest
Why We Love It: We can’t think of a better appetizer than salty feta cheese coated in Panko bread crumbs and pan-fried to golden perfection—can you? We’ll wait. Tieghan Gerard of Half Baked Harvest always knows how to combine healthy and hearty all rolled into one cozy, comforting meal.
Hero Ingredient: It’s hard to pick just one hero ingredient from this jam-packed recipe. But if we had to choose, it’d have to be the peppered honey. It seeps into the warm feta and creates the perfect salty, sweet, and peppery flavor in each bite.
Whipped Feta Dip with Honey by Fed + Fit
Why We Love It: Feta is typically something we think of as a topper, but this dip makes the classic ingredient the main event. With some added honey for sweetness, this dip is sure to be a hit with the whole family.
Hero Ingredient: For a pop of flavor and texture, sprinkle pomegranate seeds over the top of this dip and enjoy your new five-minute favorite.
Roasted Cherry Tomato and Whipped Feta Toast Points by Spoon Fork Bacon
Why We Love It: There are two things in life that will always be perfect partners: cheese and bread. These point toasts make great appetizers or healthy-ish snacks. Either way, they’re delicious, and we’re already eating them with our eyes.
Hero Ingredient: Roasted cherry tomatoes are the perfect bruschetta-esque topping to these toasts. They’re buttery, garlicky, thyme-y, and basically everything that I want on a savory toast.
Honey Whipped Feta With Garlic Herb Roasted Olives from Half Baked Harvest
Why We Love It: This honey whipped feta from Half Baked Harvest tastes amazing and is the easiest appetizer that will impress any dinner guest. Or, if that’s not your speed, whip this up for a quick afternoon snack and enjoy your simple-but-elegant spread.
Hero Ingredient: Olives roasted together with garlic, shallots, lemon, thyme, oregano, and chili flakes? Then sitting on top of creamy whipped feta? I mean, wow.
Baked Feta With Olives, Sopressata, and Thyme from The Defined Dish
Why We Love It: Creamy feta with salty olives and Sopressata is the perfect topping to crisp crostinis. Spread liberally. This dip is not only easy on the eyes—it will have everyone’s taste buds dancing.
Hero Ingredient: Orange zest livens up this otherwise indulgent spread for an unexpected-yet-appreciated zing. It’s the touch of freshness you’ll come to love.
Spinach and Feta Turkey Burgers from Eating Bird Food
Why We Love It: Talk about a turkey burger packed with flavor! The spinach and feta combination brings a delectable richness to this widely loved red-meat alternative entree.
Hero Ingredient: Avocado is a top-tier turkey burger topping.
Orzo Salad from Love and Lemons
Why We Love It: An orzo salad is the perfect way to incorporate a wide variety of fresh, healthy, and light ingredients all in one bowl. With chickpeas as protein, orzo as carbs, and tomatoes and cucumbers as your fruit and vegetable, this salad is balanced to a tee.
Hero Ingredient: Feta really brings this orzo salad together.
Greek Salad from Downshiftology
Why We Love It: What better way to incorporate feta than in an easy Greek salad? With only six ingredients, this simple salad should be your go-to for your next pool party or outdoor gathering.
Hero Ingredient: Black olives bring a sweet and fruity flavor to this salad.
Cucumber Salad with Fresh Dill & Mint from Minimalist Baker
Why We Love It: Cucumber salads are all the rage right now—and this recipe does the trend justice. It’s super simple, using only one bowl and seven ingredients. This creamy and crispy salad is one to add to your weekly menu.
Hero Ingredient: Fresh dill brings a bit of tang to this bowl.
Za’atar Roasted Carrots with Feta and Pumpkin Seeds from The Modern Proper
Why We Love It: Fall spices meet summer ingredients with these roasted carrots from The Modern Proper. The fresh herbs are complemented by creamy feta and crunchy pumpkin seeds. It’s the ultimate side to enjoy year-round.
Hero Ingredient: If you aren’t familiar with the unique flavor of za’atar spices, this recipe will change that.
This post was originally published on February 17, 2021, and has since been updated.