This broiled feta Caprese recipe is your shortcut to a restaurant-worthy appetizer that’s equal parts salty, savory, and just sweet enough. Warmed in the oven and broiled until golden and bubbly, this feta is topped with honey and oregano and served with juicy tomatoes and toasty bread.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Broiled feta hits all the right notes: it’s creamy in the center, crispy around the edges, and bursting with flavor from garlic, herbs, and sweet honey. It’s an effortlessly elegant dish that’s ready in under 30 minutes. Whether you serve it as a snack, starter, or side, it always steals the show.
Growing up in California, with a family with an Italian background, I’ve made many variations of caprese salad. One of my first kitchen jobs was making salads at a gourmet cafe, and I have loved making variations on classic salads like panzanella and caprese. But this version with broiled feta is a new and very welcome variation.
Broiled Feta Recipe Ingredients
Here’s what you need to make this delicious broiled feta:
- A block of feta cheese and high-quality extra-virgin olive oil
- Fresh oregano, garlic, and lemon zest for a fragrant, herbal punch
- Honey and optional red pepper flakes for sweet heat
- Heirloom tomatoes, pistachios, and flaky sea salt to round it all out
- Plenty of toasted bread for scooping up every bite
How to Make This Recipe
Place the feta in an oven-safe dish, top it with garlic, oregano, and olive oil, and bake until soft. Once warm, top with honey, black pepper, and chili flakes, then broil until golden. Serve the broiled feta next to sliced tomatoes and garnish with lemon zest, pistachios, and more oregano.
Love For California Honey
After years and years in the kitchen, I’ve learned that there are a handful of magic ingredients. Those ingredients with one pinch, dash, or drizzle take a recipe from good to incredible.
I’d go so far as to say that the mark of an accomplished cook isn’t merely in learning technique but also in learning when to add (and how much to add) of said magical ingredients. Take this Honey Oregano Broiled Feta recipe for example.
Take, for example, honey. Stirred with jalapeños, it elevates cranberry and brie tartlets. Simmered with balsamic, it adds a sweet tang to these persimmons. Shaken with sage and gin, it makes a very autumnal take on the Bee’s Knees cocktail.
So when my friends at California Grown asked me to create a recipe based on local honey, I was oh-so-game. I adore California because the array of produce here is as diverse and vibrant as the people.
And that’s most definitely the case for honey. Avocado blossom honey has a bold, almost molasses quality, orange blossom honey has a decidedly floral note, and eucalyptus honey has a subtle quality.
What Is a Greek Caprese?
This broiled feta recipe is a take on a classic caprese salad that we have nicknamed a “Greek” caprese. Why is that? Its flavors feel a bit Greek (feta, tomatoes, oregano), but you’ll not see them when you travel there.
This broiled feta recipe has many summery, bright flavors that feel like California sunshine on a plate. You don’t need much to make it, as it’s easy, simple, and quick. The only must-follow rule is to bring the feta to room temperature before cooking it. This will ensure that the cheese gets uniformly soft and flavored.
Variations On This Recipe
There are many variations on this broiled feta. You could switch the type of honey you use and the herbs (say, mint, basil, or thyme). And if you don’t feel like turning on your broiler, you can also make this broiled feta on the grill. Place the feta and seasonings in aluminum foil, close it tightly, and grill it for a few minutes until it takes on an almost ricotta-like texture.
And, if you want to make it even easier, you could serve the broiled or grilled feta with bread and call it a day!
What to Serve With This
Serve this broiled feta as part of a Mediterranean mezze spread with warmed olives, hummus, muhamarra, beet walnut spread, and grilled veggies. It pairs beautifully with chilled white wine or a crisp rosé. Honestly, with good bread and great company, this broiled feta could be the whole meal.
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Honey and Oregano Broiled Feta Caprese Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 (8-ounce) block Feta cheese at room temperature
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil plus more for garnish
- 1 clove garlic thinly sliced
- 1 handful fresh oregano leaves
- 1 tablespoon honey
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 pinch crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
- 4 medium ripe heirloom or beefsteak tomato
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 1 handful roasted and salted pistachios roughly chopped
- Maldon sea salt or other flaky sea salt, for garnish
- Toasted bread for serving
Instructions
- Prepare the feta: Bring an oven to 450°F and arrange a rack in the upper third. While it heats, prepare the feta by placing it in a small ovenproof dish. Scatter the sliced garlic and a few oregano sprigs over the top and drizzle with all the measured olive oil. Bake for about 15 to 20 minutes or until the middle of the feta is warm and the block of cheese is softened.
- Broil the feta: Remove the feta from the oven and turn the broiler on high. Add a few cranks of black pepper and a pinch of chile flakes (if using), then drizzle with the measured honey. Place the feta back in the oven under the broiler and broil until the edges are browned about 5 to 10 minutes.
- Serve the feta: When it is ready, remove it from the oven and set it aside. Arrange the sliced tomatoes on a serving platter and top with some pistachios, lemon zest, oregano leaves, flaky sea salt, and a generous drizzle of olive oil. Arrange the feta next to the tomatoes and top with lemon zest and additional oregano. Spoon some of the juices from the baking dish over the feta and serve immediately.
