Marinated feta and sun dried tomatoes recipe is a perfect appetizer! The feta cheese is marinated in a delicious olive oil and herb mixture, making it the perfect compliment to the tangy tomatoes.
Why You Will Love This Recipe
Marinated feta and sun dried tomatoes is an easy, yet tasty appetizer that can be whipped up in minutes. The marinade takes advantage of the natural pairing of salty feta cheese and tangy tomatoes, making this dish a perfect choice for any gathering.
Best of all, it requires minimal prep work and can be made ahead of time.
For a few other party appetizers, look at our Hedgehog Cheese Ball, Traditional Pork Lumpia Rolls, and Christmas Wreath Appetizer.
Jump to:
- Why You Will Love This Recipe
- Ingredients For Marinating Feta Cheese
- How to Marinate Feta
- Serving Suggestions
- Related Recipes
- Substitutions and Variations
- Equipment
- Storage
- Tips for Success
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Food Safety
- Some Other Recipes We Are Sure You Will Love
- Connect with Smells Like Delish!
- 📖 Recipe
Ingredients For Marinating Feta Cheese
Look for golden olive oil, not extra virgin green olive oil. Use a regular handheld cheese grater to larger zest pieces of the lemon peel.
Marinated Feta Cheese can be served either warm or cold, making it perfect for any occasion.
- Feta cheese - in a block.
- Garlic cloves - whole and peeled.
- Lemon peel
- Red chilies - get the slender ones. You can also use dried chili peppers.
- Fresh oregano - fresh from your garden or the grocery.
- Rosemary sprigs - fresh from your garden or the grocery.
- Olive oil - don't use extra virgin as the green shade of the oil will discolor your feta cheese.
- Sun dried tomatoes in oil.
- Cracked black pepper
Full ingredient amounts and preparation instructions are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
How to Marinate Feta
Start by preparing the jar or jars you will be storing the marinated feta and sun dried tomatoes in. Wash two 4 oz or one 8 oz Ball canning jar, mason jar, or bail jar in hot soapy water and set them to dry.
Infuse the Olive Oil
- Peel the garlic and slice them lengthwise in half.
- Add the garlic and herbs to a pan with the olive oil and infuse on a medium heat. Cooking the garlic and herbs will prevent them from molding or spoiling.
Cut the Feta and Sun Dried Tomatoes
- Chop the block of feta cheese into chunk or cubes. Arrange the ingredients any way you like in the jar or jars.
- Only use sun dried tomatoes packed in oil for this recipe.
Combine All Ingredients
- Add the garlic & herb infused olive oil to cover the top of the cheese & ingredients in the jar(s).
- Seal with the lid and band. The flavors will become stronger if you let this sit for a day, but it is ready to enjoy now.
Serving Suggestions
Marinated feta and sun dried tomatoes make for a great appetizer! Serve with our Lamb Kofta Wraps or Sous Vide Ribeye Steak as a side dish.
Full ingredient amounts and preparation instructions are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Related Recipes
Substitutions and Variations
You can make Marinated Feta & Kalamata olives by substituting the sun dried tomatoes for the olives. Use oil based Kalamata olives and the sun dried tomatoes though.
Equipment
- Ball Canning jars - smaller ones to store condiments in.
- Bail Jars
Storage
Store the jar or jars of marinated feta in your refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. Do not store in the pantry.
Tips for Success
- You can use your dishwasher on the hot setting to sanitize your Ball or mason canning jars.
Frequently Asked Questions
2 - 3 months when it is unopened. As a marinated blend, store it in the refrigerator for 2 -3 weeks.
The chilies lend themselves to using dry easily. Dried rosemary and oregano will give the same flavor, but not the same appearance in the jar.
Yes, you can freeze the feta cheese in the block or crumbled form for up to three months.
Since feta cheese is made with the rennet process, no it does not melt. It become soft and creamy though. Feta is not vegetarian or vegan, as rennet is an animal product.
Yes, feta is considered a dairy product as it is made from cow's milk.
Food Safety
- Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat
- Wash hands after touching raw meat
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
- Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
See more guidelines at USDA.gov.
Some Other Recipes We Are Sure You Will Love
Connect with Smells Like Delish!
📖 Recipe
Marinated Feta
Equipment
Ingredients
- 8 oz feta cheese block
- 4 garlic cloves
- 1 lemon, peel grated
- 2 red chilies (look for the long thin ones)
- 4 sprigs of fresh Oregano
- 2 sprigs of fresh Rosemary
- 1 cup olive oil
- 4 oz Sundried tomatoes (in oil)
- 1 tablespoon cracked black peppercorns
Instructions
- Sanitize two 4 oz or one 8 oz Ball canning jar. Make sure the threads are clean and the lids seal is not damaged. Set aside.
- Add the olive oil to a pan. Add the whole peeled garlic, rosemary and oregano sprigs, and the cracked peppercorns. Bring to a simmer then turn heat off and let infuse for 10 minutes.4 garlic cloves, 4 sprigs of fresh Oregano, 2 sprigs of fresh Rosemary, 1 cup olive oil, 1 tablespoon cracked black peppercorns
- Cut the block of feta cheese into ½" to 1" cubes. Using a hand grater, not a zester, to grate the peel from one lemon. Cut the sundried tomatoes into ¼" to ½" slices.8 oz feta cheese block, 1 lemon, peel grated, 4 oz Sundried tomatoes (in oil)
- Arrange the feta cubes, lemon peel grated strips, chili peppers, and spoon the garlic, herbs, and peppercorns in the sanitized jar(s).2 red chilies
- Add the garlic & herb infused olive oil to cover the top of the cheese & ingredients in the jar(s). Seal with the lid and band.
- Serve immediately or store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
Notes
- You can use your dishwasher on the hot setting to sanitize your Ball or mason canning jars. Wash with hot soapy water first, rinse, then run the jars through the hot wash and hot dry settings.
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