Marinated Feta Cheese with Herbs and Chiles
This recipe for marinated feta takes only 15 minutes and 4 simple ingredients. Tangy feta cheese is infused with bright rosemary and spicy chiles in a bath of silky olive oil to create a true culinary treasure.
Calling all feta fanatics! Today’s marinated feta cheese recipe takes deliciousness to a whole new level. It is fancy enough to wow any dinner guests while being simple enough to whip up on a weeknight. In fact, I’ve started making a batch of this insanely flavorful cheese to have around the house at all times.
Table of Contents
Marinated feta can make great gifts too! Simply choose a few decorative jars with tight-fitting lids and let nature do the rest!
For more amazing feta recipes, check out my Whipped Feta Dip, Tirokafteri (Feta Cheese Spread), and this Greek Feta Salad.
- Feta Cheese – Delivers a uniquely tangy flavor and crumbly yet creamy texture. We need a solid 16 oz block for this recipe. Look for it at a local Greek deli or specialty shop.
- Red Chiles – Thinly sliced Fresno chiles add just the right amount of mid-level heat. For a milder flavor, you can use jalapeno. To crank up the heat, try using thinly sliced birdseye chiles.
- Fresh Herbs – I like rosemary for this recipe, but feel free to experiment with other fresh, aromatic herbs. Use homegrown herbs from your garden or find them in the produce section. You’ll need a total of 8 sprigs.
- Olive Oil – For the best flavor, I recommend getting the highest quality olive oil possible. It will be the vehicle to harmonize and infuse all the other flavors.
- Prepare Your Supplies. Wash your glass jar well, dry thoroughly, and set aside. Rinse the herbs with water to clean them. Shake off any excess water and use a paper towel to dry them.
- Cube the Feta. Slice vertically and horizontally to cut your block of feta into 1-inch cubes.
- Layer the Ingredients. Gently layer the fresh herbs, red chiles, and feta cheese cubes, being careful not to break up the feta. Pour in enough oil to fill the jar to the top and cover the ingredients.
- Cover & Store. Cover the jar with a nice, tight-fitting lid. Find a cool dark place, and stash the feta there to marinate overnight.
- Serve. Sprinkle and spread your freshly marinated feta on all your favorites and be sure to refrigerate any leftovers. Enjoy!
This marinated feta cheese recipe is wonderful to enjoy on its own, in salads, sandwiches, or as part of a Greek mezze platter. Here are just a few ideas for inspiration.
– Serve it with dips like Melitzanosalata (Creamy Eggplant Dip) and Mediterranean Hummus along with fresh vegetable slices and a flatbread like this Pita Bread Recipe (Khubz).
– Incorporate some into your favorite salads like Greek Salad with Olives, Lentil Salad, or this Mediterranean Chickpea Salad.
– Enjoy some at breakfast with egg dishes like Frittata.
– Sprinkle some on top of pizza like this Mediterranean Flatbread Pizza.
– Stuff a little into your next Greek Chicken Souvlaki or another sandwich.
Yes and no. Technically, for a cheese to truly be feta cheese, it must come from Greece. The EU has granted Greece a PDO, or protected designation of origin when it comes to this spongy, rindless, briny cheese.
However, there are still lots of cheeses similar enough to get labeled and sold as feta. Here are a few examples of varieties you might come across.
– Greek Feta – Made with sheep and/ or goat milk and boasts a creamy, buttery texture and bright, tangy flavor. It’s original, authentic, and what we use for this marinated feta recipe.
– Danish Feta – Usually made with cow’s milk, this version has a softer and smoother texture with a bit of a sour taste.
– American Feta – Often made in large batches, ending up with a drier, crumblier texture than the real stuff.
– Bulgarian Feta – Firmer and springier than Greek Feta. Usually labeled as sirene to honor the PDO status.
Marinated feta in olive oil will last for a maximum of 2-3 weeks in the refrigerator. Be sure that it is stored in an airtight container with a tight-fitting lid, preferably a Mason or other glass jar.
Do not store marinated feta cheese at room temperature. The oil might harden up a bit in the fridge but don’t fret. Simply remove it from the refrigerator about 30 minutes prior to serving to solve the issue.
One important thing to note, however, is that adding garlic to your recipe will drastically decrease its shelf life. The chemical makeup of garlic makes it a bit too easy for harmful pathogens like botulism to take root. If you choose to add fresh garlic, you want to consume the marinated feta within 3-4 days.
Adding Garlic
If you’d like to add garlic, be aware that it must be eaten within 3-4 days. This is because garlic has low acidity and it’s possible for spores of botulism to develop.
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Marinated Feta Cheese with Herbs and Chiles
Ingredients
- 16 oz feta cheese
- 6 Red Chiles See Note 1
- 8 sprigs of herbs of choice
- 1 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil to cover See Note 2
Instructions
- Make sure to clean and sterilize the glass jar and dry it completely and set aside. Wash and clean herbs. Dry with paper towel.
- Cut the feta cheese into 1 inch cubes. Layer the jar with herbs, cheese and peppers. Cover with olive oil to the top and seal.
- Store in a cool, dry place to marinate overnight. Use immediately or refrigerate (see Note 2).
- Spread on crostini, crumble in salads, over eggs or to top pizza.
- This will keep refrigerated for 3 weeks, bring to room temp before eating as the oil will thicken from the cold (See Note 3).
Notes
- Typically I use a thinly sliced red Fresno chile, but for more heat, Birds Eye peppers sliced lengthwise work as well. Feel free to experiment with other chiles.
- Remove from refrigerator at least 30 minutes before serving as oil has solidified and needs to return to a liquid.
- This will keep if covered in oil and refrigerated for 3 weeks. If adding garlic, be aware this must be eaten within 3-4 days due to the risk of garlic’s low-acidity and it’s possible for spores causing botulism to develop. If no garlic is added (like in this recipe) this will keep refrigerated up to 3 weeks. Do not store at room temperature.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Did you add pepper or other spices? The picture looks like there are other spices.
You can add other herbs and or spices to suit your tastes Sara. It appears it looks like that batch had dried oregano possibly and or ground black pepper.
Do we not to sterilise the jar? I want to make this and always sterilise jars before using.
Always love your recipes.
Yes Sefi, as in Step 1 notes, Make sure to clean and sterilize the glass jar and dry it completely and set aside. Wash and clean herbs. Dry with paper towel. Appreciate you asking and thanks for following along and trying the recipes! 🙂
How about I add chilli powder, garlic powder, cumin & mustard powder, coriander powder then add hot olive to mix. Eat with 4 days as this will be my experiment.
I meant olive oil
How did they turn out for you Reen?
My family came over for a bbq this weekend and this dip was a hit, from my mom to my little grand nieces.
They ate this up didn’t they? There was nothing left!
will be making this soon can i use vegan feta cheese as am a vegan perfect for my pizza will dm you if i make this and let you know how it goes Thanks Ramya
I don’t have experience using that product, so I’d be hard pressed to give advice. Let me know if you do please!