Baked Feta Cheese with Honey

My delicious Baked Feta Cheese with Honey is ready in under 20 minutes and makes a warm appetizer for sharing with bread, crackers, or crunchy vegetables. It is made with a block of feta, olive oil, honey, sesame seeds, and a pinch of chilli flakes.

The feta softens in the oven, the honey turns warm and glossy, and the sesame seeds add a lovely nutty topping.

Jump to:

• Why This Recipe Works?
• Ingredients You'll Need
• How to Make Baked Feta with Honey and Sesame Seeds
• Best Feta Cheese To Use
• Recipe Tips From the Chef
• Serving Ideas
• Baked Feta Variations
• Storage And Reheating
• Recipe FAQs
• Related Recipes
• Baked Feta Cheese with Honey

This simple baked feta recipe is inspired by Greek baked feta, where salty cheese is often served with honey, sesame, herbs, or chilli. You only need five ingredients, and there is hardly any preparation. Use a good block of feta in brine, bake it until warm but still holding its shape, and serve it straight away while it is soft.

I like serving baked feta with honey and sesame as part of a meze spread with Greek Pita Bread. It also works well with other starters such as Greek Shrimp Saganaki - Garides Saganaki and Classic Prawn Cocktail with Avocado.

It is best served warm, straight from the baking dish. Once the feta cools down, it firms up again, so bring it to the table as soon as it comes out of the oven.

Why This Recipe Works?

• It is ready in under 20 minutes and needs very little preparation.

• You only need five ingredients: feta, olive oil, honey, sesame seeds, and chilli flakes.

• It works as a warm feta appetizer, snack, or meze dish.

• The flavour is balanced with salty feta, sweet honey, nutty sesame seeds, and a little heat from chilli.

• Baked feta is easy to serve with bread, crackers, pita, or fresh vegetables.

• It is simple to change with herbs, nuts, chilli honey, tomatoes, or phyllo pastry.

Ingredients You'll Need

Please scroll down to the recipe card below for the full ingredients list with measurements, complete recipe method, recipe notes, and nutritional information.

• Feta - Use a block of good-quality feta cheese, preferably one kept in brine. Greek feta made with sheep’s milk or a mix of sheep and goat’s milk gives the best flavour and texture. Avoid crumbled feta, as it is too dry and won’t bake properly.

• Honey - Any type you like. A floral honey or thyme honey works especially well.

• Sesame seeds - White sesame seeds are the classic choice, but you can mix in some black sesame for contrast.

• Olive oil - A drizzle of good-quality olive oil before baking adds richness.

• Chilli or Aleppo pepper - Optional, for a little spicy contrast.

How to Make Baked Feta with Honey and Sesame Seeds

This baked feta cheese recipe is very quick. The most important thing is to bake the feta just until it is warm and soft, not until it dries out.

Preheat the oven to 375°F or 190°C. Place the block of feta in a small baking dish. A snug dish is best because it keeps the honey close to the cheese instead of letting it spread too much.

You can line the dish with parchment paper if you want easier cleaning. Brush the feta lightly with olive oil on the top and sides.

Drizzle with honey so the top and sides are coated. Sprinkle sesame seeds and chili flakes evenly on top. They’ll stick to the honey and form a crust.

Bake for 12–15 minutes until the cheese is soft but still holds its shape. Serve warm right out of the dish, with bread, crackers, or fresh vegetables.

Best Feta Cheese To Use

The best feta for baked feta cheese is a whole block of feta stored in brine. It stays moist, softens nicely in the oven, and has a better flavour than dry packaged feta.

Greek feta made with sheep’s milk, or a mix of sheep and goat’s milk, is ideal. Cow’s milk feta can still work, but it is usually milder and can have a different texture.

Avoid pre-crumbled feta for this recipe. It is often dry, salty, and won’t give you the warm block of cheese you want.

Recipe Tips From the Chef

• Use a block of feta in brine, not crumbled feta.

• Choose a small baking dish so the honey stays close to the cheese.

• Don’t overbake the feta. It should be warm and soft, but still hold its shape.

• Toast the sesame seeds first if you want a stronger nutty flavour.

• Add a little extra honey after baking for a glossy finish.

• Serve the feta straight away while warm.

Serving Ideas

Serve baked feta cheese warm with bread or something crisp for scooping. Bolillo - Crusty Mexican Bread Rolls, Laffa - Iraqi Flatbread, or even simple toast, or crackers all work well.

Fresh vegetables are also a good choice. Try sliced cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, peppers, or carrots. Fruit also works nicely, especially grapes, figs, or apple slices. You can serve this as a Mediterranean appetizer with Zeytoon Parvardeh - Persian Marinated Olives, roasted peppers, hummus, or tzatziki. It is also lovely before grilled meat, seafood, or a simple Greek-style meal.

Baked Feta Variations

For a herby version, add fresh thyme, oregano, or rosemary before baking. Thyme works especially well with honey and feta.

For extra crunch, use chopped pistachios, walnuts, or almonds instead of sesame seeds. You can also use chilli honey instead of plain honey and chilli flakes.

For baked feta with tomatoes, add a handful of cherry tomatoes around the feta before baking. They soften in the oven and make the dish juicier. For a richer version, wrap the feta in phyllo pastry before baking, then drizzle honey over the top when it comes out of the oven.

Storage And Reheating

Baked feta cheese is best eaten fresh, while it is still warm. If you have leftovers, let them cool, then store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.

To reheat, place the feta in a small ovenproof dish and warm it at 350°F or 175°C for about 10 minutes. You can also use the microwave, but the texture is better when reheated in the oven.

The feta will firm up once chilled. Add a little extra honey after reheating if needed.

Recipe FAQs

Related Recipes

For more delicious cheese appetiser recipes, why not try:

Did you make this recipe? Please let me know how it turned out! Leave a comment below and tag @cookingorgeous on Instagram and hashtag it #cookingorgeous.

I hope you enjoy the process of making this delicious and simple appetiser Baked Feta Cheese with Honey as much as you enjoy eating it! 🙂