Easy Baked Feta Appetizer with Pistachios and Hot Honey
Warm, salty, creamy feta baked until soft and melty, then topped with crunchy pistachios and a drizzle of hot honey for the perfect sweet-salty bite. It’s the easy appetizer that looks impressive but takes almost no effort. Serve it with crackers, warm crostini, or dates for the ultimate party dip situation.
Erica’s Thoughts
Tis the season for dinner parties, fa la la la, la la la la. Soft feta cheese and drizzle of honey, tra-la-la-la-la la, la, la, la.
Okay okay. Let’s get right to it. I love feta. I love it even more baked or fried. So melty, creamy feta with a crunch from roasted pistachios and a drizzle of hot honey is truly what my dreams are made of. I made this for friends a few weeks ago, and I served it with an assortment of crackers and crusty bread. Then I made it again, added fresh herbs, chili flakes and scooped it up with soft, medjool dates and ERMEGERRRD. Truly the perfect bite. 😮💨
This is so low-effort and endlessly customizable, you really can’t go wrong! It’s the time of year for appetizers, and may I strongly, strongly suggest this one.
Simple Ingredients You’ll Need to Make this Baked Feta Appetizer
- Feta cheese: Get a good-quality block of feta. I use a lot of feta cheese, so I always get mine from Costco for the best quality and price.
- Olive oil: Extra-virgin olive oil helps the feta bake up until golden brown on top.
- Pistachios: I recommend roasted, salted pistachios.
- Hot honey: Spicy honey is the ideal sweet heat to pair with salty feta. You can find it at regular grocery stores near the regular honey.
- Flaky sea salt: The bigger the flakes the better! I like Maldon or Saltverk.
- Fresh thyme leaves: Optional, but I love a little herb moment.
- Dippers: Crackers, toasted baguette slices, pita bread, pretzel thins, apple slices, medjool dates.
How to Make this Easy Baked Feta Appetizer:
Heat the oven to 400°F and lightly grease a small baking dish. Place the block of feta cheese in the dish and drizzle with a bit of olive oil. Bake for about 20 minutes until soft, golden at the edges and just beginning to melt.
Use a spatula to transfer the warm feta to a serving dish or plate. Top with finely chopped pistachios and drizzle honey over the whole shebang. Finish with a pinch of salt and fresh thyme.
Serve this baked feta appetizer immediately with your choice of dippers. Scoop it up while it is warm and gooey.
Variation Ideas
- Swap pistachios for walnuts, almonds or pecans.
- Use Boursin cheese or Brie instead of feta. (I actually was originally inspired by a Boursin version of this! I do like the feta better though 😉)
- Add pomegranate arils, chopped dates or lemon zest on top for an extra lovely presentation.
- Use chili crisp or a pinch of red pepper flakes + regular honey as a sub for hot honey.
- Make it mediterranean-baked feta by topping with kalamata olives, cherry tomatoes, marinated artichokes and sun-dried tomatoes.
FAQs
No, this is best served hot and fresh. If you do have leftovers, store in an airtight container in the fridge and reheat in a 350°F oven. You may need to add another drizzle of honey.
Use regular honey + a teaspoon of chili crunch or a big pinch of red pepper flakes.
I think Brie or Boursin would both be delicious here.
Dates, crackers, toasted baguette, pears, apple slices, endive leaves, naan triangles, pita chips or pretzel thins.
Make it an appetizer party with:
An impressive appetizer is a great way to make friends, just sayin’. Happy holiday season, enjoy a party or two for me!
If you try and like this recipe please don’t forget to leave a comment and star rating down below! If you love more lifestyle, behind the scenes and ‘eating in real life’ type of content come find me over on Instagram, @itsaflavorfullife, I love connecting with you all there!
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Easy Baked Feta Appetizer with Pistachios and Hot Honey
- Prep Time: 3 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 23 minutes
- Yield: 6–8 servings 1x
- Category: Appetizers
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
Warm baked feta topped with crunchy pistachios and hot honey. A simple appetizer that delivers a sweet-salty-creamy wow moment.
Ingredients
- 6oz block of feta
- drizzle of olive oil
- 1/4 cup roasted pistachios, finely chopped
- 3 tablespoons hot honey
- for topping: flaky sea salt, thyme leaves, black pepper
- for scooping: crackers, toasted baguette, dates, apple slices, naan triangles, pita chips or pretzel thins
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Grease a small casserole dish, mini cast-iron pan, or sheet pan. Place feta in the dish and drizzle with olive oil. Bake for 20 minutes, until the feta is softened, melty and golden brown around the edges.
- You can leave the feta in this dish or use a spatula to transfer it to a serving plate. Top the feta with the finely chopped pistachios, hot honey and a sprinkle of flaky sea salt. (and fresh thyme leaves and black pepper, if using).
- Serve warm with crackers, dates (!!), crostini, naan or any other dunkers your heart desires.
Notes
If you don’t have golden, caramelized edges on the feta after 20 minutes, you can finish it with 1 minute under the broiler.
Additional topping ideas: pomegranate arils, lemon zest, chili crisp, green olives
A cast-iron pan will keep the cheese warmer for longer, so if you have one, use it!
Serve with a refreshing glass of pomegranate punch! (pictured)
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Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1oz feta + toppings (nutrition information calculated without dippers)
- Calories: 136
- Sugar: 10.2 g
- Sodium: 260.9 mg
- Fat: 8.4 g
- Carbohydrates: 11.3 g
- Fiber: 0.6 g
- Protein: 5.1 g
- Cholesterol: 25.3 mg
