Grilled Feta With Nuts

Name: Grilled Feta With Nuts
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 4 to 6 servings
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for greasing; 8 ounce block of feta, patted dry; 1/3 cup raw almonds, walnut pieces or hazelnuts; 1 tablespoon honey; 1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme or oregano leaves or za’atar; Black pepper; Grilled bread (or pita) or stone fruit, or both, for serving

By Ali Slagle

Total Time: 20 minutes
Rating: 4(374)
Notes: Read community notes

This skillet of warmed feta and nuts can tide guests over before dinner or embellish a meal of grilled lamb kebabs, mixed vegetables, pork or chicken. Inspired by saganaki, a fried-cheese appetizer from Greece, the feta here is surrounded by nuts, olive oil, honey and herbs. Thyme, oregano or za’atar adds earthiness to the salty feta and sweet honey, but you could incorporate orange or lemon peel, fresh or dried chile, or any other aromatics you like on spiced nuts. You could also trade the nuts for tomatoes, dates, salami or olives. Whatever you do, be sure to drizzle the herbed honey and oil over each spoonful of feta.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 to 6 servings

2tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for greasing
8ounce block of feta, patted dry
⅓cup raw almonds, walnut pieces or hazelnuts
1tablespoon honey
½teaspoon fresh thyme or oregano leaves or za’atar
Black pepper
Grilled bread (or pita) or stone fruit, or both, for serving

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Preparation

Step 1
Heat the grill to medium-high, or heat the oven to 400 degrees. Lightly grease the bottom of a small or medium cast-iron skillet with extra-virgin olive oil.
Step 2
Place the block of feta in the center of the skillet, then scatter the nuts around the feta. Drizzle the feta and nuts with the 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus the honey and thyme. Season generously with black pepper.
Step 3
Place the skillet on the grates, then cover the grill — or slide the skillet into the oven — and cook until the feta is soft to the touch and nuts are warm, 8 to 10 minutes. Serve right away with bread or stone fruit, or both.

Ratings

4 out of 5

374 user ratings

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Private Notes

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Cooking Notes

J Summers1 year ago

Bake at 400 for 8 minutes then broil. This is very similar to the NYT recipe for roasted feta with honey. Score the top of the feta so the honey doesn’t slide off.

Moo1 year ago

I made in the oven rather than on a grill. Put it uncovered in a small cast iron skillet in a 425 degree oven - probably needed closer to 12 minutes for cheese the feel soft enough, I checked a few times, spooning some side nut mixture to the top. I used hazelnuts because I had them, and used fresh thyme and oregano from my garden, probably a bit more than called for. Also a second tablespoon honey, because that’s the way I roll. Served with warmed sliced baguette. Big Hit.

Debra2 years ago

Can this be done in the oven? What temp?

Sherry S2 years ago

Excellent with Dodoni feta. No fresh thyme on hand, so I used a combination of za’atar and sumac on top of the honey. Used a small cast iron skillet on gas grill for about 8 minutes until soft (feta had been at room temp for about an hour before and thoroughly dried on paper towels). Served warm with toasted pistachio nuts (roasted nuts earlier — afraid they might burn on grill). Enjoyed by 4 people as an appetizer! (Not as good after it gets cold, if there is any left!)

Suzanne Dunaway an ancient cook1 year ago

Size matters. I always chop my grilled almonds, only eating them whole as an appetizer with drinks. Chop them in the food processor and use them in salads, with vegetarian dishes and especially with this feta recipe because they have much more flavor when the ratio of surface area to size of ingredients is kept small. I chop everything, serving very few items whole in any dish. A whole roasted chicken is fine, haha but even then, a chicken split in two and roasted has much more flavor.

eric1 year ago

I did this on the stovetop instead of a grill. Turned out good except the almonds and olives I used were burned--I think because of the honey. I will plan to add honey after cooking next time.

EMWLB1 year ago

Increase honey!

Alexandra E.1 month ago

Delicious! Everyone was amazed how good this was. Next time I might try adding some lemon zest to it.

Yogi5 months ago

4-6 servings? 1-2 max. So good I can’t stop eating it.

Yogi5 months ago

Outrageously good and easy. I used zataar.

emily11 months ago

Pro tip: eat this on/with watermelon!! So good

Kathy1 year ago

Quick and easy! I stuck with the simple version of raw almonds, etc. Everyone loved it. I'm going to try some of the other suggestions such as salami and olives.

Sian1 year ago

Fast and easy, really festive, and delicious spooned over Greek Kalouri bread

Kristin1 year ago

I suggest more honey.

Brian1 year ago

Great recipe - served this twice in two days and my guests loved it. Used Costco feta, dried thyme, and decreased temperature to 350 and extended the cooking time to about 15 minutes so that I could bake other recipes while prepping this one. Cheese might not have come out as soft as it does at 400, but it was delicious nonetheless. After reading comments, I agree that adding more honey would likely make it taste even better - try 1.5 or even 2 tablespoons.

Eric1 year ago

Fantastic appetizer. I second the rec to bake at 400 (or even 425) and then broil for a minute or two. Used sliced almonds rather than whole to encourage toasting. Used a mix of za'atar and fresh thyme from the balcony. We sopped up every last bit of this.

Cristina1 year ago

oh my God! Simply fantastic! Just came back from the Middle East and wanted to do something inspired by the trip on a dinner party and all my guests raved about it. Super recommended. It did take about 15 minutes to bake, but did not mind at all!

Judy1 year ago

I made some adjustments to use this for our Saturday night supper. My style involves using what's on hand. Pine nuts were handy, and those were great with this recipe. Zatar is one of my favorite seasonings and used it generously. Swapped out half of the olive oil and used ½ EVO + ½ canola to make for improved browning in the oven. A gluten-free, artisan bread (box mix) offered a satisfying base for this feta spread.

Juli1 year ago

I followed the recipe exactly, using thyme as the spice. I don’t think feta is the proper choice here. It was soft momentarily, then rubbery as it cooled. Feta does not melt, as evidenced by the texture in any Greek dish. I noticed some people specified the type of feta used. Maybe some are creamier than others and respond better to heating.

Martha1 year ago

It is only ok. Feta isn't creamy enough, even when warmed.

Usha1 year ago

Made this in air fryer. 325 temp for about 10 mins. Put the ( take home and bake) baguette in at the same time. Perfect.

JJL1 year ago

425F oven, score the feta so the honey doesn’t slide off, add extra honey, choose whatever herb strikes your fancy, and maybe z’atar on top? Serve with bread, or crackers?

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