Sun-Dried Tomato Feta Dip

The best appetizers are easy and quick to prepare. This sun-dried tomato feta dip fits the bill. Made with four ingredients (plus three possible garnishes) and twenty minutes in the oven, this baked feta and tomato dip is the ideal appetizer.

Tangy feta is paired with complex-flavored sun-dried tomatoes in olive oil and fresh garlic. Heated in the oven, the cheese browns and softens into the other ingredients. The result is a Mediterranean medley of flavor. Best paired with warm pita or pita chips, this baked feta appetizer is one that you will want to make again and again.

If you love this recipe, you will adore this Roasted Garlic Whipped Feta Dip!

Why You Will Love This Baked Feta Appetizer

• Simple - Only 4 ingredients are needed for this recipe, but this baked feta dip looks and tastes impressive.
• Quick and Easy - Ready in minutes! With five minutes of preparation and twenty minutes of baking time, this appetizer recipe could not be easier.
• DELICIOUS - With few, but carefully selected ingredients, this hot feta dip is full flavored and absolutely delicious. It hits all the flavor notes - creamy, tangy, salty, and sweet. Serve with toasted pita or pita chips.

Ingredients

• Feta Cheese - You will need one 8oz block of cheese. Do not use crumbled cheese. Another option, if you do not like feta cheese, is goat cheese. The cooking time, however, will vary.
• Sun-Dried Tomatoes in Olive Oil - This recipe requires jarred sun-dried tomatoes in olive oil. Both the tomatoes and olive oil mixture are utilized. When measuring, be sure to measure a little bit of both in the cup.
• Garlic (minced) - Use two cloves of garlic (or one large clove).
• Fresh Basil - For garnish. See below for slicing tips.
• Optional Garnishes - Extra-virgin olive oil and crushed red pepper flakes are additional garnishes. They do add to the finished dip, both in appearance and flavor.

Instructions

1 - Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

2 - Transfer the block of feta to an oven-safe dish.

3 - Sprinkle the minced garlic over the cheese.

4 - Sprinkle the chopped sun-dried tomatoes next. Then, pour the remaining olive oil mixture (from the sun-dried tomatoes) over the block of feta.

5 - Bake for 20 minutes. Garnish with fresh basil, olive oil, and crushed red pepper flakes (if desired).

Recipe Tips

CHIFFONADE THE BASIL - For the best aesthetic, stack the leaves and roll them tightly. Slice them perpendicular to the roll. The result is beautifully shredded basil.

USE DISPOSABLE GLOVES - The sun-dried tomatoes are coated in olive oil which makes them quite messy to cut. Wear gloves when handling them. Cut with a sharp knife or kitchen shears.

BE SURE TO MEASURE BOTH TOMATOES AND OIL - When measuring the sun-dried tomatoes, make sure to measure some of both the tomatoes and oil. If needed, you can drizzle additional oil if you have not reserved enough of it.

Equipment You Will Need

• STAUB Ceramics Oval Baking Dish - This is the dish that I have (as pictured). Because it is stoneware it retains heat well in the oven, which is great for recipes like this one. It's a beautiful, well-made dish.

What to Serve with Baked Feta Tomato Dip

• Pita Chips or Crackers
• Toasted Pita Bread Wedges (my personal favorite) - Toast olive oil brushed pitas in the same 400 F oven as the dip, while it is baking. Bake for about 5 - 10 minutes. Cut the pitas into wedges and serve with the finished dip.
• Crusty Bread or Crostini

Other Appetizers You Will Love

• Healthier Hot Spinach Dip
• Tzatziki Sauce Recipe
• Sheet Pan Greek Nachos
• Homemade French Onion Dip
• Easy Bread Dipping Oil

Make-Ahead, Storing, Freezing, and Reheating

• MAKE-AHEAD - This dip is best served as soon as it comes out of the oven. That said, prepare ingredients prior to service for quick assembly.
• STORE - Store leftover dip in an airtight container or cover the dish tightly in foil. Refrigerate for up to two days.
• FREEZE - While feta cheese on its own can be frozen, this dip cannot be frozen.
• REHEAT - Serve leftover dip cold or reheat it in the oven. Place leftover dip in an oven-safe dish and bake in a 350 F oven until heated. Garnish as desired.

FAQ

Does feta cheese melt? Feta cheese softens when heated, however, it does not melt. This is because feta cheese has high acid and water content.

Can you freeze feta cheese? Yes, feta cheese can be frozen. Transfer the cheese to an airtight container and freeze for up to one month.

Can you use crumbled feta cheese in this recipe? Ideally no, do not use crumbled feta cheese in this recipe. Crumbled feta has the addition of cellulose to keep it from clumping. This affects the finished product once heated.