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BAKED TOMATO FETA DIP

If you liked that TikTok trend baked feta pasta, then you are going to love this Baked Tomato Feta Dip appetizer! Easy to throw together and loaded with SO much effortless flavour, this dish is perfectly paired with a crusty baguette so no drop is left behind!

 

So a while back, all the rage online was that baked feta pasta (you had to have seen it). After one failed attempt to hop on the band wagon leading to a burnt block of feta (the true BTS of food blogging!) I put baking feta in my rearview. This was until my dear friends Marnie and Tristen reminded me of an incredible dinner we had ages ago, where they made this epic slow roasted skillet tomato feta dip as an appetizer.

Truthfully, that dip occasionally shows up in my dreams! With that, this recipe was born, taking what I could recall from that meal and adapting it into a simple appetizer that packs incredible flavour. You can also toss this in pasta of course.

How to Bake Feta Cheese

Feta is tangy, salty, and creamy, but unlike other cheeses its high water content means it does not melt the same way! But that doesn’t mean it doesn’t taste amazing. If you bake it, feta cheese browns on the outside and gets creamy on the outside which I love.

In this recipe, swirling together the baked feta with the other ingredients makes for a textured sauce with lots of flavour.  You can also blend or whip the dip to make a whipped feta dish that is beyond amazing (and great for those who aren’t fans of the whole roasted tomatoes).

Baked Tomato Feta Dip Ingredients

  • Feta Cheese (full fat): We used 1 block (140 gram package) but it doesn’t have to be exact
  • Baby tomatoes: roasting them whole gives SO much flavour!
  • Shallots: Sliced nice and thin for great caramelization.  Omit if you don’t have them.
  • Garlic: You can adjust depending on your preference but we loved the garlic forward flavour with 4 cloves!
  • Pesto: Ah, the secret ingredient! Pesto brings deep flavour with minimal effort. Store bought works!  I love the Costco one.  Here’s a recipe to make your own.
  • Balsamic & olive oil: I like to use extra virgin olive oil for this dish.
  • Baguette, chips or crackers: Something to soak up every drop with is a must!  

Baked Tomato Feta Dip

If you liked that TikTok trend baked feta pasta, then you are going to love this Baked Tomato Feta Dip appetizer! Easy to throw together, and loaded with SO much effortless flavour, this dish is perfectly paired with a crusty baguette so no drop is left behind!

 Course Appetizer
 Cuisine Greek, Italian, Mediterranean
 Keyword Appetizer, Baked, feta, Pesto, skillet
 Cook Time 1 hour 5 minutes
 Servings 4
 Author Fraîche

Ingredients

    • 140 grams full-fat feta cheese (1 block)
    • 4 cups baby tomatoes (whole)
    • 1 shallot, thinly sliced
    • 4 cloves whole garlic, peeled
    • 2 tablespoons pesto*
    • 1/4 cup olive oil
    • 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
    • fresh basil for garnish
    • salt & pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Add the feta to the center of a 9″ baking dish or cast iron skillet. Surround with the baby tomatoes, shallots & garlic.

  2. Top with the pesto, olive oil, balsamic, salt & pepper. Bake in oven for around 40 minutes, until the feta is warm and golden. Top with fresh basil, mix with a spoon or fork gently crushing together the dish if you wish. Enjoy with a baguette or toss into cooked pasta!

Recipe Notes

*omit pesto to make nut free dish or use nut-free pesto