Enjoy the flavors of Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisines at home with this beautiful appetizer tray called a mezze platter, done here with baked feta cheese. Tangy baked feta cheese is drizzled with olive oil, fresh herbs and red pepper and baked for 15 minutes in the oven. The rest of the tray is easily assembled from purchased ingredients. There’s something delicious for everyone to enjoy.
When guests come for dinner you must have something for them to nibble on upon arrival. When the front door opens, wonderful aromas of the dinner cooking rush to welcome friends and family. Everyone heads for the kitchen, wine starts to pour, and it’s then everyone needs a nibble.
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Why You'll Like This Recipe
- It's delicious, versatile, easy to do.
- Easily changes with seasonal ingredients.
- Great for get-togethers and appetizer needs.
Recipe Ingredients
Baked feta cheese is terrific as a stand alone appetizer and a nice change from the standard cheese and crackers. For a bigger crowd, make baked feta part of fun appetizer party spread called a mezze platter in Mediterranean countries. Delicious to eat and beautiful visually.
Baked Feta Cheese
- Feta cheese: Get a block of good tangy Greek feta made from a combination of goat and sheep's milk or all goat's milk. Cow's milk feta cheese works too.
- Olive oil: To drizzle over the feta for baking. Use a nice fresh fruity one, or a Greek olive oil from koroneiki olives.
- Fresh herbs: Use Greek oregano, mint, parsley and/or thyme leaves.
- Red pepper flakes: To give your baked feta some spice and make it like a more Greek baked feta mezze dish called Bouyiourdi.
For another cheese option, make these easy Caprese skewers with grape tomatoes, basil, and mini mozzarella balls.
Easy Mezze Platter Options
There are more things you could add depending on how many mouths to feed but this gives you lots of ideas for creating your own mezze platter.
- Olives: Black Greek olives (kalamata, get the pitted) or green olives, buy them at the store or marinate your own.
- Grapes: Red and green provide nice color.
- Meat: Roll some prosciutto, speck (smoked prosciutto), and coppa are my favorites.
- Nuts: Almonds, raw or roasted.
- Hummus: Homemade hummus is easy to make, or get a store variety.
- Meat: Prosciutto pr Speck are good options, roll lengthwise so they are easy to pick up and display on the platter. Small Greek meatballs called keftedes (kef-teeds) are a mainstay of Greek family gatherings.
- Dolmas: Stuffed grape leaves, they comes in cans and jars.
- Tzatziki: A famous Greek dip made with thick Greek yogurt, herbs, olive oil and lemons. Make it yourself with my homemade tzatziki sauce recipe.
- Ciliegine: For another cheese option, serve small balls of mozzarella cheese called ciligene, either plain or marinated.
- Vegetables: Either grilled or roasted.
Love hummus? Try this roasted red bell pepper hummus recipe. So good!
Substitutions and Variations
I always have this section to give you more ideas, but for this one, pretty much all of it is listed above in the mezze platter options! Greek meatballs would be a good option too.
Baked Feta Recipe Instructions
Recipe FAQs
To create your mezze platter in advance, get all of the components ready to arrange on your platter. Place them in an interesting variety of small bowls. If serving grapes, wash and trim them into small clusters. Cover the small bowls with plastic film and refrigerate if needed for the item. When you are ready to serve, arrange all of the components on your serving platter.
Creative additions to a traditional mezze platter include Mediterranean marinated olives, creamy hummus, pita wedges or crackers, grilled or roasted vegetables, tzatziki, stuffed grape leaves (dolmas), and a meat such as prosciutto or speck, even small Greek meatballs. For an item like baked feta, bake it at the last minute to serve hot and soft. For another cheese idea, serve small balls of marinated mozzarella called Ciliegine.
Use an oven-safe baking dish or baking casserole large enough to fit the cheese or cheeses if you are baking multiple blocks. Choose a size with just enough space around the cheese. If you are adding items to bake such as small tomatoes or olives, be sure there is enough space. Choose a nice enough dish to serve directly from.
Good accompaniments for baked feta cheese include crusty bread, toasted baguette slices, crackers, and fresh vegetables. Serve it alongside a green salad as you might with goat cheese.
More Appetizer and Get-Together Recipe Ideas
Whether you're having a party or watching the game with friends and family, try these spread ideas to keep everyone happy and well fed. For more ideas check out the appetizer recipe archive.
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📖 Recipe
Mezze Platter with Baked Feta Cheese
Ingredients
Baked Feta
- 6-8 ounces block of Greek feta cheese
- 2 tablespoons of olive oil
- 1-2 tablespoons of fresh herbs such as parsley, oregano, thyme, or mint
- A sprinkle of red pepper flakes
The Rest of the Mezze Platter (see more ideas at the end)
- 6 ounces sliced Prosciutto or Speck smoked Prosciutto
- 1 jar marinated Mediterranean olives
- 1 small bowl of raw almonds
- 1 bunch grapes washed and clipped into small clusters
- A selection of crackers and pita bread or thinly sliced toasted baguette
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Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 375°F degrees. Place feta in a baking dish just big enough to hold the cheese. Drizzle with olive oil, herbs, and red pepper. Bake for about 20 minutes or until the cheese it hot. It won’t really melt, but will get soft.
- While the cheese is baking, arrange all of your other ingredients on a platter or tray. When the cheese is done, place in a small dish, pour the olive oil from the dish (or a little extra) and herbs over the top and serve.
Notes
Mezze Platter Options
- Olives: Black Greek olives (kalamata, get the pitted) or green olives, buy them at the store or marinate your own.
- Grapes: Red and green provide nice color.
- Meat: Roll some prosciutto, speck (smoked prosciutto), and coppa are my favorites.
- Nuts: Almonds, raw or roasted.
- Hummus: Homemade hummus is easy to make, or get a store variety.
- Meat: Prosciutto pr Speck are good options, roll lengthwise so they are easy to pick up and display on the platter.
- Dolmas: Stuffed grape leaves, they comes in cans and jars.
- Tzatziki: A famous Greek dip made with yogurt, herbs, olive oil and lemons. Make it yourself with my homemade tzatziki sauce recipe.
Nutrition
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Madonna/aka/Ms. Lemon says
As I was reading I was thinking I would love this for a meal. I guess you were thinking the same thing. Lovely presentation.