Hot Honey Fire Roasted Feta Dip is a quick appetizer that always gets rave reviews whether being served to a crowd, or as a start to an easy date night at home.
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Easy appetizer for backyard date night
A simple 5 ingredient easy appetizer recipe that is absolutely delicious, indoors or out. With feta cheese that’s candy-like, golden brown on-the-outside and warm, soft and custardy inside, it’s hard to stop dipping!
Date nights can be as simple or elaborate as you’re feeling. Sometimes it’s a get-dressed-up-a-new-restaurant night. And sometimes it’s a relax at home but make it special easy at home date night.
For this backyard date night all you need is background music, an easy appetizer, and some good company. Bonus points for a crackling fire.
Once the fire’s hot simply pop open a bottle of wine and whip up a skillet of Hot Honey Fire Roasted Feta Dip.
Based on feta saganaki, a Greek fried feta often served as a starter, this version is super quick and easy. Instead of frying in hot oil it’s cooked in a skillet over open flames, or in a hot oven when flames are not an option (see below for baked version).
Ingredients
- Greek feta – slab style feta cheese, patted dry. Other hard slab cheese like halloumi, queso panelo, or generic ‘grilling cheese’ can be substituted. But the tangy flavor of feta is so good as a dip.
- Chili pepper – half a small thai chili, thinly sliced or any other chili pepper like jalapeno.
- Fresh thyme – 2 sprigs, or other hardy herb like rosemary, marjoram or oregano.
- Honey – your favorite good quality honey, local is always best.
- Black pepper – coarse pepper to sprinkle over top
- For dipping – crostini, vegetable crudité, crackers, pita, sliced tomatoes and cucumbers, berries, figs, dried apricots, walnuts, pistachios, etc.
Step by step instructions
- Place a small cast iron pan or oven proof dish just big enough to fit the feta over medium coals.
- When warm add feta, sliced chilis, thyme and half of the honey.
- Place over hot fire and sit back to relax while feta roasts until creamy in the center and browned and bubbly on the outside.
- Drizzle with remaining honey.
- Top with coarse black pepper and serve.
- Enjoy!
Baked feta dip
No fire? No problem! Make hot honey baked feta instead. Heat an oiled, oven-proof dish or cast iron skillet at 400 degrees, then add feta and remaining ingredients. Continue baking at 400 until bubbly and delicious.
Yield
This feta dip recipe yields roughly four ¼ cup servings.
Ingredients
- 8 ounce feta slab, patted dry
- ½ small chili pepper thinly sliced
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- ¼ cup honey
- Coarse black pepper
Instructions
- Place a small cast iron pan or oven proof dish just big enough to fit the feta over medium coals.
- When warm add feta, sliced chilis, thyme and half of the honey.
- Place over hot fire to roast until feta is creamy in the center and browned and bubbly on the outside.
- Drizzle with remaining honey.
- Top with coarse black pepper and serve with crostini and crackers, pita, sliced tomatoes and cucumbers, berries, figs, dried apricots, walnuts, pistachios, etc.
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Nutrition
Dannii
I love anything with feta and it goes so well with honey. This looks amazing.
Tristin Rieken
Thanks so much Danii!!
Jess
I love feta dip. This is such a fun way to make it!
Angela
YUM! This recipe is incredible. The honey pairs perfectly with the salty feta. Perfection!
Tristin Rieken
Thanks for your great review of my feta dip recipe 🙂
Jenn
This is such a great idea! I’m going to pop it on the BBQ next time I fire it up. I can’t wait to try it!
Tania | Fit Foodie Nutter
Oh my goodness, can I please magically appear at your next date night?! Haha! It’s such a perfect set up you’ve got there. I’m totally jealous:) And this feta is to die for!