Marinated feta

Marinated feta on wooden board with crackers and cherries

Marinated feta – a simple yet deeply flavourful delight that adds a delicious twist to many dishes. Spread it onto a cracker, toss it through a salad or simply enjoy it straight from the jar to enjoy its tangy, herby and slightly spicy kick.

Why Bother Making Your Own Marinated Feta?

Yes, you can buy marinated feta in the shops, but making it at home gives you full control over the flavours and ingredients. Here’s why it’s worth trying:

A perfect gift: Beautifully presented in a jar, it makes a wonderful homemade gift for food-loving friends.
Better flavour: Fresh ingredients, no additives and high-quality olive oil make all the difference.
Customisable: Adjust the heat, herbs and citrus to suit your taste.
Easy to make: It takes just minutes to put together.

Ingredients for one large jar of Marinated Feta:

250g feta cheese, cut into 1cm x 1cm cubes
250-350ml extra virgin olive oil
1 lemon, zested
1 TBSP freshly squeezed lemon juice
5 sprigs of thyme
4 large mild red chillies, finely chopped
2 TBSP coriander leaves, roughly chopped
1 tsp chilli flakes
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

Let’s layer:

Make sure your glass jar is clean. There’s no need to sterilise it as the marinated feta needs to be consumed fairly quickly.
Add a few cubes of feta to the jar and drizzle with olive oil.
Arrange the thyme sprigs along the inner walls of the jar for a visually appealing touch, though this step is optional. You can always just layer the sprigs like all other ingredients.
Sprinkle the feta with some chopped red chilli, lemon zest, lemon juice, garlic, coriander and chilli flakes.
Continue layering feta, olive oil and all other incredients until they’re used up.
Pour in more olive oil until the feta is completely submerged and place jar in the fridge.
Marinate for at least 24h before enjoying – the flavours deepen beautifully over time! Use within 2 weeks.

Here Are Some Of My Favourite Ways To Use It:

Toss through salad with cucumbers, tomatoes and olives.
Spread on fresh bread. Turkish Bread works wonderfully here.
Crumble over roasted vegetables.
Serve on a mezze platter with hummus and olives.
Pair with crackers and honey for a sweet and savoury bite.

Storage Tips

Keep your marinated feta refrigerated and always ensure the cheese is fully submerged in oil to maintain freshness.
Use within two weeks for the best flavour and texture.
The leftover oil is liquid gold – drizzle it over salads, pasta or grilled vegetables!