This 10-ingredient baked feta recipe is simple, healthy, and delicious. Cooked in a cumin-spiced tomato sauce, it's a fantastic appetizer or meal!
This baked feta recipe is the definition of a low-effort, high-reward dish. It calls for 10 simple ingredients. It comes together in one pan. And it’s ready in under 30 minutes.
But it’s still packed with restaurant-worthy flavor. Tangy planks of feta cheese bake in a cumin-spiced tomato sauce filled with chickpeas and kale. Just add some warm pita for scooping it all up, and you have a perfect weeknight dinner or easy appetizer.
I think pretty much all of us tried the baked feta pasta with cherry tomatoes that went viral a few years back, but personally, I like this baked feta skillet even more. It’s inspired by a recipe from the book Cook90 by David Tamarkin, the editor and digital director of Epicurious. It’s a great book that’s full of accessible, easy-to-prepare dishes. I was drawn to this recipe because I am a huge fan of feta cheese. I also love chickpeas and kale, so I couldn’t resist trying it out. It quickly became a favorite in our house. I hope you love it too!
Baked Feta Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need to make this baked feta recipe:
- Feta cheese, of course! When you’re at the grocery store, look for a big block of feta cheese, one that you can slice into 3-4 (1/2-inch) planks. Cow and sheep milk feta are both excellent here!
- Tomato sauce – Make homemade marinara sauce, or buy canned or jarred sauce to make this recipe extra quick and easy!
- Cumin seeds – If you can’t find cumin seeds, feel free to substitute 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin. However, cumin seeds are really worth seeking out for this recipe. They infuse the sauce with delicious aromatic flavor.
- Chickpeas – They make this dish hearty enough to be a meal on its own! I love their flaky texture in the warm sauce.
- Kale – For extra veggie power!
- Extra-virgin olive oil – For sautéing the kale and drizzling on top of the finished dish.
- Crushed red pepper flakes – They add a touch of heat. Feel free to skip them if you’re sensitive to spice.
- Fresh lemon juice – For brightness.
- And parsley – For a fresh finishing touch.
Season to taste with plenty of freshly ground black pepper and serve with pita or no-knead bread!
Find the complete recipe with measurements below.
How to Make Baked Feta
This recipe comes together in 3 simple steps:
- Toast the cumin seeds in the olive oil until fragrant, then add the kale and sauté until wilted.
- Simmer the sauce. Add the tomato sauce, chickpeas, lemon juice, and water to the skillet with the kale and bring to a simmer.
- Bake. Nestle the feta into the sauce and bake at 350°F for about 15 minutes, or until the cheese is soft and melty.
Top with red pepper flakes and parsley, drizzle with olive oil, and serve!
Recipe Tips
- Brined feta is best. Any block of feta that you can slice into planks will work here, but I especially recommend looking for high-quality feta in brine. I find that it has a superior flavor and texture to feta not packed in brine. Plus, if you have leftover cheese, it will keep much longer in your fridge.
- Get ahead. This dish is best served warm from the oven, but if you like, you can prep the tomato, kale, and chickpea mixture ahead. Cover the skillet and store it in the fridge for up to 2 days. Add the feta and bake just before serving.
- Make it your own. This recipe is delicious as written, but so many swaps or add-ins would work here. Use white beans instead of chickpeas or spinach or Swiss chard instead of kale. Add a red bell pepper or olives to the sauce, or garnish the dish with herbs like fresh thyme, basil, or dill. Let me know what variations you try!
More Favorite Dinner Recipes
If you love this baked feta cheese, try one of these hearty vegetarian dinners next:
- Eggplant Parmesan
- Vegetarian Lasagna
- Easy Baked Ziti
- Best Shakshuka
- Fettuccine Alfredo
- Or any of these 60 Easy Dinner Ideas!
And if you can’t get enough feta, try my whipped feta dip recipe!
Baked Feta
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
- 1 teaspoon whole cumin seeds
- 1 bunch lacinato kale, stemmed, leaves torn
- 2 cups tomato sauce, or Marinara Sauce
- 1½ cups cooked chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, plus wedges for serving
- 1 (12-ounce) block feta cheese, cut into ½-inch planks
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Pinch of red pepper flakes
- Fresh parsley, for garnish
- Warm pita or baguette, for serving
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Heat the olive oil in a 10 or 12-inch oven-safe skillet over medium heat. Add the cumin seeds and let them sizzle gently for 1 to 2 minutes, or until fragrant. Add the kale in batches, letting each handful shrink and wilt before adding the next.
- When the last of the kale has wilted, add the tomato sauce, chickpeas, lemon juice, and ½ cup water. Stir and let it come to a simmer.
- Nestle the feta slices into the sauce and sprinkle with freshly ground black pepper. Slide the skillet into the oven and bake until the feta has softened, about 15 minutes. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with the red pepper flakes. Garnish with parsley and serve with pita and lemon wedges.
Adapted from Cook90 by David Tamarkin
Honestly took about 20 minutes from walking in the door until dinner. Easy and delicious especially with huge squeeze of lemon.
Hi Lori, so glad you loved the recipe!
My absolute fav! This is our go to at least once a week. I have found that if I use feta in brine, it is absolutely amazing. Sometimes I substitute for rainbow chard as kale isn’t one of my favorites. For even quick and easy nights, I’ll grab the frozen rainbow, chard or spinach. I also use the marinara and make big batches!
I’m so glad you’ve loved it!
Super easy to make and yummy! I’ve made this twice now.
I’m so glad you’ve loved it!
Just found this recipe and will be making it again. Always looking for great meatless dishes.
Followed the recipe 100% and it was delicious and very filling. When I make it again I will try crumbling the cheese, as the planks took a while to melt and we ended up breaking up the cheese in the bowls anyway. 10/10
I will definitely crumble the feta cheese. Thanks for this 🙂
I made this last night for a quick midweek meal. It was super simple and delicious. I did add onions and garlic (I usually add those to almost every recipe I try!) and a chopped zucchini (I had to use it in something before it went bad. The flavors and textures were perfect for a cool evening! I will DEFINITELY be making this again!
Do you think this would work with tofu? We are unintentionally vegan due to our 8 month old having both dairy and egg allergies and I don’t know how to substitute things. 🙁
I think it would!
Made this as a first course with homemade quick sourdough focaccia. Used a cast iron and wondered if tomato and lemon would be an issue for it, but nope. The mix of cumin seed and lemon was perfectly balanced and left a wondering question of what is this in the mind of those enjoying… LOVE! We served with a warm shrimp, spinach, white bean pasta salad with dijon lemon sauce and I think the two played off each other wonderfully. Guests asked for recipe by 6AM the next morning. WINNER
I’m so glad everyone loved it!
Love this recipe and I’ve made it many times with different variations to my taste. I typically sauté some onions/ shallots and garlic if I have extra on hand with the cumin seeds and then also add a bit of coriander before adding the kale. This recipe combines all my favorite flavors and foods and is so delicious. It also comes together so quick that it’s a great week night meal with some crusty bread on the side.
Hi Heather, I’m so happy it’s made it into your regular rotation!
I can’t believe I haven’t written a review on this before. I have made this recipe, almost exactly as written, over and over again. It is truly one of my husband and I’s absolute favorite meals and so good as leftovers too. If you’re looking in the reviews to see if you should make it, please please do, you won’t regret it!!
Hi Laura, I’m so glad it’s been such a favorite for you both!
This looks delicious!
Is there any way to cook it on a stovetop and still get the same texture for the feta? I’m stuck without a working full-size oven right now.
Love this recipe! I have made it many times as written and with some tweaks depending on what spices I have available or if there are some extra veggies I need to use up in my fridge. One thing I like to do is chop a shallot or half a red onion and sauté that in the oil before adding the cumin seed. I also usually add some crushed coriander seeds with the cumin. Delicious! This recipe is a keeper!
HI Heather, I’m so glad you’ve been loving it!
Thank you very much
So good! I used ground cumin, not fresh lemon juice, and followed your recipe with 2 cups of (spaghetti) sauce and it was great! Also instead of bricks of feta I used crumbled. I already had some so I’ve been trying to use it up. Made my house smell so good
Made this last night and it was yummy! I really liked how the cheese go soft bust didn’t actually melt. I made a couple slight modifications to keep it one pot (instead of making sauce separately) and fulfill my desire for caramelized onions: I started by caramelizing one sliced onion with the cumin seeds, adding garlic at the end, then added two cups of canned crushed tomatoes and simmered for about 15 minutes, then added the kale. Once the kale wilted I added the beans and followed the recipe from there. The water made it a little too loose so I’ll skip that next time, but it was definitely a winner! This is the first recipe I’ve made from your blog and I’m excited to try more!
Hi Jennifer, I’m glad you loved the recipe – mmm caramelized onions sound delicious!
It is very good. Its look so delicious. Your chickpeas is perfect. I will definitely this try. Thanks for sharing your post.
This was AMAZING! The whole family loved it. I made the tomato sauce recipe linked to the recipe but modified it a little by substituting butter for the olive oil (and used a bit more than I should have!). That sauce really makes the dish so be sure you use one that you love. I am so excited that I found your blog – I will definitely be making more of your yummy recipes!
Hi Kim, I’m so glad the whole family loved it! And welcome – I hope you enjoy the other recipes!
NUM! I made this for dinner last night and it was so simple and delicious!
Yay! So glad you loved it!
wow make me hungry…. yummy
As a new food blogger, I can not thank you enough for your encouraging and constructive advice. Your blog is an archetype of good taste…in more ways than one. I wish you endless joy and hope that you continue to share your beautiful life in foodie heaven with us all!