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
Absolutely delicious! I’m eating this with quinoa, but next time I will make pita for this. Really quick to whip up and brings those exquisite flavors.
Could I add crumbled feta instead of blocks? Looking for a way to use it up and this recipe looks tasty! Thanks.
Absolutely love this meal! Healthy and so delicious. It’s become one of my go-to quick meals!
I have never reviewed a recipe before but on this occasion I thought I would!…I found your website totally randomly on a google search of “easy recipes” as a woman who has completely lost interest in cooking due to lack of energy and time but this recipe was fantastic and so easy (not just to follow but to make). You felt so well nourished after too! I’m embarrassed to say we made the portion as described for 4 people but actually as a dinner it worked for 2 (with left overs) – 3 (without left overs) people. There was a moment of silence when I served this dish to my husband…vegiterian? he asked. Yes, I replied and then the rest was history…he loved it! thank you for sharing your recipes, one suggestion is please could you also add the grams/ml etc as I am British I had to do all the changes myself, which I don’t mind but always nice to have both. Thank you Love and Lemons 🙂 I will definitely be trying more!
A keeper! I bumped up some of the ingredients (e.g. more garlic, cumin seeds,3+cups marinara, two 15oz chickpeas) and added some halved cherry tomatoes) and served with fresh herbs.. But no doubt the recipe as is would be delicious as well. With my adds, I used a 6qt oven-proof pot. This is an excellent dish. Thank you! (and the marinara recipe particularly well suited for this recipe)
This has become a staple meal in our household not only because of how delicious it is but because of how easy it is to make.
Hi Bev, I’m so glad you love it!
Easy. Nutritious. Delicious. Great as a side or full meal!
I’m so glad you loved it, Tim!
I pinned this because I thought I would like it but wasn’t sure how it would go over with the fam. It was a hit! I added eggs to make it like a shakshuka. I also put the broiler on for the last couple minutes to get a little color on the cheese. Next time I will add more kale. Delicious, quick, and easy!
forgot to rate it! 5 stars!!
So glad it was a hit, Shelley!
Wow this was delicious! I’m always on the hunt for good gluten free dishes to eat. Huge plus that it’s also vegetarian but high protein. I doubled the batch, juiced one whole lemon, and one larger jar of marinara. Delicious and easy! Would be great with some gluten free bread, I had it over quinoa.
I’m so glad you loved the recipe, Mattie!
Amazing! I used spinach and cannellini beans. I also snuck in chopped mushrooms and zucchini. Paired it with crusty bread and air fryer cauliflower and it was the perfect winter meal.
Sounds delicious!
Excellent. very tasty I added some chopped preserved lemon to the dish and used cubed feta (in a tub) from a supermarket.
Great with your salt and vinegar potatoes.
Tasty and easy! I used collard greens instead of kale.
Oh yum, I’m glad you enjoyed it!
Gross. Absolutely awful.
This sounds delicious and cannot wait to make it. Can this be made ahead of time and then pop in the oven when guests arrive?
Hi Eileen – yep, I think that would work fine!
This was tasty. Feta is very different when baked, with a nice creamy texture.
Next time I’m going to add a few walnuts for a bit of extra crunch.
We’re OBSESSRD. We make this at least once a week! We usually use Rao’s arrabbitia sauce to get dinner on the table faster. Make it, you won’t regret it.
Hi Kaelei, I’m so glad you love the baked feta!
This is just delicious! I made it for Xmas last year for my vegetarian son and I made it again tonight for a regular dinner. I used your marinara sauce too. It’s so simple and easy and it just sings. Thank you!
Hi Sybil, I’m so glad you love the baked feta!
Love, love, love this dish and I’ve made it many times, usually with a jar of marinara (with no added sugar). I like to add sautéed onions and garlic if I’m not in a hurry.
It’s so hot out that I didn’t want to turn on the oven, so today I just let it simmer on the stovetop until everything was heated through. So tasty. Thank you for this keeper! I love your cookbooks, too. Thank you for elevating food that is good for you!
I’m so glad you’ve loved this one so much!
I’ve been cooking from blogs for a decade or more and have never left a review before. This dish is THAT good. I made it as directed except subbed Swiss chard for kale since I’m not a fan or kale. Holy feta it was good! Fresh and light and so yummy. I liked that I got a hint of smokiness from the cumin seeds and heat from the red pepper along with the salty/creamy feta. Will make it again and often.
Ha ha, I’m so glad you loved it!
This was absolutely AMAZING! Will definitely be making this again regularly!
I’m so glad you loved it!