Name: Marinated Feta with Roasted Lemon and Dill
Prep time: 15 min
Total time: 15 min
Ingredients: 2 lemons; Olive oil; 8 ounces feta (cubed); ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes; 4 sprigs fresh dill; 2 sprigs celery leaves; ¼ teaspoon black peppercorns

5 from 1 vote

Marinated Feta with Roasted Lemon and Dill adds a Greek flair to almost any dish and is perfect for a quick appetizer or to add to a salad.

Prep Time 15 minutes

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If you enjoy Mediterranean flavors, then you’ll love this recipe as a way to add a bit of Greek flair to almost any dish. Marinated Feta with Roasted Lemon and Dill is perfect to have on hand for a quick appetizer or to add to a salad or sandwich. The lemon, dill, and red pepper flakes meld with salty feta cheese for just the right combination to perk up a plain chicken or fish main dish as well.

This recipe is so quick and easy to make and so delicious that you’ll want to have it on hand often. We really enjoy this Marinated Feta with Roasted Lemon and Dill in a big, generous Greek Salad for a Saturday lunch.

I make this all year round since the ingredients are always available in my grocery store. And, even though he’s a real meat and potatoes guy, BeeBop likes a good Greek salad especially when I amp it up with cubes of salami and feta.

You may be surprised by the roasted lemon slices in this recipe, but I’m telling you it’s worth doing. That little bit of char on the edges of the lemon slices adds a special something to the taste of the salty, tangy feta.

Then the dill and the crushed red pepper flakes work their magic into the mix and create a simply fantastic combination.

Not only do I use this marinated feta in salads, I also serve it as an appetizer on slices of toasted baguette with a little of the oil drizzled over the top. Or along with a Mediterranean Pressed Sandwich made on good crusty bread.

And when you’ve finished all the feta, you can strain the oil and use it to make fabulous salad dressings. Hope you enjoy this one. It’s a winner in my book.

About the Ingredients

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Lemons – Two fresh, unblemished lemons. Choose lemons that are firm but not hard.
Olive Oil – Use a good, fruity olive oil for this recipe. If it’s within your budget, extra virgin olive oil is best. My favorite is from California Olive Ranch.
Feta Cheese – You need a block of feta, not crumbled feta, for this recipe. If you need help choosing a brand, this post from Fine Cooking will be helpful.
Red Pepper Flakes – Adjust the quantity up or down to suit your own tastes. The 1/4 teaspoon in this recipe is very mild.
Fresh Dill – Most supermarkets have fresh herbs in the produce department.
Celery Leaves – Fresh celery leaves from the top of a stalk of celery. You know – the part you usually discard? Yeah, that. They’re absolutely delicious and so full of flavor!
Black Peppercorns – Or pink, or a mix. Just so it’s peppercorns.

How to Make Marinated Feta with Roasted Lemon and Dill:

Roast the Lemon Slices

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Photo collage showing slicing and roasting lemons.

Slice one of the lemons thinly, remove the seeds, and place the slices on a foil-lined baking sheet.
Drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil.
Roast the lemon slices for 10-12 minutes or until they’re slightly charred on the edges.
Let cool completely.

Cut the Feta

While the lemon slices cool, cut the feta into about 1/2″ chunks.

Layer the Ingredients

In a storage jar or small bowl, make two layers using half each of the feta, red pepper flakes, fresh dill, celery leaves, peppercorns, and roasted lemon slices.

TIP: Don’t pack the jar tightly, just loosely layer the ingredients in. The order doesn’t matter at all.

Squeeze the juice from half of the second lemon into the jar or bowl.
Add enough olive oil to cover the contents.
Chill for at least 8 hours before using.

Marinated feta spread on top of toasted bread.

TIP: When all the feta is used, the leftover oil may be strained and used for salad dressings, etc.

Storage

The marinated feta keeps for up to two weeks in the fridge if stored in a jar with a tight fitting lid. Make sure that the cheese is always covered with oil.

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With an air-tight hinged lid, these jars are suitable for storing just about anything. They’re food safe and heat safe; odor and stain proof.

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Variations and Suggestions

Use on an antipasto platter or charcuterie board to add wonderful variety.
Thinly slice two garlic cloves and add half to each layer.
Include a few pitted kalamata olives just for good measure. So good!
Add a sprig of fresh rosemary for more herbal flavors.
This makes a beautiful gift for a new neighbor or as a thank you to someone special. Pair it with a loaf of bread in a pretty basket.

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