Baked feta with honey and thyme

Baked feta with honey and thyme: full-flavoured sheep's cheese from the oven with olive oil, chilli, pepper and fresh thyme – lightly golden outside, soft inside.

At a glance

• Serves 2
• Prep time: 5 min
• Cooking time: 20 min
• Total time: 25 min
• Calories: 290 kcal per serving
• Protein: 14 g
• Fat: 22 g
• Carbs: 6 g

Ingredients

• 1 (200g) Greek sheep's cheese (feta)
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tbsp honey
• Black pepper
• 3 sprigs of fresh thyme
• ½ tsp red chilli flakes

Method

You’ll need: oven · baking dish · chopping board · knife

1. Preheat the oven to 200 °C (180 °C fan). Take the feta out of the brine, pat it dry well and place it in a small baking dish.
2. Drizzle the feta with the olive oil so the top and sides are lightly coated.
3. Bake at 200 °C for 15–20 min, until the cheese is soft and the edges are lightly coloured.
4. Take the dish out and pour the honey over the hot feta. Scatter over the thyme leaves, chilli flakes and black pepper.
5. Leave to stand briefly so the honey, olive oil and melting cheese come together.
6. Serve hot in the dish and cut into the soft centre. A salad or hearty bread goes well with it.

Good to know

When feta turns soft in the oven, it often takes very little to make a really good dish. Sweetness, salt and warmth come together here in a very simple, honest way.

Swaps

Honey → pomegranate seeds (fewer free sugars, more freshness) Black pepper → lemon zest (more flavour, no extra heat) Red chilli flakes → fresh mild chilli (fresher flavour, easier to dose) Greek sheep's cheese (feta) → goat's milk feta (tangy; in pregnancy, made from pasteurised milk)

Allergens

Contains milk. Because of the salt and the chilli, it's not ideal for small children. In pregnancy, only use feta made from pasteurised milk. Because of the honey, not suitable for babies under 1 year old.

Frequently asked questions

What's in sheep's milk feta nutritionally?

Feta provides protein, calcium, phosphorus and vitamin B12. It also usually contains quite a lot of salt, which shapes the flavour and can matter for sensitive people.

Is honey just sweetness, or does it bring anything else?

Honey is mainly sugar, with small amounts of enzymes and phenolic compounds. These are present, but nutritionally fairly minor.

What's special about the olive oil in this recipe?

Extra virgin olive oil mainly provides monounsaturated fats, especially oleic acid. Depending on quality, it also contains polyphenols and a little vitamin E.

Are thyme and chilli more than just flavour?

Both contain plant compounds: thyme essential oils, among others, and chilli capsaicinoids. In kitchen amounts they matter mainly for flavour; their nutritional contribution stays fairly small.

Is the dish OK if you're sensitive to lactose?

Feta often contains less lactose than many fresh dairy products, but that doesn't automatically make it fine for everyone. If you're sensitive, you may manage small amounts better than large ones – it varies from person to person.