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My Charred Peppers with Marinated Feta and Tzatziki are a great easy appetizer for outside summer entertaining. Cute little baby bell peppers thrown on the grill and cooked until charred, then tossed with garlic herb marinated feta cheese. Serve the peppers and cheese alongside creamy tzatziki sauce with soft pita or grilled bread. Enjoy warm or cold, this appetizer is delicious any way you serve it.
Even though I’ve been excited to share this recipe for weeks, I held onto it for as long as possible. But now that it’s officially summer, and the 4th is less than 2 weeks out, the time has come to share this recipe!
I’m sure it comes to no one’s surprise, but we love bell peppers over here. Growing up my dad would top his pasta dishes and pizzas with slices of bell peppers – I just LOVED them. So much so that often times I would eat all the roasted bell peppers off the top of my dad’s pasta dish before anyone else could even have a chance at them.
And then of course there’s Creighton, who’s equally obsessed (if not more so) with peppers. See, there was a reason I had to get to my dad’s dishes before the rest of my siblings! Anyway, it’s safe to say that this family really loves their roasted peppers.
So obviously, when I was thinking of ideas for summer recipes, these peppers were one of the first to come to mind. We’ve also been loving Tzatziki. Naturally, I thought grilled peppers would be delicious with Tzatziki drizzled on top.
And then I thought, well I’m sure peppers + Tzatziki are great. But I could probably make the dish just that much more exciting and delicious with the addition of feta cheese.
And then this easy app was created. I’ve made it for the family multiple times now and it’s safe to say that it’s sure to become a summertime staple.
Here are the quick details
Make the marinated feta first, since it needs time to sit. This is a simple mix of cubes of feta cheese, garlic, lemon, and herbs. I also add honey for a subtle sweetness and then pour over plenty of high-quality olive oil.
Allow the cheese to sit at room temperature for 20 minutes to an hour, or keep it in the fridge for longer. So simple, so easy, but it truly elevates the feta and gives it a whole new layer of flavor.
Marinating the cheese in herbs and oil allows the cheese to become infused with delicious summer flavors.
Now the peppers. Make these while the feta is marinating. You’ll want to use baby bell peppers for this recipe. They’re just perfect for grilling and enjoying as an appetizer or side dish. Toss them simply with olive oil, thyme, salt, and pepper.
And for serving, I love to make fresh naan or tortillas, but you could also grill up some ciabatta bread too.
Put it all together
Once the peppers have been grilled and have a nice char, arrange them on a big serving plate. Then spoon the feta and oil left in the jar over the peppers while they’re still warm. Adding the feta while the peppers are warm will help the peppers better soak up the deliciousness of the cheese/marinating oil.
I serve the tzatziki sauce dolloped onto each pepper. Then use the naan, grilled bread, or pita for scooping everything up.
So many wonderful summer flavors and such a simple dish. This is one of those appetizers that I call a “one and done”. Make one appetizer and call it a day. This dish excites everyone with an array of vegetables, cheese, sauce, and bread. It hits all of the appetizer elements, eliminating the need for anything else!
So it’s a one-and-done and totally delicious!
Looking for other summery appetizer recipes? Here are some favorites:
Crumbled Feta and Tomato Basil Vinaigrette Dip
Honey Whipped Feta with Garlic Herb Roasted Olives
Strawberry Watermelon Salad with Burrata
Whipped Ricotta Toast with Marinated Tomatoes and Lemon Thyme Honey
Antipasto Tortellini Skewers with Lemon Basil Vinaigrette
Marinated Goat Cheese Strawberry Crostini
Pastry Wrapped Baked Brie with Thyme Butter Roasted Plums
Peach Brie Pastry Tarts with Peppered Rosemary Honey
Lastly, if you make these Charred Peppers with Marinated Feta and Tzatziki, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Charred Peppers with Marinated Feta and Tzatziki
Servings: 8
Calories Per Serving: 321 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 1 pound baby bell peppers
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon fresh chopped thyme
- kosher salt and black pepper
- 1-2 cups Tzatziki sauce
Marinated Feta
- 1 block (6 ounces) feta, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
- 4 cloves garlic, smashed or sliced
- 1 lemon rind
- 1/2 cup fresh herbs (chopped basil, thyme + oregano sprigs)
- black pepper and chili flakes
- 2 teaspoons honey
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- 1. To make the feta. Arrange the feta, garlic, lemon rind, herbs, black pepper, and chili flakes in a square baking dish or large glass jar. Drizzle over the honey, then pour over the olive oil. Let sit at room temperature for 20 minutes or refrigerate for up to 1 week. 2. To make the peppers. Preheat the grill or grill pan to high. 3. In a large bowl, toss the peppers with olive oil, thyme, salt, and pepper. Grill the peppers until softened and charred, 3-4 minutes per side. Remove from the grill and arrange on a serving plate.4. Spoon over the feta and oil. Let everything sit 5 minutes. Serve with lots of Tzatziki and grilled bread, pita, or naan.
I made this tonight for an family dinner appetizer , and served it with hummus. The plate was scraped and there was absolutely no leftovers. Even the feta marinade was used in a salad. Thanks so much!
Hey Beth,
Fantastic!! I love to hear that this recipe was a winner, thanks for trying it out! I hope you had a great holiday weekend!?
SOOOO GOOD!!!
Hey Bridgette,
Fantastic!! I love to hear that this recipe was a winner, thanks for trying it out! I hope you had a great holiday weekend!?
Funny story…we made this for dinner tonight. I must have overdone it on the olive oil because the peppers caused a grease fire with 3ft+ flames in our BBQ. I used about 1/4th cup but eyeballed it. We got the peppers off in time and they didn’t get too badly scorched. No one was hurt and there was no damage.
The peppers were absolutely delicious. I made a minor change with the feta. I decided to bake it. I think next time I will stuff the peppers with the marinated baked feta.
Thanks for the recipe and fun memory.
Hey Nika,
Ohhh no!! So sorry to hear about the flames! I am so glad to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a lot for trying it out! Have a great holiday weekend!?? xxT
I prefer goat cheese more than fry… Can you use goat cheese instead? Thanks!
Feta* not fry! Sorry! Lol
Lol no worries, I knew what you meant:)
Hey Annie,
Totally, feta would be great here!! I hope this recipe turns out amazing for you, please let me know if you give it a try! xx
I made this last night when both of our young adult kids were over for dinner. It’s a beautiful dish and incredibly tasty. There was not an ounce left and this has moved up to the top of our favorites list. I, too, forgot to get out the tzatziki but we loved this just the same. I’ll definitely try it with tzatziki next time though since you recommend that addition.
Hi Heather,
Awesome!! Thanks so much for your review:) Love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks for giving it a try! xx
This was delicious!! We served with pork chops this weekend. My family has decided we have to keep marinated feta in the fridge for a snack. Thanks for all the recipes.
Hey Margaret,
Happy Monday!! I love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for giving it a go! xxT
Added this to a hot summer night dinner…along with charcuterie. We loved it. I live close to a Greek community/city where I buy awesome feta cheese. I must confess, I forgot to get tzatziki out of fridge. Not sure we missed it. Too busy eating the peppers + feta! I have some leftover marinated feta. Think I’ll use it on some baked halibut. Think that will be quite tasty. Will definitely make this recipe again. Love love love it!
Hi DeeDee,
Happy Sunday!! I love to hear that this recipe was a winner, thanks a lot for trying it out and sharing your review! xxT
Mid afternoon snack on a hot day with a cold glass of Sauvignon Blanc! It’s amazing! So delicious and easy to make!
Hi Karen,
Awesome!! Thanks a bunch for giving this recipe a try and sharing your feedback! Love to hear that it was enjoyed! Have the best weekend:)
Fabulous! You can use the marinated feta for so many dishes. This is going to be one of my staples.
Hey Nancy,
So glad to hear that you enjoyed the recipe, yes the feta would be great with so many other dishes!! Hope you are off to a great Friday! xx
Highlyyyyyy recommend! Made this on a whim tonight cuz I had all the ingredients… it was more than amazing ?
Thank you for sharing all of your recipes
Hi Stacey,
Happy Friday!! I am thrilled that this recipe was a hit, thanks a bunch for trying it out! ☀️xxT
Do you have a recipe for tzatziki sauce? Thank you!
Hi Terri,
Sure do! Here you go:
https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/chicken-gyros-with-feta-tzatziki/
Please let me know if you have any other questions, I hope you love this recipe! xTieghan
This looks very delicious and I’m looking forward to making it! I have two questions:
— are you using all of the rind from 1 whole lemon or just 1 strip of rind?
— the finished picture looks as if there might be seeds (a whole spice?) in the feta marinade but none are listed in the ingredients. Please clarify.
Thanks so much!
Hi Linda,
Yes, you are going to use the rind from 1 whole lemon, I like to just use a veggie peeler to get all of the rind off. I think that might be my ground black pepper you are seeing. Let me know if you give the recipe a try, I hope you love it! xx
What’s tzakiki?
Hey Lilybeth,
Tzatziki is a dip made of salted strained yogurt or diluted yogurt mixed with cucumbers, garlic, salt, olive oil, sometimes with vinegar or lemon juice, and herbs such as dill, mint, parsley and thyme. You can find it at your local grocery store:) xTieghan
Is there a Tzakiki recipe for this?
Hey Shirley,
Store bought tzatziki is great to use here! If not, here is a homemade recipe:
https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/chicken-gyros-with-feta-tzatziki/
Please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Mmmmm, sounds so good! Do you zest the lemon rind or chop or ???
Hey Kate,
I just use a veggie peeler to peel the outside rind of the lemon! I hope this makes sense:) Let me know if you give the recipe a try! xTieghan