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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.
For the marinated feta, could I make it a whipped feta with the same ingredients?
Hey Sarah,
Sure, that should work nicely for you, you probably won’t need that much olive oil though. Here are some of my recipes for whipped feta that would all be delicious with the peppers:
https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/baked-artichokes/
https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/sesame-roasted-asparagus-with-whipped-feta/
https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/honey-whipped-feta/
I hope this helps! xT
I’m not someone who typically leaves reviews, but this is just fantastic. Served with honey harissa chicken thighs as a side instead of an appetizer and literally licked the plate.
Also, I made it with dried herbs instead of fresh. Still great.
Hey Riley,
Love to hear that this recipe turned out well for you, thanks a lot for trying it and your feedback! xT
Could you cook the peppers in an air fryer or oven? It’s raining and our grill is out of commission and I was planning to make this for a few guests tonight…
Hey Kim,
Sure, I don’t see why not! Let me know if you give this recipe a try, I hope you love it! xT
Will the feta still have a nice herby flavor if I use dry herbs rather than fresh? Wasn’t sure how big of a difference fresh versus dried would make.
Hey Alexandra,
It really depends on the recipe, but for this dish I would use fresh herbs if you can get them! Please let me know if you have any other questions! xT
Absolutely delicious! Loved it so much! I will be making it again soon 🙂 Thank you for the recipe!
Hey Enara,
Happy Friday!!🌻 I am so glad to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for trying it and sharing your review:) xT
Absolutely delicious! Loved it so much!
Hey Enara,
Happy Friday!!🌻 I am so glad to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for trying it and sharing your review:) xT
I absolutely love this recipe. I made it for a summer dinner party and I could have eaten the entire thing myself! So good!
Hey Jackie,
Happy Monday!! I really appreciate you trying this recipe out, I am so glad it was enjoyed! Have a great week:)
YUM! The fresh herbs I used were basil and parsley – that’s what I had at home – and I added a splash of the lemon juice to give it a brighter flavor. I served the peppers and feta as a side dish with pork tenderloin and sautéed squash and zucchini – the feta tasted delish mixed with that as well.
Again, husband doesn’t like when I try new things – he isn’t especially fond of feta cheese, but this one he enjoyed.
I love that most of your recipes have ingredients that I already have, so I’m able to do something new.
Hey Jennifer,
Wonderful!! I love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks for making it and sharing your feedback! Hope you’re off to a great weekend:)
I made this for our Fourth of July get together with friends. It was a huge hit! There were a few leftovers since we had so much food at the gathering, and a friend wanted to take this home with her instead of my homemade ice cream, which had also been a success?.
I had fresh basil and thyme to use, but no fresh oregano, but I also had fresh mint and rosemary, so I added a little bit of both, as well. The rosemary made for a great flavor, but I am not sure that I would use it again since rosemary is so difficult to chew. But that one is on me, as the recipe is probably perfect as written.
I began marinating the feta a few days ahead, and then charred the peppers on the grill last minute. It was all perfect.
in addition to this great recipe, I thank you for introducing to me the idea of grilling this type of pepper! I may do that in the future even without using the marinated feta.
Hey Julie,
Happy Friday! Thanks a bunch for trying this recipe out and sharing your feedback, I love to hear that it was a hit! xTieghan