Next Post
Roasted Garlic Butter Smashed Potatoes.
This post may contain affiliate links, please see our privacy policy for details.
Leaning into summer appetizer season here with this quick and delicious Crumbled Feta and Tomato Basil Vinaigrette Dip. Herby and garlicky, these roasted tomatoes are served over salty crumbled feta cheese. This is the simplest of appetizers, yet so amazingly GOOD. Serve this dish at all of your upcoming late spring and summer gatherings…or simply when you just have an abundance of tomatoes. It’s the perfect warm-weather appetizer for just about all occasions.
If there’s one recipe I’m most excited to share this week, it has to be this feta. Which is kind of funny considering it’s the easiest recipe of the week. This dip amazes everyone with its ease (it’s 3 simple steps), and of course, deliciousness.
And I know I’ve mentioned this before, but I find more and more that it’s the recipes that I make without almost any thought, the ones I don’t overthink, that I end up loving the most.
I made this the day before leaving for my 10 days of travel. And even though I shouldn’t have been in the kitchen cooking last-minute, I am so happy I have this to share with you all ahead of Memorial Day weekend.
I’m not sure what exactly drew me to create this. I think more than anything I wanted to share something easy for you all to create and enjoy. Something to help you celebrate the beginning of the summer season. Plus, I had fresh basil on hand. Anytime I have fresh basil leaves, I just have to use them up!
There are so many fun picnics, BBQs, and dinners with friends ahead, I can’t wait! So I just knew I had to make time to get this recipe out to you all ASAP.
The details are simple
To keep the mess down and things very, very hands-off, I decided we’d roast up the tomatoes in the oven. I love roasted, burst tomatoes. They make for the best “chunky vinaigrettes”. You can use them for serving with salads and bread.
Be sure to use colorful cherry tomatoes. Then toss them with really good olive oil (I’d recommend our olive oil with California Olive Ranch). Then add sweet and tangy champagne vinegar, honey, lots of smashed garlic cloves, shallots, oregano, thyme, and a good amount of chili flakes (or to your taste).
I did use chile pepper as well, but if you’d prefer to just use chili flakes, that’s just fine too! As always, make sure to adjust the spice levels to your liking.
Throw the tomatoes in the oven and let the oven work its magic.
While the tomatoes are cooking, cube the feta cheese and add it to a shallow serving bowl/plate. I like to lightly crumble half of the cubes. I would also toast up some crusty ciabatta bread or warm fresh pitas to serve alongside. You need a little bread or pita chips with this dip!
When the tomatoes have burst, spoon those warm tomatoes and any oils left in the dish over the cheese.
Top with a handful of fresh halved cherry tomatoes, lots and lots of fresh basil leaves, and additional black pepper and sea salt.
You can serve this warm or at room temperature. It truly is delicious either way.
And so hard to mess up, right? The perfect summery appetizer for you all to serve throughout the next few months. Have fun switching out the herbs and using what’s in your fridge. Or maybe just use whatever’s growing in your garden!
And lastly, these tomatoes would be amazing over fresh burrata cheese too. Both are wonderful in their own ways.
Looking for other appetizer recipes? Here are a few ideas:
Peach Burrata Crostini with Burst Cherry Tomato Vinaigrette
Charred Baby Bell Peppers with Burrata
Everything Ranch Cheese and Pretzel Snack Mix
Baked Buffalo Chicken Egg Rolls
Honey Whipped Feta with Garlic Herb Roasted Olives
Garlic Herb Roasted Olives with Burrata.
Lastly, if you make this Crumbled Feta and Tomato Basil Vinaigrette Dip, 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!
Crumbled Feta and Tomato Basil Vinaigrette Dip
Servings: 8
Calories Per Serving: 232 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons champagne vinegar
- 2 teaspoons honey
- 6 cloves garlic, smashed
- 2 shallots, thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 2 tablespoons fresh oregano leaves
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme or 2 sprigs
- sea salt, black pepper, and chili flakes
- 12-16 ounces feta cheese, cubed
- 1/2 cup fresh basil, roughly torn
Instructions
- 1. Preheat the oven to 450° F. 2. In a baking dish, combine the tomatoes, olive oil, vinegar, honey, garlic, shallots, lemon, oregano, thyme, and a big pinch of chili flakes. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the tomatoes begin to burst and the oil is sizzling.3. Meanwhile, cube the feta cheese and arrange it in a shallow serving bowl. Lightly crumble half of the feta cubes. 4. Spoon the warm tomatoes and oil over the feta. Season with additional sea salt and black pepper. Top with basil.
Oh. My. Gosh. This is amazing! I made it exactly as written and served as an appetizer when my daughter and son-in-law came for dinner tonight. Everyone raved and we gobbled it up. I served it with thin sliced, olive oil brushed crostinis. So so good. Amazing flavors that are pure summer and ooey, gooey comfort food. Will definitely make it again soon. Thank you, Tieghan, for another winner.
Hi Carol,
Fantastic!! Thanks a lot for trying this recipe out and sharing your feedback, I love to hear that it was enjoyed! xxT
Made this last night and it was absolutely delicious! I served it with toasted baguette slices in the cast iron dish where it was cooked and it worked very well. Thank you.
Hi there,
Fantastic!! Thanks a lot for trying this recipe out and sharing your feedback, I love to hear that it was enjoyed! xxT
Enjoyed immensely but I did a slower roast at 350 for 30min then down to 330 for another 30min. Added 2 heirlooms to my cherry tomatos; an entire head of garlic; substituted maple syrup for honey. Fabulous. Thanks Tieghan!
Hey Jacinta,
Fantastic!! Thanks a lot for trying this recipe out and sharing your feedback, I love to hear that it was enjoyed! xxT
I’m always on the lookout for cooked tomato dishes that don’t feel “Italian” in flavor, and tried this one out today after seeing it on your Instagram. I didn’t have champagne vinegar, so used a little white wine vinegar and a little of a pineapple-white balsamic vinegar I found at Williams Sonoma a few years back. And I threw in some chopped up cherry peppers (jarred, mostly because I’m trying to use them up) for more spicy-vinegar-y-ness before it all went in the oven. A big spoonful mixed with some feta, layered on a turkey sandwich with arugula was DELICIOUS.
Hi Molly,
Love to hear that this recipe was a hit, thanks for making it and sharing your feedback! Thanks for sharing what worked well for you! ??xTieghan
Oh my goodness this was amazing. I did need to roast the tomatoes a bit longer as I did use some grape tomatoes that must not have been ripe enough. I did use 1.5 cups of mixed tomatoes. It was soooo good, everybody raved about it. Yummm thx for this recipe
Also, I only used an 8oz block of feta and that was perfect. Maybe a tad less oil but it was amazing to say the least. Thx again
Thanks again Gayle!
Hey Gayle,
Love to hear that this recipe was a hit, thanks for making it and sharing your feedback! ??xTieghan
Hi Tieghan! Do you think some diced heirloom tomatoes would work okay, or should it just be little ones? I have some gorgeous heirlooms I’d like to use but not sure if it’d be the same. Thank you!
Hey Meghan,
Sure, heirloom tomatoes would be great too! Please let me know if you give the recipe a try, I hope you love it! xTieghan
Wow!! Those tomatoes are so so good!! And simple?I served them with fresh burrata, toasted sour dough bread and it was the best appetizer. The juices from the the tomatoes were perfect to mop up the leftover bread! Thanks for giving us such a joy of a recipe Teighan!
Hey Brooke,
Awesome!! I love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for making it! Have the best weekend:) xTieghan
Delish. I love to cook but on Friday nights, it’s all about a cocktail and appetizer on the patio in the summer. I didn’t have champagne vinegar so I substituted it for rice vinegar. And I served it with mini pita triangles from Sam’s club heated in the oven and a little side dish of kalamata olives.
Hey Sabrina,
Awesome!! I love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for making it! Have the best weekend:) xTieghan
Chrissy
Could this be used as a dressing for a salad?
Hey Christine,
Sure, I don’t see why not! I hope you love this recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
Hi, this looks delicious but can I replace the Champagne vinegar with any other type of vinegar ?
Hey Donna,
Sure, white wine vinegar would be great to use! Please let me know if you have any other questions! xx
I added anchovies to this dish and it was amazing! Smashed them in the oil and roasted with the tomatoes. I had opened a can the day before and did not want to waste the anchovies.
Hey Lori,
Happy Friday!! I love to hear that this recipe was a winner, thanks so much for giving it a try!! xTieghan
What would you serv with as an appetizer? Melba toast? Or?
I’m a sourdough baker, so I highly recommend certain sourdough lightly toast.
Hey Beth,
Sure, crackers or crostini would be great, pita chips would be good too! Let me know if you give the recipe a try, I hope you love it! xx
Does anyone think substituting Balsamic vinegar would work? Champaign vinegar is almost impossible to find
Balsamic is so sweet…. Maybe rice wine vinegar?
Sure, that would be great! I hope you love the recipe Jamie:)
This looks almost identical to the baked tomato and feta pasta dish, that went viral on TikTok a while ago.
Delicious!
Let me know if you give the recipe a try, I hope you love it! xx
Sounds delicious! Could you use burrata cheese instead of feta? Thank you
Hey Constance,
Sure, burrata would be yummy as well! Let me know if you give this recipe a try, I hope you love it! xx