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Leaning into appetizer season here with this quick and delicious Honey Whipped Feta with Garlic Herb Roasted Olives. Herby and garlicky, these roasted olives are served over sweet and creamy honey whipped feta cheese. This is the simplest of appetizers, yet so amazingly GOOD. Serve this dish at all of your upcoming fall parties, game days, and even into the holidays. This is the perfect appetizer for all occasions.
We all know that when it comes to new recipes, I’m mostly about sharing delicious dinners, or something sweet for dessert. It’s just what I gravitate towards.
That said, I’ve been working to create more appetizer recipes for you guys. And with September here (Happy September!) and the fall entertaining season just ahead, I figured, why not get things started.
Which that brings me to this creamy, sweet, salty, and addicting honey whipped feta. Wow, I didn’t realize how much I would love this dish. But I really do, and I am so excited to share it! Plus, sharing it now will give us plenty of time to make it over and over again. This app is great for upcoming dinner parties, Sunday night football, and of course, the nearing holiday season.
This is really easy, let’s start with the olives
You want to start with the olives, which are truly just a simple two-step process.
Gather up a bunch of mixed olives. I usually pick up a few varieties from Whole
Foods for different colors and flavors. Then toss the olives together with really good olive oil, garlic, shallots, lemon, thyme, oregano, and as always, a nice pinch of chili flakes.
Throw everything into the oven to roast for a bit. As the olives roast, everything caramelizes down and you’ll have the aroma of garlic and herbs in the air.
It’s such a nice dish to have in the oven as guests are arriving.
Now, whip the the feta
While those olives are roasting, whip up the feta. It’s just feta cheese whipped together with cream cheese (for creaminess), honey, and a pinch of black pepper.
This is easiest to do in a food processor.
What’s great about the feta is that you can make it way in advance and just keep it in the fridge until serving time. I would recommend bringing it back to room temperature before you serve it for the very best flavor.
Serve everything up
When the olives have finished roasting, spoon the feta into a shallow bowl. Spoon some of the olives and oil over the feta.
Serve the dip with toasted bread or crackers…something with a little crunch is so nice!
Could not be easier, but don’t let the ease fool you, this recipe is always such a show stopper.
I’m excited to have this on rotation for everything coming up this fall. We all need effortless appetizers to help make entertaining stress-free. Whether it’s just with family, or a group of friends, easy entertaining is always appreciated!
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
Lastly, if you make this Honey Whipped Feta with Garlic Herb Roasted Olives, 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!
Honey Whipped Feta with Garlic Herb Roasted Olives
Servings: 8
Calories Per Serving: 255 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
Roasted Olives
- 2 cups mixed olives pitted
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 6 cloves garlic, smashed
- 1 shallot, quartered
- 1 lemon, quartered
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 sprigs fresh oregano
- chili flakes
Honey Whipped Feta
- 1 cup (8 ounces) crumbled feta cheese
- 3 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
- 2-3 tablespoons honey
- black pepper
Instructions
- 1. Preheat the oven to 450° F. In a baking dish, combine the olives, olive oil, garlic, shallot, lemon, thyme, oregano, and a big pinch of chili flakes. Bake 20-25 minutes, until the garlic turns golden and the oil is sizzling. 2. Meanwhile, whip the feta. Combine all ingredients in a food processor and pulse until smooth and creamy. The feta can be kept in the fridge for up to 3 days. 3. Spoon the feta into a serving bowl and then top with the warm olives. Serve with bread or crackers.
I made this and my company loved it! I would suggest plain Greek yogurt instead of the sour cream. I will definitely make this again!
Hi Marilena,
Amazing!! I love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for making it! Have a great weekend! xTieghan
This might be one of the most delicious crowd pleaser apps I’ve ever made! Very easy to make, but soooo good no one could stop eating it! I diced the shallot and cut the olives into smaller pieces (about 3rds) just so it was more bite sized/more yummy topping with every bite! Also very easy to prep in advance – I had the whipped feta made and everything prepped in a cast iron pan, so just tossed it into the oven a bit before guests arrived. 11/10 would recommend!
Hi Meghan,
Happy Wednesday! I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was a winner, thanks a bunch for making it! xT
Can the recipe be cut in half?
You bet!!
Although delicious and we enjoyed it, it was very, very salty (and we like salt!). I found a recipe during Covid of roasted olives and grapes with rosemary that I think would be great on this whipped feta (we usually serve it with goat cheese, but not dip-able). You wouldn’t need any or much honey if you did the grape version. Anywho, this is delicious, but I’m going to make the unsweetened whipped feta with my version next time, and with unsalted crostini. Can’t wait!
Hey Kate,
Thanks so much for making this dish and sharing your review, I am so glad to hear it was enjoyed! Have a great weekend:) xx
If I had to give up every online recipe I’ve ever found and could only keep one, it would be this dip. It’s incredible. I’ve made it several times for friends and family and it’s devoured each and every time.
Hey Harley,
Happy Monday!! I am delighted to hear that this recipe was tasty for you! Thanks for making it:) xx
This is our new favorite appetizer. It was a huge hit and I followed the recipe without any changes.
Hi Lisa,
Happy Wednesday! Thanks a bunch for trying this recipe out, I love to hear that it was a winner! xx
Just made it because it looked SO GOOD! My version (and I thought I followed the recipe carefully ) end up with too much olive oil and its quite salty.Other than that it would be lovely as an appetizer in teh fall or winter.
Hi Nancy,
Thanks so much for making this recipe, sorry about the oil it is meant to be that way and is salty as well:) xx
This is so good! It will be a new go-to recipe. I think it is all about the honey.
Hi Kathey,
Perfect! I appreciate you making this recipe and sharing your review, I love to hear that it was a hit! xxT
This looks amazing and I would love to make it but many of my guests are lactose intolerant … the sheep milk feta is fine but what can I substitute for the cream cheese? Would using goat cheese and a sheep milk yogurt be a good substitute? Thank you for your response …
Hey there,
Sure, I think those would be great options for you! I hope you love this recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xx
In the written description before the recipe, you say to spoon “some” of the olives and oil over the cheese. I believe the actual recipe says to spoon everything roasted over the cheese. Are the onions and garlic not meant to be spooned over the cheese, too? Also, I am wondering if it would be a good idea to chop the olives and onion so that you can scoop some of that in every spoonful…? It seems bite-sized pieces of everything would help for those flavors to be added in every serving.
Hi Nancy,
You are going to spoon the olives with the onion and garlic over the cheese and sure you could dice them to your liking:) I hope you love the recipe! xx
This is one of my favorite appetizer recipes. The whipped feta is good enough to eat on its own but that topped with the warm olive mixture!!!!!! It is always a. It hit!!!!
Hey Judy,
Amazing! I love to hear that this recipe was a winner, thanks so much for making it! Have a great Monday! xTieghan
DELICIOUS!!! Everyone gobbled it up and wanted the recipe. I asked if they knew about Half-Baked Harvest and they did, saying they loved your recipes :)Thanks!
Hi Amy,
Amazing! Thanks for sharing your feedback and making this recipe, I am so glad it was enjoyed:)
This sounds SO GOOD! But my family doesn’t eat olives…. can you think of anything that would be a good substitute?
Hi Danielle,
Another veggie that your family enjoys would work well here, artichokes would be great! I hope you love the recipe! xx
So, I actually did a mash up with the honey whipped feta and the tomato basil vinaigrette dip (instead of the olives) since I happened to have those ingredients on hand. People loved it and I’ve since made it several times and every time someone requests your recipes.
Hi Joanne,
Happy Wednesday! Thanks a lot for making this recipe and sharing your feedback, I love to hear that it was enjoyed:) xx
This recipe has all the sweet, tangy, salty, and spicy components! I served with toasted baguette. It was a huge hit as an appetizer!
Hey Kristin,
Happy Friday!!? I am thrilled to hear this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a bunch for giving it a try! xxT
My friends and husband loved this dip.
I made it with Valbreso, which made it soooo creamy. Next time, I’m going to triple the baked items. Also, I will toast baguette slices with olive oil.
This is a winner!
Hey Janet,
Happy Monday!! Thanks a lot for giving this recipe a go, I am so glad it was a winner:) Have the best week! xx
I’ve made this recipe twice this summer. Both times the feta is grainy no matter how long I process it. The picture makes it looks very creamy. What am I doing wrong?
Hi there,
So sorry to hear this!! What kind of feta are you using? Is it block feta? Let me know how I can help!! xTieghan
This was amazing! I used a sheeps milk feta, and it whipped up into an amazingly creamy base for the gorgeous olive mixture. I added a few grape tomatoes to the mix. This was spectacular. Thank you Tieghan!
Hey April,
Happy Wednesday! Thanks for sharing your review and making this recipe, I am so glad it was a winner! xxTieghan
I add a few tablespoons of heavy cream and it smooths it right out!
Thanks for sharing Kris!
This was DIVINE. I added some smashed garlic to the roasted olives, rosemary – drizzled a bit more honey to round out the roasted olives in the dish. I want to try this again with goat cheese – just delicious and a showstopper.
Hi Taylor,
Fantastic!! I love to hear that this recipe was a winner, thanks for trying it out! I hope you had a great holiday weekend!?
Any suggestions for making this recipe ahead? I know it is suggested that you can whip the feta mixture and refrigerate for up to three days.
If bringing the dip to a party, can I roast the olive mixture, cool and refrigerate and then reheat for the day I plan to serve?
Hey Marian,
I would probably just make the dip in advance, save the olives for the day of for best flavor:) I hope this recipe turns out amazing for you, please let me know if you give it a try! xx