Marinated Olive with Feta Cheese in a jar next to a charcuterie board.

The Easiest Marinated Olives with Feta Cheese Recipe

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This marinated olives with feta cheese recipe is the easiest recipe with seriously impressive results!

A quick marinade is all it takes to make a winning appetizer or condiment that can be used in so many ways.

All it takes is a few simple ingredients to make this recipe, you don’t even need to fire up the stove.

We love to use fresh herbs when making this appetizer, but if you don’t have any on hand, you can always use dried oregano and thyme.

Ingredients for Marinated Olive with Feta Cheese on a cutting board.

What is Feta Cheese?

We fell in love with Greek feta while exploring Santorini and Milos, Greece.

Feta is a brined cheese that is very prevalent in Greece, and you’ll find it on almost every single restaurant menu.

This cheese is either made with sheep’s milk or a blend of sheep and goat’s milk, creating a distinct flavor profile.

It’s high in protein and lower in fat than most cheeses, which is why it is part of the Mediterranean diet. 

Start by picking up a good quality feta that is in a block and stored with liquid. 

You’ll likely find this in the deli area by the imported cheeses.

Ingredients for a Marinated Olive with Feta Cheese Recipe being placed in a jar.

Olives to Use for This Marinated Olives with Feta Cheese Recipe

For this recipe we used castelvetrano olives because that is our favorite type of olive.

Keep in mind that you can also use this recipe with any time of high quality olive such as kalamata olives or other varieties of green olives.

We like to use pitted olives in order to have more versatility in how the dish can be used, but olives with pits can also be selected, pending you warn your guests about the pits prior to serving them. Nobody wants a chipped tooth!

Olive oil being added to a jar for a Marinated Olive with Feta Cheese recipe.

Ways to Use Marinated Olives with Feta Cheese

There are a number of different methods to use this marinated feta and olive recipe.

  • This is an impressive appetizer or quick snack all on its own. Serve with some warm crusty bread, crispy pita chips, or fresh pita bread cut into triangles. Try pouring the marinated olives with feta cheese in a shallow serving bowl that is also oven safe and placing in the oven to create a warm feta and olive appetizer during the cooler months or as a holiday appetizer.
  • Use this recipe to elevate any charcuterie board, mezze platter, or grazing table!
  • A jar of marinated olives and feta is a thoughtful gift for a host. Instead of bringing a bottle of wine to a dinner party, presenting them with a jar of homemade marinated olives with feta shows so much more thoughtfulness and creativity.
  • Use them in dirty martinis as a garnish. Skewer the marinated olives and feta on a cocktail pick for a fun elevated dirty martini OR make marinated stuffed olives by filling the holes of olives with feta prior to marinating. It’s a unique take on a stuffed olive!
  • Use this recipe as a flavorful topper for salmon, chicken and lamb. We used the marinated feta on top of our Baked Mediterranean Salmon recipe and it would also be terrific on top of our One Pot Greek Lemon Orzo Chicken.
  • This recipe is also an easy salad dressing on top of a greek salad! Just pour it right on top of sliced tomatoes, onions, cucumbers, and bell peppers!
Marinated Olive with Feta Cheese on a charcuterie board.

Possible Additions and Variations to this Recipe

Feel free to get creative with what you add into your marinade. 

These additional add-ins could also make a delicious appetizer with different flavor combinations:

  • Sun-dried tomatoes
  • Artichoke hearts
  • Capers or caperberries
  • Blue cheese
  • Other citrus rinds like orange zest or blood oranges
Marinated Olive with Feta Cheese in a jar next to a charcuterie board.

How to Store Marinated Olives with Feta Cheese

When storing this dish in the refrigerator, the oil mixture will start to solidify. 

Don’t worry, just bring it back to room temperature in order to bring it back to the original consistency. 

Save the leftover oil in its airtight jar and use it for pastas, meats, or as the perfect dipping oil for warm bread. 

Since it’s infused with all of the flavors of the marinade, it’s a great cooking ingredient, much like the leftover oil from our garlic roasted in olive oil recipe.

Marinated Olive with Feta Cheese on a charcuterie board.

The Easiest Marinated Olives with Feta Cheese Recipe

Prep Time:  5 Minutes

Additional Time: 1 hour

Yield: 3 cups

Ingredients:

  • One large block of feta cheese, cubed
  • 50 castelvetrano olives
  • 1 fresh lemon, peeled 
  • 3 sprigs of fresh oregano 
  • 3 spring of fresh thyme
  • 3 garlic cloves, peeled
  • ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper chili flakes
  • ¼ teaspoon sea salt
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 cup of extra virgin olive oil

Directions:

  1. Start by cutting your large block of feta cheese into small cubes, about ½ inch in length. Discard the liquid.
  2. Use a vegetable peeler to skin the lemons off of the white pith of the fruit.
  3. In an airtight container or jar, add the fresh thyme, fresh oregano, olives, cubed feta cheese, a lemon peel, sea salt, black pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes.
  4. Top with extra virgin olive oil until fully covered. 
  5. Seal the container and give it a shake to mix all the ingredients together in the jar.
  6. It’s best if you can let the mixture marinate for 1 hour at room temperature, anything longer than that should be stored in the fridge.
  7. Serve at room temperature and enjoy!

NOTE: The exact ingredient measurements will vary based on the size of jar you decide to use. You can split this recipe into smaller jars, if desired. Use the amount of olive oil needed to submerge all the ingredients.

Marinated Olive with Feta Cheese on a charcuterie board.

The Easiest Marinated Olives with Feta Cheese Recipe

Yield: 3 Cups
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Additional Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes

This marinated olives with feta cheese recipe requires zero cooking and is perfect for charcuterie boards, salads, or even a homemade gift!

Ingredients

  • One large block of feta cheese, cubed
  • 50 castelvetrano olives
  • 1 fresh lemon, peeled
  • 3 sprigs of fresh oregano
  • 3 spring of fresh thyme
  • 3 garlic cloves, peeled
  • ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper chili flakes
  • ¼ teaspoon sea salt
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 cup of extra virgin olive oil

Instructions

  1. Start by cutting your large block of feta cheese into small cubes, about ½ inch in length. Discard the liquid.
  2. Use a vegetable peeler to skin the lemons off of the white pith of the fruit.
  3. In an airtight container or jar, add the fresh thyme, fresh oregano, olives, cubed feta cheese, a lemon peel, sea salt, black pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes.
  4. Top with extra virgin olive oil until fully covered. 
  5. Seal the container and give it a shake to mix all the ingredients together in the jar.
  6. It’s best if you can let the mixture marinate for 1 hour at room temperature, anything longer than that should be stored in the fridge.
  7. Serve at room temperature and enjoy!

Notes

NOTE: The exact ingredient measurements will vary based on the size of jar you decide to use. You can split this recipe into smaller jars, if desired. Use the amount of olive oil needed to submerge all the ingredients.

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Marinated olives with feta cheese on a charcuterie board.

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