Baked Feta with Roasted Tomatoes & Lamb's Quarters

This baked feta recipe is a great appetizer for introducing foraged greens to people who like the taste of spinach!

Spinach and feta are two of my favorite flavor combinations! In this dish, I added the unique combination of foraged lamb's quarters as one of the main ingredients. Along with roasted grape tomatoes, the flavors will have your taste buds dance!

Jump to:

• Why this recipe works
• Viral Recipe? How about a Greek Appetizer!
• What are Lamb's Quarters?
• Ingredients
• How to make baked feta
• Serving suggestions
• 📖 Recipe
• More foraged recipes to try
• 💬 Comments

Why this recipe works

This is a great side dish, but on days where we're not really about doing too much cooking. No slicing or dicing, it takes only one baking dish and 30 minutes. This is a dish we'd add one of our simple salads, some pita bread or Max's crusty baguettes, and make it the main course.

Viral Recipe? How about a Greek Appetizer!

The popular baked feta pasta recipe was a TikTok moment in 2020, but this isn't it! This dish is inspired by the Greek dish Bouyiourdi that comes from the city of Thessaloniki. It's a spicy and delicious melted feta side dish.

What are Lamb's Quarters?

Lamb's quarters is a common name for the leafy green vegetable that is also known as goosefoot, pigweed, or wild spinach. This plant is native to North America and has been used by Indigenous people as a food source and medicinal herb.

The leaves of lamb's quarter look similar to those of spinach or chard and are found in early summer. They're dark green with serrated edges and grow opposite each other on the stem. The stems are square in cross-section and hollow inside with small hairs along their length. You can harvest them in early to mid-summer and is a great swap-in for any dishes that use spinach.

Ingredients

This recipe is excellent for getting your greens and cheese in one bite. It's also easy to make and can be served as an appetizer or side dish. You just need a few key ingredients:

• Extra virgin olive oil: you can use any high-quality extra virgin olive oil for this recipe, but I like to use a Greek one made from Koroneiki olives. You can find this type of olive oil at any good specialty grocery store or online.
• Block of Greek feta cheese: goat milk goat cheese. For best results, make sure to get full fat feta! You can always order some online if you can't find them locally. Feta cheese is a beautiful ingredient. It's great on salads, sandwiches, and even desserts. Feta can be used in savory or sweet recipes and is a great way to add extra flavor to any dish.
• Cherry tomatoes: grape tomatoes would work as well, of course! These should be cut into halves or quarters, depending on their size.
• Lamb's quarter: This foraged green is in full swing in June and July in Zone 5 and may be found in farmer's markets. If you can't find lamb's quarters, spinach swaps in easily.
• Oregano: fresh oregano will work for this but dried will work as well.

How to make baked feta

There are different ways to make this simple appetizer, but once you have the right cheese, you're only a few steps away from the good stuff. This simple recipe takes about 30 minutes in the oven, but it's worth the wait.

First, preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (176 degrees Celsius). While the oven is preheating, wash your tomatoes and lamb quarters thoroughly under running water. Make sure you grease your baking dish.

Next, place your whole block of feta cheese in the center of your baking dish, then arrange your tomatoes and lamb's quarters in a single layer.

Finally, top with chopped oregano, and give a good drizzle of olive oil. Bake for 30 minutes or until tomatoes burst, and feta is softened and lightly brown. Remove from oven and serve warm.

Serving suggestions

The creamy feta, tomato, and greens come together for an easy appetizer. Now we just need something to eat it with! Here are a few suggestions.

One of my favorite ways to eat this spreadable feta appetizer is to eat it as a dip! Make some homemade chips or add a few slices of crusty bread, and you're got yourself a party.

Try serving this baked feta with crackers or a sliced baguette if you want something even easier. I also love using this spread on sandwiches or stuffed into pitas for lunch. It's great served alongside some grilled fish or chicken as well.

More foraged recipes to try

Did you make this baked feta recipe? Are you interested in easy recipes to make from found and foraged ingredients? I've got plenty to share!