After a year of renewed global feta cheese appreciation thanks to the TikTok viral baked feta pasta, it’s time to continue the appreciation with more delicious feta recipes like watermelon feta salad and this phyllo-wrapped feta with honey. This oven-baked feta appetizer (called feta me meli aka feta with honey) is extremely popular in modern Greek cuisine and is found in most Greek restaurants. However, it’s also ridiculously simple to prepare at home, with just 7 ingredients and 5 minutes of hands-on prep. It combines creamy salt feta with fragrant thyme, wraps it up in crispy phyllo pastry, and tops it off with nutty sesame seeds and a sweet drizzle of honey. The combination of salty, sweet, and nutty is to die for (a must-try for any salted caramel lovers)! While the phyllo-wrapped feta is traditionally fried, I’ve even lightened it up with baked and air fryer versions. Serve warm from the oven as part of a dinner party, mezze selection, or general crowd-pleasing appetizer! Plus, keep reading for tons of recipe variations and optional add-ins for an appetizer with feta cheese that will never become boring (not that it could anyway!) For more pastry-based appetizers, you might enjoy this spinach and ricotta puff pastry tarte soleil, pesto puff pastry, or Lebanese spinach fatayer!
The Feta Me Meli Ingredients
This baked feta in filo pastry with honey requires just 7 ingredients (pepper included!):
Phyllo pastry (filo): I use store-bought phyllo pastry sheets (fresh or frozen and thawed will work). You only need two sheets of phyllo dough for this recipe. Feta: you need to use rectangle blocks of feta in brine, rather than small cubes/crumbled feta. Greek or French feta (which is creamier), will work for this feta pastry. Butter: melted unsalted butter is required to brush the layers of filo pastry. Alternatively, you could use extra virgin olive oil. Thyme: you can use fresh or dried thyme to sprinkle over the feta before baking. Read below for other optional herbs/seasonings. Sesame seeds: you can use sesame seeds, nigella seeds, poppy seeds, or a combination of any two. Black pepper: the feta adds all the salt needed in this baked feta appetizer. However, a crack of black pepper is a welcome addition. Honey: I recommend using a high-quality raw honey for the best flavor (and nutrients). Alternatively, truffle honey, maple syrup or even pomegranate syrup may work.
Optional Add-ins and Variations
Other herbs: there are several herbs you could pair with the feta, including oregano, parsley, mint, dill, or spring onions/scallions. Red pepper flakes: add a pinch of red pepper flakes (more/less to preference) over the feta before wrapping/baking. Pesto/olive tapenade: add a thin layer of your favorite tapenade/pesto (like this vegan pistachio basil pesto). Rose harissa: for heat, add a thin spread of harissa over the top of the feta before wrapping/baking. Truffle oil: just a drizzle added over the baked filo wrapped feta adds wonderful depth to this baked feta recipe. Spinach: spinach and feta pastries are common and popular (like spanakopita). I recommend using frozen, thawed spinach (with excess liquid squeezed out). Add a generous layer over the top of the feta before wrapping. Other cheese: instead of feta, use brie, camembert, or halloumi. The shape and size of the cheese phyllo will vary (so the cooking time will too). Tomato: you can use sun-dried or roasted tomatoes over the feta. Mushrooms: you can use pre-sauteed mushrooms in a generous layer of the feta before wrapping. Alternatively, mince the mushrooms before or after sautéing them for a change in texture. Caramelized onions: a thin layer of slowly cooked caramelized onions over the feta will add tons of flavor and a subtle sweetness. Braised leeks: leek and feta pair very well. Sautéed or braised leeks will work for this baked feta recipe. Fig jam: instead of drizzling with honey, you can serve the cooked feta cheese phyllo pastry with fig jam or spread it over the feta before wrapping/baking. Jam: use 1-2 Tbsp of any other jam (like this strawberry or raspberry jam) over the feta before wrapping/baking. Pomegranate seeds: serve the feta phyllo pastries with a sprinkle of pomegranate seeds for little pops of tang and sweetness. Nuts: in place of the seeds, sprinkle the baked cheese phyllo parcels with crushed walnuts or pistachios.
How to Make Phyllo-Wrapped Feta with Honey?
This baked feta cheese appetizer is incredibly simple to prepare and requires just a few simple steps.
Step 1: Prepare the Feta
First, preheat the oven to 350ºF/180ºC. You’ll need an entire block of feta for this recipe. Start by removing it from the packaging and draining any brine. Then slice the feta in half.
Step 2: Prepare the Feta Wrapped in Filo
Spread a phyllo sheet (filo pastry) across a clean, dry workspace and brush it with melted butter, black pepper, and a sprinkle of thyme. Alternatively, you can just brush it with butter and add all the salt and pepper beneath where you place the feta and on top of it (for a more concentrated flavor). Place one of the feta blocks about 2-3 inches up from the bottom edge, in the center of the sheet. Optionally add an extra sprinkle of black pepper and herbs over the feta. Next, it’s time to fold the parcel. There are two ways to do so- no matter which method you use, make sure to brush the pastry with butter after each fold (so it will become nice and crispy). The first (as photographed below) has you fold the bottom 2-3 inches of pastry up and over the feta, then continue to fold it until fully wrapped, then fold in the two edges. Alternatively, fold the bottom 2-3 inches of pastry up and over the feta. Then fold in both sides. Continue to roll the feta forward until it’s entirely wrapped. The first version will leave multiple layers of filo overlapping on one side for a super crunchy section. The latter distributes the pastry more evenly for those who’d prefer that. Repeat this with another filo sheet and the feta cheese. Then brush the outside of each with melted butter and sprinkle the top with sesame/nigella seeds.
Step 3: Bake the Feta me Meli
In the oven: Place the two feta parcels on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet and bake in the oven at 350ºF/180ºC for 15-20 minutes, flipping halfway (or until the phyllo is golden-brown and crispy on both sides). In the Air Fryer: Place the cheese phyllo parcels directly into the bottom of your air fryer basket. Try to avoid them touching, if possible, for the crispiest results. Then cook for about 15 minutes at 350ºF/180ºC. Once ready, remove the feta parcels from the oven, allow to cool for just a few minutes and then drizzle with honey and serve! By drizzling the honey over the phyllo-wrapped feta (feta me meli) while it’s still warm, it will help the pastry absorb the honey, for better flavor!
How to Serve?
This roasted feta with honey is best enjoyed warm from the oven and drizzled in honey. You can enjoy it for brunch or as an appetizer for dinner parties, gatherings, or even a simple mid-week meal! Slice the baked feta into several smaller pieces – each guest only needs a few bites of this filling baked feta honey parcel! My favorite way to serve this feta me meli dish is as part of a selection of mezze, including creamy hummus, stuffed grape leaves (dolmades), tzatziki, olives, and a selection of other veggies (cucumber, tomatoes, radish, artichoke hearts)! According to a friend in Greece, I should also highly recommend you pair the feta cheese appetizers with Ouzo or tsipouro!
How Make Ahead and Store?
Make ahead: you can assemble the phyllo-wrapped feta pastries up to a day in advance and store in covered in the refrigerator until it’s time to bake. You may also be able to assemble and freeze the unbaked pastry (for between 2-3 months wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and within a Ziplock). Then bake from frozen, adding a few extra minutes to the baking time (as you can with similar pastries). However, I haven’t tried this, so I can’t guarantee results. Store: once you’ve drizzled the baked feta parcels with the honey (feta me meli), it will soften as the honey is absorbed. For that reason, I recommend enjoying the pastry immediately. If you have any leftovers, though, then store them in an airtight container for an extra day or two. Reheat them in the microwave for a minute, or until warmed through (they won’t re-crisp but still taste lovely).
Recipe Tips and Notes
More Cheesy Appetizers
How to Make Whipped Ricotta (+ Other Whipped Cheese) Simple Rainbow Goat Cheese Rolls Dinner Roll Baked Camembert Wreath (Pull-Apart Dough Balls) Tree Pull-Apart Bread (Cheese Buns) How to Make a Cheese Board/ Cheese Platter Cheese Manakish (Flatbread) Brazilian Cheese Bread “Puffs” (Pão de Queijo)
If you try this phyllo-wrapped baked feta with honey (Feta me Meli) recipe, I’d love to hear your thoughts/questions below. Also, I’d appreciate a recipe card rating below, and tag me in your recipe recreations on Instagram @Alphafoodie!
