A block of feta baked with jammy figs, green olives, walnuts, thyme and lemon zest, then finished with a generous drizzle of honey and olive oil. Ready in 30 minutes, this sweet and salty roasted figs and feta is made for scooping up with crusty bread or crackers.
Roasted Figs and Feta: An Easy Autumn Sharing Dish
When the last of the figs are ripening and the evenings start to draw in, this is the dish I make again and again. A whole block of feta goes into the oven surrounded by quartered figs and big green olives, with walnuts, thyme, lemon zest, olive oil and honey on top. Twenty-five minutes later, the feta is soft, creamy and golden at the edges, and the figs are deliciously sticky and jammy pockets.
It’s sweet, salty, tangy and crunchy all at once. The olives are a great twist: their saltiness cuts through the honey and makes every mouthful moreish.
All you need is a loaf of crusty sourdough to spoon it on. That’s it.
How to Serve Roasted Figs and Feta
Bring the dish straight to the table while it’s still bubbling and let everyone help themselves with slices of warm sourdough, toasted baguette or crackers. It makes an easy starter for four, or part of a bigger sharing spread.
Figs are at their best from late summer into early autumn, so make the most of them while they’re in season.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Just 5 minutes of prep: everything goes into one dish and the oven does the rest.
- Sweet and salty perfection: jammy figs and honey meet tangy feta and briny green olives.
- Great texture in every bite: soft, creamy feta, sticky figs and toasted, crunchy walnuts.
- Impressive but effortless: it looks like a showstopper, but it’s one of the easiest things you’ll ever make.
- Perfect for sharing: a brilliant starter or party dish for late summer or autumn entertaining.
Other Fig Recipes To Try
Figs are one of my favourite autumn ingredients. If you have a glut, try these:
- Fig Salad with Blackberries, Melon & Feta
- Cottage Cheese Fig Toast with Walnuts, Mint & Honey
- Fig & Nut Energy Bites
- Matcha & Coconut Overnight Porridge with Fresh Figs
Ingredient Notes
- Feta: use genuine Greek feta made from sheep’s milk, or a blend of sheep’s and goat’s milk. It has the best tangy flavour. For a vegan version, swap in a plant-based block feta.
- Figs: if you’re lucky enough to have a fig tree, homegrown figs picked ripe have so much more flavour than shop-bought ones. Otherwise, choose figs that are soft to the touch and slightly wrinkled at the base, that’s when they’re at their sweetest.
- Green olives: big, meaty green olives such as Halkidiki add a briny, salty contrast to the sweet figs.
- Lemon zest: brings a fresh, zingy lift that cuts through the richness of the feta. Use an unwaxed lemon if you can.
- Thyme: fresh thyme sprigs infuse the oil and honey with a lovely herby, earthy note as everything bakes. Rosemary works well too.
- Walnuts: for added crunch and goodness from their high level of omega 3s. They toast in the oven alongside the feta, which brings out their nutty flavour.
- Olive oil: a good drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil keeps everything juicy and mingles with the honey and fig juices to create a delicious sauce for mopping up.
- Honey: a clear runny honey is easiest to drizzle and caramelises beautifully on the feta and figs. Or you can swap for maple syrup.
- Sourdough: a crusty loaf is a must for spooning up the soft feta, jammy figs and all those sticky juices at the bottom of the dish.
How to Make Roasted Figs and Feta
- Start by preheating your oven to 200°C / 180°C Fan / 400°F.
- Place the block of feta in the centre of an oven-proof dish, then scatter the quartered figs and green olives around it.
- Sprinkle the lemon zest over the top, tuck in the thyme sprigs and scatter over the chopped walnuts. Finish with a good drizzle of olive oil and a generous drizzle of honey over everything, making sure the feta gets a good coating.
- Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the feta is soft and slightly golden around the edges and the figs are cooked, sticky and jammy.
Tips for the Best Roasted Figs and Feta
- Pat the feta dry: if your feta comes in brine, drain it and pat it dry with kitchen paper before baking so it browns nicely rather than steaming.
- Choose the right dish: use a dish just big enough to hold everything snugly, so the juices pool around the feta and figs rather than burning in the corners.
- Don’t overbake: feta softens rather than melts, so take it out once it’s soft and golden at the edges. Left too long, it can turn dry and crumbly.
Variations and Swaps
- Swap the walnuts for pistachios, pecans or hazelnuts
- Add a few halved red grapes or sliced plums alongside the figs
- Add a pinch of chilli flakes or Aleppo pepper for gentle heat
- Finish with a drizzle of balsamic glaze for extra tang
- Swap the thyme for rosemary or dried oregano
- Make it vegan with a plant-based block feta and maple syrup instead of honey
Storage and Make-ahead Tips
Roasted figs and feta are best eaten straight from the oven, while the feta is warm and soft.
To get ahead, you can assemble the dish a few hours in advance, cover and keep it in the fridge, then drizzle with the olive oil and honey just before baking. Add a few extra minutes to the cooking time if it goes into the oven fridge-cold.
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge and eat within 2 days. The feta firms up again once cold, which is still lovely crumbled over a salad, or you can reheat it in a hot oven for 5 to 10 minutes.
This dish isn’t suitable for freezing, as the figs and feta won’t hold their texture once thawed.
Frequently Asked Questions
No, this is best with fresh figs as dried figs are too sweet. You could also use other seasonal fruits such as fresh plums, peaches, apricots, grapes or blackberries.
A block of full-fat Greek feta made with sheep’s milk, or a blend of sheep’s and goat’s milk, gives the creamiest, tangiest result. Avoid pre-crumbled feta, as it dries out in the oven.
Yes, as long as your dish fits in the basket. Cook at 180°C for 10 to 12 minutes, until the feta is soft and golden and the figs are jammy. Keep an eye on the walnuts, as they can burn quickly. For more ideas, see my air fryer recipes.
Crusty sourdough is my favourite, but toasted baguette, pitta, crackers or breadsticks all work well.
Yes, as long as you use a vegetarian feta. Some feta is made with animal rennet, so check the label if you’re cooking for vegetarians. For a vegan version, use a plant-based block feta and maple syrup instead of honey.
Figs are a source of fibre and potassium and count towards your 5 A Day, walnuts bring healthy fats, and feta adds protein and calcium. Feta is quite salty, so this is best enjoyed as a sharing dish as part of a balanced diet. One serving comes in at 259 calories (see the nutrition panel for the full breakdown).
I hope you enjoy this roasted figs and feta recipe as much as I do. If you do make it, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Make sure to save this recipe for later and share it with friends and family looking for easy, crowd-pleasing entertaining ideas!
Roasted Figs and Feta
Equipment
Disclaimer: the equipment list above includes affiliate links to products I use and like.
Watch How To Make This Recipe
Ingredients
- 200 g feta
- 5 figs quartered
- 10 big green olives pitted
- 1/2 lemon zest
- 4 sprigs of thyme
- 40 g walnuts roughly chopped
- olive oil
- honey
- sourdough
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200°C / 180°C Fan / 400°F.
- Place the feta in an oven proof dish.200 g feta
- Scatter the figs and olives around the dish.5 figs, 10 big green olives
- Top with lemon zest, thyme sprigs, walnuts, a good drizzle of olive oil and a good drizzle of honey1/2 lemon zest, 4 sprigs of thyme, 40 g walnuts, olive oil, honey
- Bake for 20 to 25 mins until the feta is soft and slightly golden on the edges and the figs are cooked and jammy.
- Serve hot spread over some crusty sourdough bread.sourdough
Nutritional Information
Find this recipe online:
https://theflexitarian.co.uk/recipe-items/roasted-figs-and-feta-with-honey-walnuts/
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