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Olive and Feta Appetizer

By chef Henry

This stunning olive and feta party appetizer looks fancy but takes just a few minutes to assemble! With only 4 ingredients arranged in an eye-catching checkerboard pattern, it’s the easiest way to impress your guests.

Olive and Feta Appetizer

Why this appetizer is my entertaining secret

Sometimes the simplest things make the biggest impact, right? Recently I was invited to a birthday brunch potluck and completely forgot about what I was supposed to bring until the night before! Luckily, I had seen this fun trend on Tik Tok of an olives and feta checkerboard and decided to try it.

Now this olive and feta appetizer is my go-to for summer dinners! The checkerboard pattern makes it look like you spent ages arranging it. Also, my 2 yo is obsessed with olives so it’s a huge family hit. Here’s why this easy appetizer recipe is pure genius:

  • 5 minutes from fridge to table: No cooking, no stress
  • Only 4 ingredients: Feta, olives, olive oil, lemon
  • Visually stunning: That checkerboard pattern gets everyone talking
  • Mediterranean diet friendly: Healthy fats and protein
  • Make-ahead perfect: Actually improves after marinating

The magic of simple, quality ingredients

Best Types of Olives

This is where you can really customize. I like Castelvetrano olives best—and I find most people who claim to not like olives actually like these. This type of green olives has a buttery sweetness and they are not too salty.

Of course, you can use any type of olives you like. Just make sure to use pitted olives—nobody wants to deal with pits at a party.

Choosing Your Feta

The quality of your feta does make a difference here, though less so than the olives. Block feta in brine is essential. Pre-crumbled won’t work—you need firm cubes that hold their shape. Greek feta tends to be creamier and less salty: try to find it if at all possible!

Castelvetrano Olives

Pro styling tips

  • Use a square or rectangular platter, or a shallow dish: Makes the pattern easier. Use a shallow dish if you want to use a lot of olive oil
  • Keep ingredients similar in size: Uniform look is key
  • Zest directly over the platter: This makes it fresh and aromatic

Serving Suggestions

Accompaniments

  • Toothpicks: I like serving these with toothpicks to make it easy to eat at parties
  • Warm pita bread: Cut into triangles
  • Crusty baguette slices: Toasted or plain crostini work well
  • Cucumber rounds: For a gluten free option
  • Crackers: Try these homemade gluten free cashew crackers

Drink Pairings

We love suggesting wine pairings—which we also do in our cookbook, A Couple Cooks! We’ve also got some non-alcoholic ideas:

Dietary notes

This olive and feta appetizer is vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, and Mediterranean diet approved.

Print

Easy Olive and Feta Appetizer

Olive and Feta Appetizer
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This stunning olive and feta appetizer looks fancy but takes just a few minutes to assemble! With only 4 ingredients arranged in an eye-catching checkerboard pattern, it’s the easiest way to impress your guests.

  • Author: Sonja Overhiser
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 0 minutes
  • Total Time: 10 minutes
  • Yield: 4 to 6
  • Category: Appetizer
  • Method: No Cook
  • Cuisine: Mediterranean
  • Diet: Vegetarian

Ingredients

  • 1 jar Castelvetrano olives
  • 8 oz block feta cheese, cut into ½-inch cubes
  • Extra virgin olive oil
  • Lemon zest

Instructions

  1. Cut the feta into uniform cubes as similar to the olive size as possible.
  2. Arrange feta and olives in alternating checkerboard pattern on platter or dish.
  3. Drizzle with olive oil. Zest the lemon directly over the top. Serve with pita, bread, or crackers; you can serve with toothpicks as a party (which is what we like to do!).

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