This feta, cilantro and roasted red pepper spread is a super easy make ahead, cheese appetizer. Vegetarian.
Salty, tangy feta cheese and cilantro spread on a baguette slice topped with roasted red pepper slices. YUM! This is one of our favorite appetizer recipes. It is SO. EASY. and SO. DELICIOUS. We have frequently made extra feta spread just to have for sandwiches the next day! #Nojudgement.
Jump to:
- What's the Difference Between Spreads, Dips, and Crostini?
- Ingredients
- Easy steps to feta spread
- Assemble or plate
- Equipment We Used
- Substitutions
- Time Saver Tips
- Make Ahead Tips
- Saving Leftovers
- Some Other Favorite Dip and Spread Recipes
- Common FAQ's
- Some other favorites from our recipe collection
- 📖 Recipe
- 💬 Comments & Reviews
What's the Difference Between Spreads, Dips, and Crostini?
Great question and one that keeps coming up again and again! It seems like the term 'spreads' are such a 70's term - or 60's - or 50's - years ago. But sometimes the word just fits. In general, (there are always exceptions to the rules):
- A dip, as the name says, is food that you dip something into.
- Dips are usually thinner than spreads and tend to run or drip off the medium of choice like; veggies, crackers, chips, or bread.
- A spread is something, that again as the name implies, you spread on something.
- They are usually thicker and firmer than a dip. They hold their shape and usually require a knife to put on something like a cracker or bread.
- A crostini, while used when discussing both spreads and dips, is actually the SOMETHING that is either dipped into or gets something spread onto the top.
- Crostini is just a fancy name for small pieces of crispy, toasty bread - usually baguette slices.
- Bruschetta is a name for larger pieces of crispy, toasty bread. We have come to think of bruschetta as the tomato-y topping on crostini but it is actually just a name for the toasty bread and can be topped with many different toppings.
Ingredients
This feta cheese spread really is so easy. Mix a few basic ingredients, spread on bread, eat!
- Roasted red bell pepper - We use a medium size pepper.
- Feta cheese - Crumbled or block both work great.
- Cilantro - Use the leaves from fresh cilantro. NOTE: hate cilatro? use parsley instead!
- Olive oil - We like using a good extra virgin olive oil whenever we can.
- Baguette slices - This is great with a soft slice of bread, but it is equally good on a crostini.
Easy steps to feta spread
Roast the red pepper in a hot oven until the skin begins to char (image 1). Remove from the oven, place in a bowl, and cover for 5-10 minutes to help loosen the skin (image 2). Uncover and peel off the skin - it should come off easily (image 3). Remove the stem and seeds by pulling on the stem; most seeds and membranes should come with it. If needed, gently scrape out any remaining seeds (image 4). Finally, slice the roasted red pepper into thin strips and set aside until ready to assemble.
While the red pepper is roasting, make the feta spread by adding the feta cheese, cilantro, and olive oil to a mixing bowl and mixing until well combined. You can do this with a fork, a hand mixer, or a food processor. Using a fork takes a little more time but is definitely doable. A hand mixer is much faster and still keeps a lot of the nice feta pieces, while a food processor is the quickest method, it creates a smooth creamy spread.
Assemble or plate
These appetizers can be assembled in advance or as a build-your-own station for guests.
- To assemble: Spread the feta-cilantro cheese mixture onto each baguette slice and top with one or two strips of roasted red pepper.
- For a DIY station: Serve the feta-cilantro cheese mixture in a dish with a small knife, the roasted red peppers in another dish with a small fork, and the sliced baguette nearby.
For added convenience, you might also include a small example platter to guide your guests. Prepare a few when the plate is empty, and your guests will quickly catch on!
Equipment We Used
All that is needed for this feta spread is a pan to roast the red pepper and a bowl to mix the cheese mixture. The key to making feta spreadable is to mix it thoroughly with the olive oil. We have tested different methods for mixing the cheese. While everything can easily be mixed by hand, we also used
- A Hand Mixer. This worked great! It is fast and easy to get the cheese, cilantro and oil mixed together thoroughly so we have an easy spreading feta mixture. The hand mixer is our tool of choice if not doing this by hand.
- A Blender and Food Processor. Unless we are making a large batch, it usually takes more oil to get a good mix in a blender or food processor. We tried a single serve blender container (Love our Ninja!) and it was still using more oil than desired. While these can work, they are not our recommended choice for this recipe.
- An Immersion Blender. This produced similar results to a blender, it required more olive oil than we desired. Using more oil makes the spread heavier in texture and flavor.
Substitutions
We like the flavor of feta cheese and think it pairs beautifully with the roasted red peppers and cilantro. Using a creamy whipped feta mixture is also delicious! Whipped cheese mixtures frequently have other cheese (like cream cheese) in them which will cut the tangy, salty flavor of the feta but it will still be delicious! If using a whipped cheese mixture, add the olive oil gradually. Depending on the whipped cheese, you may not need very much, or any, oil when mixing in the herbs to get a spreadable consistency.
We know there are many people who are cilantro adverse, and while cilantro adds a lot of flavor to this dish, parsley also works great. It will change the flavor, but still be delicious!
Time Saver Tips
Use a hand mixer to mix the feta cheese, cilantro, and olive oil. It will make a creamier and less ‘rustic’ feeling spread but will save a time and still be delicious.
Don’t pre-make the bites. Set up a DIY station with a dish of the feta cheese mix, a dish of the sliced/diced red peppers, and a basket of bread and let your guests make their own bite! We have found that making a few on the platter helps your guests know how they should eat this.
Purchase an already sliced baguette.
Purchase roasted red peppers and slice them. You can find them in jars or some deli sections. You may also be able to purchase sliced or diced roasted red peppers (usually at specialty counters).
Make Ahead Tips
Roast the red peppers up to 5 days in advance and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Make the feta cheese and cilantro mixture up to 5 days in advance and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Saving Leftovers
The FDA recommends discarding any perishable food that has been out at room temperature for more than 2 hours.
If you are within the FDA recommendations, the cheese mixture and roasted red peppers will last in an airtight container in the refrigerator, in individual dishes, for up to 5 days. We LOVE using this spread as a sandwich. You can eat it by itself or add some sliced turkey or chicken.
Some Other Favorite Dip and Spread Recipes
- Jalapeño Popper Dip
- Beer Cheese Dip with Skillet Chili
- Blue Cheese Dip
- Baked Cheesy Corn Dip
- Caramelized Onion Dip
- Smoked Salmon Spread
Common FAQ's
This would not be good without roasted red peppers. HOWEVER, you can purchase already roasted red peppers in the store. They are usually found in jars by the condiments or in the specialty cheese sections.
If your feta mixture is difficult to spread, there are a few things to check:
Make sure the cheese mixture is not too cold. Remove it about 10 minutes before serving or assembling.
Confirm you've added enough olive oil and mixed thoroughly. Add olive oil in small amounts, as a little goes a long way, and too much can make the mixture overly oily.
For a more rustic spread, small feat pieces are normal. For a smoother consistency, use a food processor. Both textures should spread easily.
Yes. We use crumbled feta since we are going to mix it up anyway. If you are using block feta, remove it from the liquid, crumble into pieces and continue as directed with the cilantro and olive oil. Add the olive oil gradually as it may not need all of it.
Some other favorites from our recipe collection
📖 Recipe
Feta, Cilantro and Roasted Red Pepper Spread
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 24-30 pieces 1x
Description
Salty, tangy feta cheese and cilantro spread topped with roasted red pepper slices. A perfect make ahead appetizer. Vegetarian.
Ingredients
- 1 red bell pepper
- 8 ounces crumbled feta cheese
- ¼ cup cilantro leaves, chopped fine
- 2 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1 baguette, thinly sliced (you should have 24-30 slices)
Instructions
ROAST THE RED BELL PEPPER
- Wash the red bell pepper and place in a 450 degrees Fahrenheit oven to roast. Remove when the skin is charred and wrinkly. This will usually take 20-30 minutes. While the peppers are roasting, make the feta cheese mixture
- Once the skins are charred and wrinkly, remove from the oven and place peppers in a bowl and cover tight (we use a reusable bowl cover or plate, in a pinch plastic wrap will work). The steam from the hot peppers will help loosen the skin from the pepper and takes about 5-10 minutes.
- Once the peppers are cool enough to handle, remove the stem and seeds and peel off the skin, it should just peel right off.
- Slice the peppers into thin strips (⅛ - ¼ inch thick).
MAKING THE FETA CHEESE MIXTURE
- Combine crumbled feta cheese and chopped cilantro leaves in a bowl. Drizzle olive oil over the cheese and mix using a fork until well combined. If it is not combining you can add a bit more olive oil (add in ½ teaspoon increments so you don't get too much oil) and continue mixing. This will be ready when it holds together and is not just like crumbled feta.
- Refrigerate until ready to assemble.
ASSEMBLING APPETIZERS
- Spread a layer of feta and cilantro mixture on a baguette slice. Lay 1-2 slices of roasted red pepper across the top.
- Serve.
Notes
Feta Cheese. We use crumbled feta since we are going to mix it up anyway. If using block feta, remove it from the liquid, crumble into pieces and continue as directed with the cilantro and olive oil. A whipped feta also works great. Combine with the cilantro and only add olive oil if needed, it may not need any oil at all.
Cilantro not your thing? We hear you! Substitute parsley instead. Still delicious!
Roasting red peppers. There are many ways to roast red peppers, roast whole (like we describe above), cut in half, seed and then roast, and roasting over a flame (like on a gas stove top) are just a few. Roast your bell peppers any way you like, whatever works best for you. You can also purchase pre-roasted red peppers in the store to save time!
Baguette. We like this recipe with a slice of soft baguette, however, you can serve this with crostini (toasted baguette slices) or crackers and it is just as delicious!
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Inactive Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 piece
- Calories: 37
- Sugar: 0.6 g
- Sodium: 88.1 mg
- Fat: 3 g
- Carbohydrates: 1.3 g
- Protein: 1.4 g
- Cholesterol: 7.8 mg
Rhonda says
These are SO good! They'll make a fantastic, colorful, and fun appetizer for the holidays!