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This is my delicious twist on the classic Greek feta saganaki. Imagine crispy filo pastry wrapped around a deliciously creamy, salty block of feta. All finished off with a sprinkling of sesame seeds, a drizzle of honey and a scattering of fresh herbs.
When the weather starts warming up, I like to pull out some lighter, fresher recipes to go with the sunny days. Think of my Ottolenghi-inspired roasted aubergine salad, or my Greek pasta salad, both would go perfectly in a summer menu. This feta saganaki fits right in there, too.
This recipe is unbelievably quick and easy, is ready in under 20 minutes and uses just 7 ingredients. All you have to do is brush filo pastry with melted butter, pop a block of feta in the centre, then wrap up like a present. Then you brush with beaten egg yolk, sprinkle with sesame seeds and shallow-fry in oil until gloriously golden and crisp on the outside (by which point, the feta will have softened and almost melted inside). All that’s left after that is to pop it onto a plate, scatter with fresh herbs and drizzle with runny honey…
That really is all there is to it. I told you it was simple. Trust me, the combination of crispy filo, gooey, salty feta, nutty sesame seeds, sweet honey and citrusy herbs is just incredible.
Table of Contents
- Why you will love this recipe:
- What is saganaki?
- Ingredients:
- Substitutions and Variations:
- Here’s how to make easy feta saganaki:
- Cooking Tips:
- How to make feta saganaki in the oven
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Storage & Make Ahead Instructions
- Other recipes you might enjoy:
- Made this recipe and loved it?
- Feta Saganaki Recipe
Why you will love this recipe:
- It is quick and easy to make. You can have it on the table in under 20 minutes.
- It is full of flavour and texture. Imagine crispy filo wrapped around creamy, salty feta, sprinkled with nutty sesame seeds, and drizzled with sweet honey.
- It uses just a handful of ingredients.
- It is the perfect summer mezze dish. So good, you will feel like you are holidaying on a Greek island.
What is saganaki?
Saganaki is a famous Greek mezze dish, named after the two-handled pan it’s cooked in. Hence why you get prawn saganaki, cheese saganaki etc. Traditionally, a cheese saganaki is made with Kefalotyri or Kefalograviera. Both turn melty and soften when pan-fried. However, they are tricky to find in the UK (sometimes Lidl sells them during their Greek week or you might be able to hunt them out in a Greek deli), but feta is an excellent alternative – even if it doesn’t go quite as gooey.
Traditionally, feta saganaki doesn’t require filo pastry but just dredges the feta in some egg and flour before frying until golden. I like it this way as it provides some texture and also keeps the feta encased nicely, so you don’t risk the block falling apart as it warms and melts.
Ingredients:
Full recipe can be found in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post, just scroll down!
Filo pastry – also known as ‘phyllo’ pastry. This is a very thin and delicate pastry that dries out quickly (hence why it is brushed liberally with butter or oil).
Butter – opt for unsalted as feta is already rather salty. Brushing with butter helps stop the filo from drying and cracking before you wrap the feta.
Feta – this is a soft, salty, crumbly Greek cheese traditionally made from sheep’s milk.
Egg yolk – You only need the yolk for this recipe (to help the sesame seeds stick). See the FAQs for ideas on what to do with leftover egg whites.
Sesame seeds – these add a deliciously nutty flavour to the outside of the feta saganaki.
Substitutions and Variations:
Cheese: if you live near a Greek deli, try Kefalotyri or Kefalograviera. For a French twist, why not try a large triangular slice of Brie or Camembert round? Think of it as a lighter, crispier version of my Camembert en croute.
Lemon: for a citrus twist, sprinkle the feta with lemon zest before wrapping in filo. Alternatively, squeeze over lemon juice just before serving.
Herbs: swap the dill for thyme, lemon thyme or oregano if you prefer.
Texture: you can skip the sesame seeds and sprinkle with toasted chopped pistachios or pine nuts after plating.
Hot honey: if you enjoy spicy flavours, drizzle with hot honey instead of regular honey. Alternatively, sprinkle some dried chilli flakes over the feta before wrapping in the filo.
Here’s how to make easy feta saganaki:
Here’s a step by step guide for what you need to do, but you can find the full recipe at the bottom of the page for detailed instructions.
ONE: Place one sheet of filo pastry on a chopping board. Brush generously with melted butter.
TWO: Top with the second sheet of filo.
THREE: Brush with another generous layer of melted butter.
FOUR: If it’s a very large piece of filo, here you can fold it in half on the shortest side. Otherwise, you end up with very thick filo around the feta. You can use the block of feta to measure it against the filo and decide if it needs to be smaller or not.
FIVE: Place the block of feta in the centre of the filo and carefully wrap the filo up around it as if you were wrapping a present.
SIX: Fold the ends under and press down to seal (it should seal easily due to the melted butter).
SEVEN: Brush all over with the beaten egg yolk, then sprinkle with sesame seeds.
EIGHT: Next, in a frying pan with fairly deep sides, heat about 1-2 cm of sunflower oil. Once gently bubbling, add the filo parcel and fry for a few minutes on each side.
Cooking Tips:
Filo: keep any leftover filo well wrapped to prevent it from drying out. I like to use it on top of a pie to make it a bit lighter and crispier. Make a pie filling (my chicken pie is famous!) and then scrunch sheets of filo pastry on top. Brush with butter and bake until golden.
Feta: feta varies wildly in quality. Try to find one made with traditional goat or sheep milk, without the addition of cow’s milk.
Oil temperature: it is important not to let the oil get too hot as it will brown the outside before the feta has had a chance to soften and warm. Watch it closely and use your common sense. Or it’s going too fast, turn down the heat. If it’s not browning, turn up the heat. Remember, you don’t want the sesame seeds to burn or they will become bitter.
Single serve feta saganaki: if you are cooking for a crowd, you can easily turn this feta saganaki into more of a canapé/buffet-sharing dish. Simply slice the block of feta into long rectangular pieces – a bit bigger than a very chunky chip – then follow the recipe (just cutting the filo into pieces the right size to wrap the smaller cuboids of feta). Fry just before serving and arrange on a platter. You can drizzle over the honey or serve it on the side for people to help themselves.
How to make feta saganaki in the oven
I know I said that saganaki actually refers to the pan, rather than the dish, but you can still make a version of this in the oven. Preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan and line a baking sheet with non-stick baking paper. Follow the recipe up until the part where you brush with the egg yolk. Simple finish by brushing with a layer of melted butter, then bake for about 20 minutes, or until the filo is golden and crispy on both sides. If it isn’t ready on top, simply flip with a spatula and give it another 5 minutes or so. Drizzle with runny honey, then scatter with the toasted sesame seeds and freshly plucked herbs just before serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
This feta saganaki is delicious as a starter, simply drizzled with runny honey and scattered with fresh herbs. It is also great to serve as part of a Mediterranean mezze spread. Think souvlaki, creamy hummus with roasted vegetables, buttered garlic prawns and baked herby falafel with tzatziki.
You will only have one egg white leftover here so I find the best way to use it up is to add to a bowl with a few more eggs and just make scrambled eggs. Otherwise, some of my favourites include: lemon meringues, pavlova, macarons, ricciarelli and/or a classic French chocolate mousse. Alternatively, they freeze well. Defrost when ready to use in something else.
The word ‘saganaki’ refers to the small frying pan used to prepare what we now call ‘saganaki dishes’. The pans usually have two small handles on either side.
Storage & Make Ahead Instructions
This is best made, fried and eaten straight away. However, you can prep the parcel up until brushing with beaten egg yolk. Cover with a clean damp cloth and pop in the fridge for up to a few hours before serving.
I wouldn’t advise storing leftovers as it really doesn’t reheat well once it’s been chilled overnight in the fridge.
This is one of those dishes that is best served straight away so the filo stays crisp and the feta is soft. But if you are eating the feta saganaki slowly with lots of other bits and you find it gets a bit too hard for your tastes, I would pop it in the oven at 200c for 5 minutes or so, just to warm it through. The filo won’t remain as crisp but it will warm it again if you need.
Other recipes you might enjoy:
If you like this feta saganaki, you will love my brie and cranberry filo parcels. You can also try these recipes for some summer recipes to go alongside: herby roasted potatoes with chimichurri and whole roasted cauliflower with tahini.
Salad Recipes
Easy Beetroot Salad with Feta and Rocket
Easy Healthy Recipes
Thai Peanut Salad with Chicken
Salad Recipes
Brussels Sprout Salad with Bacon
Christmas Recipes
Brie Puff Pastry Bites
Made this recipe and loved it?
I would love love LOVE if you could leave a review in the comments… I love hearing what you thought, any changes you made, the stories behind what made you try my recipes. Also, if you share a photo on Instagram, please tag me @desertislanddishes, it makes my day to see you making my creations!
Feta Saganaki
Ingredients
- 2 large sheets filo pastry
- Unsalted butter, melted, for brushing
- 200 g good quality feta, or just one large block
- 1 egg yolk, beaten
- 1 tbsp white sesame seeds, (approx)
- Sunflower oil, for shallow frying
To serve:
- Good quality runny honey, for drizzling
- Sprigs of fresh dill
Instructions
- Place one sheet of filo pastry on a chopping board. Brush generously with melted butter.
- Top with the second sheet of filo and brush with another generous layer of melted butter. If it’s a very large piece of filo, here you can fold it in half on the shortest side as if you would a birthday card to make it smaller. Otherwise, you end up with very thick filo around the feta. You can use the block of feta to measure it against the filo and decide if it needs to be smaller or not.
- Place the block of feta in the centre of the filo and carefully wrap the filo up around it as if you were wrapping a present. Fold the ends under and press down to seal (it should seal easily due to the melted butter).
- Brush all over with the beaten egg yolk, then sprinkle with sesame seeds.
- Next, in a frying pan, heat about 1-2 cm of sunflower oil (you aren’t deep-frying, but you do need a generous amount) over a gentle heat.
- Once gently bubbling, add the filo parcel and fry for a few minutes on each side – or until gloriously golden and crispy on the outside (giving enough time for the feta to go all melty and gooey on the inside too). Take care to moderate the heat so the sesame seeds don’t burn.
- Carefully remove from the oil using a slotted spoon or spatula and pop on a plate lined with kitchen paper to absorb any excess oil.
- Place onto a serving plate, drizzle with runny honey and sprinkle with sprigs of fresh dill. Enjoy straight away!
