Whipped Feta Dip
from https://www.seriouseats.com/
Feta cheese is many things—salty, tangy, crumbly—all qualities that make it an excellent candidate for a dip or spread. But on its own, feta cheese isn't the least bit spreadable. Luckily, it's easy to change that with a blender and a few basic ingredients.
Making this dip is as simple as combining feta with yogurt in a blender or food processor and blitzing until it's smooth. Feta is crumbly, so even after lots of blending and processing, it's likely your spread will have a grainy texture. You can leave it like that, or you can pass it through a fine-mesh strainer to work out most of those tiny feta bits and improve the texture.
To enrich the spread and layer in a little more Mediterranean flavor, I work in a small amount of olive oil and minced garlic, then season with salt as needed (though feta is salty, so taste the spread before adding salt).
Serve whipped feta with pita chips or your favorite veggies.
Create Your Own Flavored Feta Dip
Optional ingredients like herbs (mint, oregano, dill); spices (black pepper is a sure bet); and more can be blended in, too. Keep in mind that if you work in wet ingredients, like roasted red peppers, harissa, or oven-dried tomatoes, you'll need to reduce the yogurt to prevent the dip from becoming too thin. You should also feel free to adjust the ratio of feta to yogurt. Different brands of feta and yogurt have different consistencies, but beyond that, you may prefer a thicker or thinner spread depending on how you plan to serve it. It will thicken more after storing in the refrigerator.
8 ounces (225 g) feta cheese
3/4 cup Greek yogurt (6 ounces; 170 g)
1 medium clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon (15 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper (optional)
Ingredients from https://www.themediterraneandish.com/
8 ounces block quality feta, drained
3/4 cup Greek yogurt
1 lemon zest
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, more as needed
1 teaspoon Aleppo pepper, or red pepper flakes (to your taste)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
2-3 tablespoons toasted pine nuts, optional
1-2 tablespoons crushed pistachios, optional6 servings
Nutrition
Calories: 139.7kcal Carbohydrates: 4.1g Protein: 10.8g Saturated Fat: 3.4g Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.5g Monounsaturated Fat: 3.4g Trans Fat: 0.1g Cholesterol: 21.5mg Sodium: 353.3mg Potassium: 58.9mg Fiber: 0.3g Sugar: 2.2g Vitamin A: 283IU Vitamin C: 2.5mg Calcium: 34.8mg Iron: 0.3mg
In a food processor bowl or blender jar, or using a tall and narrow vessel suitable for an immersion blender, combine feta, yogurt, and garlic. Blend or process until very smooth, scraping down sides as necessary. Add olive oil and blend until incorporated.
If desired, pass spread through a fine-mesh strainer for a silkier texture.
Season with salt, if needed, and pepper, if using, then use as desired.
The dip can be made up to 5 days in advance and refrigerated in an airtight container. It will thicken up after refrigeration; whip in additional Greek yogurt to loosen if necessary.
Yield: 2 cups
