Whipped Feta

At a glance

What stands out: Creamy whipped feta is the reliable appetizer for any party! It’s classy and sophisticated, but so straightforward to mix. Keep reading for several topping ideas that take this dip to the next level.

How long it takes: 5 minutes
Equipment you’ll need: food processor
Servings: 10

Whipped feta might just be our new favorite appetizer! It could have been everyone raving about it that gave it the nomination of our favorite, but really, there’s more to it than that. Whipped feta has all the great salty flavor of feta, but it’s also smooth and silky and spreadable thanks to the addition of cream cheese and olive oil.

Serve whipped feta as part of your next charcuterie board and it’s going to be the one thing people keep inquiring about. What’s this spread? What’s in this? This is SO good!

If you’ve tried our herbed feta dip, this recipe is similar but it’s more of a blank canvas, reliable for customizing with your favorite toppings. Whipped ricotta is another favorite of ours; it’s less tangy than feta.

Whipped Feta Dip

Bold flavor. Feta is one of those love-it-or-hate-it ingredients, but if you’re a fan, you’ll appreciate the briny, tangy flavor of this whipped feta dip. (You’ll also love baked feta pasta and feta stuffed chicken breasts for dinner!)

Two-ingredient recipe. Basically, this dip consists of two ingredients: feta cheese and cream cheese. You’ll also add ground black pepper and olive oil. We find that it adapts to a wide variety of toppings which takes the flavor to the next level.

Straightforward to mix. Whipped feta is the easiest party dip to put together. Just blend everything together and put it into a bowl! When you’re entertaining, recipes like this are a sanity saver. Plus, feta dip can be prepped ahead and refrigerated until you’re ready to serve it.

What goes in

• Full-fat feta cheese: We recommend buying a block of feta. Crumble it and let it come to room temperature so it’s straightforward to blend smoothly. We've found that containers of pre-crumbled feta tend to be too dry for this dip.
• Reduced-fat plain cream cheese: If you prefer, you can use regular cream cheese, but just make sure you use the kind that comes in a block, not a tub and not flavored. You’ll need 4 ounces (half a package).
• Olive oil: This is an excellent opportunity to use a high-quality olive oil with a fruity flavor and aroma.
• Coarse ground black pepper: Flecks of freshly ground black pepper add pep and interest.
• Dippers: Feta dip goes well with crispy bread, baked pita triangles, or crackers. Keep reading for more ideas.

How it comes together

Process. Add the feta cheese, cream cheese, olive oil, and black pepper to your food processor. Blend until smooth, 3 to 4 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.

Taste. Add more salt and pepper if you think it needs it.

Make it fancy. Transfer the dip to a plate or a shallow bowl. Add any toppings you’re using.

It’s ready to serve! Serve whipped feta with crackers, crostini, crispy bread, or pita triangles. It makes a great veggie dip, too.

Helpful tips

• Use a block of feta cheese. A block of feta is going to give you a better, smoother result than crumbled feta. Just say no to fat-free feta crumbles. Reduced fat maybe… but trust us, you want a block of full-fat feta cheese for this recipe.
• Be choosy about cream cheese. Be sure to buy a package of plain cream cheese, not a whipped or flavored tub. We use reduced-fat cream cheese because it’s naturally softer and easier to blend into this whipped feta. Full-fat regular cream cheese will work just fine as long as you soften it on the counter for 45 minutes to an hour prior to preparing this recipe. Please stay clear of fat free cream cheese; it has more additives than regular cream cheese.
• Get creative with dippers. Pita chips, bread, and crackers are natural pairings. We like to make our own crostini (toasted slices of French bread). It’s straightforward and economical. This whipped feta also makes a rich centerpiece to a crudité platter.

Topping Ideas

• Olive oil: Drizzle a tablespoon or two of good quality olive oil onto the dip, then top with a few grinds of black pepper. A flavored olive oil like rosemary or chili pepper can add another dimension of flavor.
• Lemon zest and fresh dill: Sprinkle a teaspoon of lemon zest and a tablespoon of fresh dill over the top. Garnish with sprigs of fresh dill and a couple of decorative lemon twists, if you like.
• Tomatoes and chili crunch oil: Add diced tomatoes to the center of the whipped feta, then drizzle with chili crunch oil. We think this may be our favorite!
• Honey and toasted pistachios: For a sweet and salty contrast, drizzle the dip with honey and scatter pistachios over the top. Like a little heat? Try hot honey instead.
• Everything bagel: Drizzle the whipped feta with a tablespoon or two of olive oil, then add an equal amount of everything bagel seasoning.

Make Ahead

Prepare whipped feta up to 24 hours ahead of serving. Place it in the serving dish, without toppings, and refrigerate. Let the dip come to room temperature for 30 to 60 minutes before topping and serving.

Keeping leftovers

Refrigerate: Store leftover whipped feta in an airtight container in the refrigerator for at least 3 days.

Freeze: Whipped feta keeps well in the freezer, too. Store whipped feta (preferably ungarnished) in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Allow to come to room temperature before serving. If the texture is a little grainy, give the dip a speedy whirl in the food processor.

Leftover Love

Use leftovers as a sandwich spread! Whipped feta is fabulous layered with crunchy veggies like thinly sliced cucumbers, lettuce, sprouts, and red bell pepper rings. Try it on a veggie wrap or a roasted vegetable wrap.

• Yield: 14
• Prep: 5 minutes
• Total: 5 minutes

Ingredients

• 8 ounces full-fat feta cheese, at room temperature (block feta is preferable to crumbled feta)
• 4 ounces reduced-fat plain cream cheese (see note)
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• ½ teaspoon coarse ground black pepper

For serving:

• topping of your choice (see note)
• crispy bread, pita triangles, crackers, pretzels, crudités

Method

1. Chop or roughly crumble the block of feta cheese so it will fit into the food processor bowl.
2. Using the S-blade, process feta cheese, cream cheese, olive oil, and black pepper until very smooth, 3 to 4 minutes, scraping down edges as needed. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper as needed.
3. Spread dip on a plate or in a shallow bowl (makes 1 ¾ cups). Top with desired toppings (see suggestions below) and serve immediately (see note).

Notes

Cream cheese: we prefer reduced fat cream cheese for this recipe because it’s softer. However, regular full fat cream cheese works fine, too, if you soften it ahead of time (remove from the refrigerator about 1 hour before using).

Make ahead/storage: You can make whipped feta up to 24 hours ahead of serving (without toppings). We recommend putting it in the serving dish you wish to use before refrigerating, as it gets quite firm when cold. Remove the dip from refrigerator 30 to 60 minutes before serving. Add toppings immediately before serving. The whipped feta can be refrigerated for at least 5 days, or frozen for up to 3 months (thaw overnight in the fridge).