Need a quick appetizer that will impress your guests in presentation and flavor? My Creamy Whipped Feta Dip with Harissa is the perfect recipe for the job! It's ready in 5 minutes and can be paired with your favorite complements.
Whipped feta dip is one of those dishes that look absolutely fancy, but don't require much effort or specialty ingredients. It can be served alongside tons of other Mediterranean dishes, used as a base for roasted veggies, or standing on its own as the main dip on a crudités platter.
The Coined Breakdown
- Total Cost per serving: $1.50
- Total Cost (6 servings): $8.98
- Those Other Guys: $12.00 per serving
Ingredients
- Block of Creamy Feta - Grab a block of feta instead of the dried crumbly stuff. The block has a creamier texture and a more rich flavor.
- Greek Yogurt - Use whole milk plain Greek yogurt, as thick as you can find! We don't want too much moisture in the dip, and will strain the liquid whey from the yogurt.
- Fresh Lemon - A bit of fresh lemon juice and zest adds tang and brightness.
- Garlic - Grab a fresh clove of garlic for that subtle but delicious taste.
- Olive Oil - Use a quality, extra-virgin olive oil. This helps with that smooth texture.
- Harissa Seasoning - For a subtle kick (we aren't using enough to make this dip spicy) sprinkled right on top.
Variations and Substitutions
Garnishments: You can get really creative with your toppings! I love to add crushed pistachios, a drizzle of honey, and extra harissa seasoning. Other great ideas are preserved lemon slices, pickled red onions, pine nuts, or crushed red pepper flakes.
Accompaniments: Any type of bread works with this dip - try spreading on my Homemade Garlic Naan or fresh sourdough for a treat! You could also serve tons of fresh vegetables alongside for dipping like carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, sliced bell peppers, or cucumbers.
Yogurt Substitute: Don't have any plain Greek yogurt? You could use a bit of cream cheese or a quality cottage cheese as well.
How to Whip Feta Cheese to Create a Dip
Step 1: The most important thing is to ensure you drain the feta and yogurt of as much moisture as possible.
Add everything to a food processor, drizzling the olive oil as it's blending.
Step 2: Once the dip is smooth and creamy, transfer to a shallow bowl and garnish with toppings.
Serve, and dig in. It's honestly so easy!
Recipe Pro Tips
- Monitor the moisture. Wrap your feta in paper towels and squeeze to remove any excess brine from the cheese. And if your Greek yogurt has a lot of liquid whey, go ahead and strain that too. This keeps our final dip nice and thick instead of soupy.
- Use a quality feta. The better your feta, the better the dip will be of course. As mentioned earlier, do not use the already crumbled feta - it contains extra preservatives and ingredients that don't lend well to this recipe.
Recipe FAQs
It could be that the feta or Greek yogurt had too much liquid. To prevent this: fully squeeze excess moisture out of the feta using a paper towel and strain the liquid out of your yogurt.
Sometimes over processing can cause this as well. Pulse your machine until just smooth and combined. If you have a few small grains from the cheese, that's okay!
To fix a soupy whipped feta dip: Pulse in extra feta cheese, cream cheese, canned white beans, or cottage cheese until it's a thicker consistency.
Use it as a base for roasted veggies like Roasted Balsamic Rainbow Carrots or Roasted Broccoli.
Serve with your favorite type of bread slices, or spread it on flatbread to create a wrap like my Greek Chicken Gyros.
Let it shine as the main squeeze and slice up fresh vegetables for dipping. This is also called a crudités platter!
Other Party Appetizers You (and Your Guests) Love!
If you tried this Creamy Whipped Feta Dip with Harissa Recipe, or any other recipe on my website, please leave a star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. I love hearing from you! Thanks for visiting!
Creamy Whipped Feta Dip with Harissa
Equipment
- Paper Towels
- Food Processor
Ingredients
Whipped Feta Dip
- 8 ounces creamy feta block (moisture removed)
- ½ cup whole milk plain Greek yogurt (strained)
- ½ count lemon (juice & zest) - about 2 tablespoons juice
- 1 clove fresh garlic
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Toppings
- ½ teaspoon harissa seasoning
- crushed pistachios
- honey
- freshly chopped parsley
Pairing Ideas
- pita slices
- carrot sticks
- cherry tomatoes
- sliced cucumber
- broccoli florets
Instructions
Whipped Feta Dip with Harissa
- Start out by wrapping the block of feta with paper towels and squeeze until excess moisture is removed.8 ounces creamy feta block
- Break the drained feta into large cubes and place in the bowl of a food processor.
- Add in the Greek yogurt, lemon juice & zest, and fresh garlic.½ cup whole milk plain Greek yogurt, ½ count lemon, 1 clove fresh garlic
- Pulse on low. While the food processor is running, pour the olive oil through the top opening.2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- Continue processing until the dip is smooth and creamy, with no large chunks of cheese remaining.
- Transfer the whipped feta to a serving bowl.
- Sprinkle the harissa seasoning on top.½ teaspoon harissa seasoning
- Garnish with the crushed pistachios, a drizzle of honey, and freshly chopped parsley.crushed pistachios, honey, freshly chopped parsley
Pairing Ideas
- Serve the bowl of whipped feta on a tray filled with your favorite complements.Try pita slices, carrot sticks, cherry tomatoes, sliced cucumber, and fresh broccoli florets. Enjoy!pita slices, carrot sticks, cherry tomatoes, sliced cucumber, broccoli florets
Notes
- Serve as a stunning appetizer with a variety of dipping tools like breads, veggies, and olives.
- Add some whipped feta to Greek Chicken Gyros or Greek Lamb Salad Bowls.
- Use as a base for Roasted Carrots or Grilled Zucchini.
Anonymous says
Very simple and delicious!!! I always order this when I go out to eat… so I am really glad to have a go-to recipe for home!
Shani H. says
Yay! That's the goal for Coined Cuisine - thank you so much for leaving a review 🙂