Whipped Feta Dip

Whipped Feta Dip

This gorgeous Greek dip takes me straight back to sunshine holidays and generous mezze lunches for sharing with friends. Known as ktipiti (whip) or tirokafteri (spicy cheese) in Greek, it is a traditional part of the cuisine of the Eastern Mediterranean, from Macedonia to the Middle East. 

Tirokafteri is very easy to whip up, so it’s a great standby for when you need to put on a spread in a hurry. Serve it with crudités and other Greek dips such as taramasalata and aubergine dip and some crusty bread or pittas. Alternatively, try it in a sandwich, as a salad dressing or even with pasta. It would be lovely used to stuff an avocado half.  

Why Make This Dish

• Super quick and easy, made from pantry and fridge ingredients
• Absolutely delicious 
• Transports you to a Greek Island 

Whipped Feta Ingredients 

• Feta – If you can, buy proper Greek feta which carries the red and yellow PDO mark and a badge of quality. 

Traditional feta is made from sheep’s milk or a mix of sheep’s milk with up to 30% goat’s milk. The animals need to be kept and fed within the production area.   
Legally, feta has to be aged for 60 days and cannot contain any antibiotics, preservatives, additives or food colouring. Traditional feta is made without rennet, making it suitable for vegetarians. 

• Olive Oil –  Get the best quality extra virgin oil you can, for the best flavour. Extra virgin olive oil is always unrefined.  
• Natural Yogurt – A good, thick, full-fat Greek Yogurt is perfect.
• Mayonnaise – Your favourite brand. Choose something creamy and rich. 
• Lemon – You want unwaxed lemons, as you will be using the zest. If you can’t find unwaxed, wash the wax away from your lemons with hot water. 
• Garlic – A small or large clove, depending how much garlic you like. Remember that the flavour will get stronger when you leave the dip to rest.  You can also use a pinch of garlic powder. 
• Herbs – Ideally you want a Greek oregano. If you cannot get it, a mix of oregano and thyme works well. I generally prefer fresh herbs, but with woody herbs, the dried leaves are a good, cheap and practical substitute. 

To Garnish & Serve 

Garnishing is one of my favourite ways to lift something simple and ordinary to another level. Think about the effortless foodie’s effort to glory ratio, and how easy it is to impress with very little extra effort. I like to serve this whipped feta dip with extra olive oil and herbs, and optional chilli flake and toasted sesame seeds.

Alternatively, you can use pickled or grilled hot peppers (Florina peppers are ideal), olive oil and a sprinkle of hot paprika for a very traditional tirokafteri. 

How to Make Whipped Feta 

Grab the ingredients! 

Step One – Open the packet of feta and drain any brine. Then lightly press the cheese in some kitchen paper in order to remove any excess liquid. Crumble or cut into cubes and blitz in a blender or mini food processor with the peeled clove of garlic. 

If you don’t have a food processor, crush the garlic, mash the feta with a fork, and then mix well in a bowl. 

Step Two – Add the yogurt, mayonnaise, olive oil, lemon zest, and herbs. Blitz again until you have a light smooth dip. Add more oil if necessary to loosen the dip. 

Step Three – Scrape into a serving bowl and allow your whipped feta dip to rest for at least 20 minutes before serving. (See how unexciting it looks here before the garnish has done its work!)

To Serve – Make a swirl in the dip with a spoon and drizzle over some more olive oil. Garnish with your choice of chilli flakes, toasted sesame seeds and more herbs (fresh or dried). Serve with crudités and wedges of bread, pitta or homemade tortilla chips. 

Hints & Tips 

• Like most simple recipes, this benefits hugely from quality ingredients so choose the best you can. Proper Greek feta with a PDO and full-flavoured olive oil are key. 
• Allow to rest so that the flavours meld together. Then serve at room temperature.  
• Once zested, citrus fruit tends to dry out quickly, so keep it in the fridge and use within a few days. If you prefer, slice or juice and then freeze to use another day.  
• Tirokafteri will keep for 3 days in a sealed tub in the fridge. However, I do not recommend freezing. 
• Serving cheese with a drizzle of honey is common in many Mediterranean countries. It may sound strange if you have never tasted it, but do try it. It’s very good and you can even find honeys marketed to pair with particular types of cheese. If you give it a chance, I am sure you will be converted. Try this Greek feta dip with a drizzle of honey instead of the olive oil and perhaps a sprinkle of sesame seeds. 

More Greek Recipes 

Inspired by my trips to Greece, especially the beautiful island of Tinos:

• Greek lemon potatoes
• Baked feta
• Greek pasta salad
• Labneh

More Dips and Sauces 

If you love making dips and condiments as much as I do, come and explore!

• Burger sauce
• Mint sauce
• Plum chutney
• Cheese dip
• more dip and sauce recipes

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5 from 10 votes

Greek Feta Dip

This whipped feta dip is a tangy blend of feta cheese with yogurt, mayonnaise, olive oil, garlic, lemon zest and herbs. An easy and delicious mezze dish from the Eastern Mediterranean, it is delicious as a snack or as part of a spread for sharing.

Servings: 4 people

Author: Helen Best-Shaw

Prep Time10 mins

Total Time10 mins

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Ingredients

• 200 g feta cheese (1 packet)
• 2 tbsp natural yogurt
• 2 tbsp mayonnaise
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 clove garlic
• ½ lemon zest
• ¼ tsp thyme (dried – use more if fresh)
• ¼ tsp oregano (dried – use more if fresh)

To serve

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• ½ tsp sesame seeds (toasted)
• 1 pinch herbs
• 1 pinch chilli flake
• Crudities
• Tortilla chips (or pitta for dipping)

Instructions

• Drain the brine from the feta cheese packet. Then lightly press in some kitchen paper to remove any excess liquid.
• Crumble the feta and blitz with the garlic in a mini chopper, food processor or blender until the garlic is well chopped and combined with the cheese.
• Add the yogurt, mayonnaise, olive oil, lemon zest, thyme and oregano. Blitz again until smooth. Add more oil if needed to loosen the mixture.
• Scrape out into a serving bowl, and allow to rest before serving.
• Serve at room temperature, garnished with the sesame seeds, herbs and chilli flakes and drizzled with olive oil. Serve with crudités and flatbread for dipping.

Notes

• Like most simple recipes, this benefits hugely from quality ingredients so choose the best you can. Proper Greek feta with a PDO and full-flavoured olive oil are key. 
• Allow to rest so that the flavours meld together. Then serve at room temperature.  
• Once zested, citrus fruit tends to dry out quickly, so keep it in the fridge and use within a few days. If you prefer, slice or juice and then freeze to use another day.  
• Tirokafteri will keep for 3 days in a sealed tub in the fridge. However, I do not recommend freezing. 
• Serving cheese with a drizzle of honey is common in many Mediterranean countries. It may sound strange if you have never tasted it, but do try it. It's very good and you can even find honeys marketed to pair with particular types of cheese. If you give it a chance, I am sure you will be converted. Try this Greek feta dip with a drizzle of honey instead of the olive oil and perhaps a sprinkle of sesame seeds.

Nutritional Information 

• This recipe is 15 Weight Watchers Smart Points per portion 

• Please note that the nutrition information provided below is approximate and meant as a guideline only.

• Unless stated otherwise cup conversions have been made with an online tool. For accuracy please check with your favoured conversion tool. We recommend buying inexpensive digital kitchen scales.

Nutrition Facts

Greek Feta Dip

Amount Per Serving

Calories 281 Calories from Fat 243

% Daily Value*

Fat 27g42%

Saturated Fat 10g63%

Cholesterol 49mg16%

Sodium 607mg26%

Potassium 47mg1%

Carbohydrates 3g1%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 3g3%

Protein 8g16%

Vitamin A 224IU4%

Vitamin C 1mg1%

Calcium 259mg26%

Iron 1mg6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Course: Dip, Dips & Dresisngs, Dips and dressings

Cuisine: Greek

Keyword: Greek feta dip

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