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Whipped Feta Dip

By Sandra Wu

Published on January 11, 2019

Time

15 minutes

Yield

Serves 8

Whipped Feta Dip

Ingredients

1 ½ teaspoons lemon juice ¼ teaspoon minced garlic 8 ounces cow's milk feta cheese 3 tablespoons milk 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided2 teaspoons minced fresh oregano

Before You Begin

Cow's-milk feta makes a firmer dip that holds up well at room temperature; do not substitute sheep's-milk feta, which is softer. Because feta is quite salty, avoid serving this dip with salted chips; crudités and pita bread make great accompaniments.

Instructions

  1. Combine lemon juice and garlic in small bowl and set aside. Break feta into rough ½-inch pieces and place in medium bowl. Add water to cover, then swish briefly to rinse. Transfer to fine-mesh strainer and drain well.
  2. Transfer feta to food processor. Add milk and reserved lemon juice mixture and process until feta mixture resembles ricotta cheese, about 15 seconds. With processor running, slowly drizzle in 2 tablespoons oil. Continue to process until mixture has Greek yogurt–like consistency (some small lumps will remain), 1½ to 2 minutes longer, stopping once to scrape down bottom and sides of bowl. Add oregano and pulse to combine. Transfer dip to bowl. If serving immediately, drizzle with remaining 2 teaspoons oil. (Dip may be refrigerated for up to 3 days. If refrigerated, let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes and drizzle with oil before serving.)

Whipped Feta Dip

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By Sandra Wu
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Time

15 minutes

Yield

Serves 8

Ingredients

1 ½ teaspoons lemon juice
¼ teaspoon minced garlic
8 ounces cow's milk feta cheese
3 tablespoons milk
2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
2 teaspoons minced fresh oregano

Ingredients

1 ½ teaspoons lemon juice
¼ teaspoon minced garlic
8 ounces cow's milk feta cheese
3 tablespoons milk
2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
2 teaspoons minced fresh oregano

Ingredients

1 ½ teaspoons lemon juice
¼ teaspoon minced garlic
8 ounces cow's milk feta cheese
3 tablespoons milk
2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
2 teaspoons minced fresh oregano

Why This Recipe Works

We defied tradition with this lush, salty Greek-style dip by using cow's-milk feta instead of a true Greek feta made with sheep's or goat's milk or a combination thereof. The reason: Cow's-milk feta produces a firmer dip that holds up well at room temperature. But we also wanted a dip that was loose enough to easily scoop up with soft pita, so we processed the cheese with a few tablespoons of milk in addition to the traditional extra-virgin olive oil. We also rinsed the feta in water to avoid an overly salty dip. A little garlic and lemon juice, along with 2 teaspoons of oregano, rounded out the flavors.

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Before You Begin

Cow's-milk feta makes a firmer dip that holds up well at room temperature; do not substitute sheep's-milk feta, which is softer. Because feta is quite salty, avoid serving this dip with salted chips; crudités and pita bread make great accompaniments.

Instructions

  1. Combine lemon juice and garlic in small bowl and set aside. Break feta into rough ½-inch pieces and place in medium bowl. Add water to cover, then swish briefly to rinse. Transfer to fine-mesh strainer and drain well.
  2. Transfer feta to food processor. Add milk and reserved lemon juice mixture and process until feta mixture resembles ricotta cheese, about 15 seconds. With processor running, slowly drizzle in 2 tablespoons oil. Continue to process until mixture has Greek yogurt–like consistency (some small lumps will remain), 1½ to 2 minutes longer, stopping once to scrape down bottom and sides of bowl. Add oregano and pulse to combine. Transfer dip to bowl. If serving immediately, drizzle with remaining 2 teaspoons oil. (Dip may be refrigerated for up to 3 days. If refrigerated, let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes and drizzle with oil before serving.)

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