Whipped feta’s tangy, salty flavor and creamy texture make it a satisfying and versatile spread or dip. But it’s also one of the simplest no-cook recipes you will ever make.
How To Make Whipped feta
Flavor-packed feta is blended with cream cheese and whipped to create an airy, creamy, and inviting spread. This recipe keeps it simple with just two ingredients, plus a topping of olive oil, pine nuts, and black pepper, but the potential variations are infinite.
What Kind of Feta To Use
Feta is a firm white cheese that has historically been made in Greece with sheep’s milk or a combination of sheep’s and goat’s milk. It offers tangy and salty flavors that – depending on the age of the cheese and the length of the brining process – can be sharp or mild. The texture can be creamy or dry and crumbly.
For whipped feta it is best to purchase feta in a single block submerged in brine, which preserves freshness and keeps the texture soft and creamy. Pre-crumbled and dry-packed feta tend to be too dry. While feta is now made all over the world, this recipe uses Greek feta for its robust flavor.
The other ingredient, cream cheese, is made of cows’ milk and cream, offering mildly sweet flavor notes. These balance the intensity of the feta while adding creaminess to the spread.
What To Serve With Whipped Feta
Whipped feta can be generously spread on toasted crusty bread, or served with all types of vegetables, chips, crackers, or flatbreads.
“Whipped feta is a great party appetizer that you can throw together in no time and will be devoured even quicker. The soft cheese mixture and the crunchy pine nuts make a great combination, while the side veggies add freshness and sweetness to each bite.” —Diana Chistruga
A Note From Our Recipe Tester
Ingredients
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8 ounces full-fat sheep’s milk feta cheese, drained of all brine
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2 ounces cream cheese
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2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
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2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts
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1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Steps to Make It
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Gather the ingredients.
The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga
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Break up the feta into the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade and pulse until crumbled, about 10 seconds.
The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga
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Add the cream cheese and process until completely smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as necessary.
The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga
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Transfer the whipped feta to a serving dish and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle the toasted pine nuts and cracked black pepper on top and serve immediately.
The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga
Recipe Tips
- Adding a tablespoon or two of extra-virgin olive oil during the blending process will make the spread even creamier.
- If you don’t have a food processor, you can use a hand-held immersion blender instead.
Recipe Variations
- Using full-fat Greek yogurt in place of cream cheese creates a refreshingly tart flavor and a texture that is more like a dip or a dressing. Use this with an appetizer vegetable tray or on leafy green salads.
- You can add flavor with additional ingredients such as minced shallots, fresh or roasted cloves of garlic, or lemon juice and zest.
- When it comes to toppings, mix and match from any of the following:
- Other toasted nuts such as walnuts, slivered almonds, or pistachios.
- Toasted black, white, or brown sesame seeds.
- Spices such as smoked paprika, Za’atar, Sumac, Aleppo pepper, or Urfa Biber.
- Fresh herbs such as basil, thyme, mint, chives, parsley, or dill.
- Roasted or sundried tomatoes.
- Fresh fruits such as berries, peaches, nectarines, or figs with a drizzle of honey.
How To Store
- Whipped feta can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. It will, however, continue to thicken. To serve, re-mix with a rubber spatula.
- Whipped feta should not be frozen as the texture changes and becomes grainy.
