This feta cream cheese dip is thick, creamy, tangy, and full of fresh lemon and garlic flavor. Feta gives it that salty bite, while softened cream cheese makes the texture much smoother and easier to scoop.
I like serving it as part of a snack platter with warm Cheese Naan or alongside my Creamy Hummus. Add Spicy Asian Cucumber Salad when you want something fresh and crunchy, and a cold glass of Homemade Lemonade works especially well with the lemony flavor of the dip.
Everything goes into a food processor and gets blended until creamy, so there is no cooking involved. The red pepper flakes add just a little heat without taking over the feta and lemon.
What Makes This Feta Cream Cheese Dip So Smooth?
Feta on its own is crumbly and fairly firm, so simply mashing it does not create the smooth texture you see in the finished dip.
This recipe combines 12 ounces of feta with 8 ounces of softened cream cheese. The cream cheese gives the feta a softer base, while olive oil and fresh lemon juice help loosen the mixture as it blends.
Using a food processor also matters. It breaks down the feta much more finely than stirring by hand, giving the finished dip that thick, whipped texture.
Table of contents
Ingredients
Let’s Make Feta Cream Cheese Dip
- Add the Cheeses
Add the feta and softened cream cheese to the bowl of a food processor.
Break large pieces of block feta into smaller chunks first so they blend more evenly.
- Add the Flavorings
Add the minced garlic, olive oil, fresh lemon juice, lemon zest, salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes.
- Blend
Process the mixture until the cheeses begin to combine into a creamy dip.
Stop and scrape down the sides of the food processor as needed so no pieces of feta remain stuck around the bowl.
- Continue Until Smooth
Blend again until the feta cream cheese dip looks thick, creamy, and evenly mixed.
There may still be a little feta texture, but you should not have large chunks remaining.
- Taste
Taste the finished dip before making any seasoning adjustments.
Feta varies quite a bit in saltiness, so it is better to taste after blending rather than automatically adding more salt.
- Serve
Transfer the whipped feta dip to a serving bowl.
Serve with toasted bread, crostini, carrots, cucumber sticks, or other dippers.
How to Get a Smooth Whipped Feta Dip
Start with softened cream cheese rather than cream cheese straight from the refrigerator.
Breaking the feta into smaller pieces before blending also helps the food processor work more evenly.
If you use block feta, crumble it roughly before adding it.
Let the food processor run long enough for the feta to break down, stopping to scrape the sides whenever necessary.
The tested 2 tablespoons olive oil and 2 tablespoons lemon juice also help soften the mixture, so keep those liquid quantities as written.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Using cold cream cheese: It is harder to blend smoothly with the feta.
Not breaking up block feta: Smaller pieces blend more evenly.
Skipping the lemon zest: The zest gives much more concentrated lemon aroma than juice alone.
Adding extra salt before tasting: Feta can already be quite salty.
Using too much lemon juice: Extra liquid can make the dip thinner and change the balance of the recipe.
Adding too much garlic: Raw garlic becomes stronger as it sits.
Not scraping the food processor: Pieces of feta can stay around the sides instead of blending into the dip.
Overdoing the red pepper flakes: The tested recipe uses only a pinch.
What to Serve With Feta Cream Cheese Dip
This dip works especially well with:
- Toasted baguette or crostini
- Pita bread or pita chips
- Carrot sticks
- Cucumber sticks
- Bell pepper slices
- Crackers
- Warm flatbread
- Grilled chicken
- Roasted vegetables
- A mezze-style appetizer platter
Because feta and cream cheese are perishable, keep the dip chilled until you are ready to serve it. USDA guidance says perishable foods should not remain at room temperature for more than 2 hours, or 1 hour when temperatures are above 90°F (32°C). Food Safety and Inspection Service
FAQs
This version uses feta, cream cheese, garlic, olive oil, fresh lemon juice, lemon zest, salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes.
Softened cream cheese, olive oil, lemon juice, and blending in a food processor help break down the crumbly feta into a smoother dip.
Yes. This recipe specifically combines 12 ounces feta with 8 ounces cream cheese.
Feta naturally has a crumbly texture, but very cold cream cheese, large feta pieces, or insufficient blending can make the dip noticeably grainier.
Crostini, pita chips, crackers, carrots, cucumbers, bell peppers, and warm flatbread all work well.
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Whipped Feta Cream Cheese Dip with Lemon & Garlic
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Add the feta and softened cream cheese to a food processor.
- Add the minced garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes.
- Blend until the mixture begins to look creamy.
- Stop and scrape down the sides of the bowl.
- Continue blending until smooth and evenly combined.
- Taste before adjusting any seasoning.
- Transfer to a serving bowl and serve with your preferred dippers.
Nutrition
Video
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