Whipped feta is what I make when people are on their way over and I have about ten minutes to look like I tried. Feta, cream cheese and a spoonful of plain yogurt go into the food processor and come out impossibly smooth, salty and tangy in a way no tub of store-bought dip gets anywhere near.

Then there are the tomatoes. Cherry tomatoes hit a hot pan until they blister and split, get a splash of red wine vinegar, and go over the top while they are still warm so they run down into the cold whipped feta. Scatter over chives, parsley and dill, hand everyone a piece of sourdough toast, and stand back.

Why You’ll Love This Whipped Feta

• It looks like a project and it is not. Ten minutes of actual work, and most of that is the food processor running.
• Warm tomatoes over cold feta. That temperature contrast is the whole point, and it is what people always comment on.
• The feta part can be made three days ahead. Blister the tomatoes right before serving and you are done.
• Nothing here is hard to find. Feta, cream cheese, yogurt, cherry tomatoes and whatever soft herbs you have.
• It stretches. Put it out with toast for a crowd, or eat it with a spoon standing at the counter. Both are valid.

Ingredients

• 250g double cream feta
• 125g cream cheese
• 2 tbsp plain yogurt
• 2 tbsp olive oil, divided
• 250g cherry tomatoes
• ¼ tsp salt
• 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 2 tbsp sliced fresh chives
• 1 tbsp minced fresh parsley
• 1 tbsp minced fresh dill
• ½ tsp freshly ground pepper
• Sourdough toast or crackers for serving

Tips for the Best Whipped Feta

• Buy block feta, not crumbles. Double cream feta whips smoothest. Pre-crumbled feta is drier and often coated to stop it clumping, which shows up as grit in the finished dip.
• Let the cream cheese come to room temperature. It blends in faster and you will not be scraping down the bowl five times.
• Run the processor longer than feels necessary. A solid minute or two is what takes it from grainy to genuinely silky.
• Get the skillet properly hot before the tomatoes go in. You want them to blister and split, not sit there and stew.
• The vinegar goes in at the end and cooks off in about thirty seconds, which concentrates it into the tomatoes instead of leaving a puddle.
• Assemble and serve immediately so the tomatoes are still warm against the cold feta.

How to Make Whipped Feta with Blistered Herbed Tomatoes

1. Add the feta, cream cheese and yogurt to a food processor fitted with the multi-purpose blade. Process until everything is smooth and creamy.
2. Heat a medium skillet over medium heat and add the olive oil. Once the oil is shimmering, add the tomatoes and cook, stirring often, until they are blistered and beginning to split.
3. Add the red wine vinegar and salt and cook for another 30 seconds, until most of the vinegar has evaporated. Remove from the heat.
4. Scoop the feta mixture out on to a serving platter and tip the warm tomatoes over the top. Scatter chives, parsley, dill and ground pepper over the tomatoes. Serve immediately with sourdough toast or crackers.

More Easy Appetizers You’ll Love

If this is the kind of thing you want on the table when people arrive, these are next:

• Roasted Red Pepper and Feta Dip: same salty feta base, sweeter and smokier
• Ma Buckett’s Any Occasion Herb Dip: the herb-heavy dip my mother has been making forever
• Roasted Carrot and Goat Cheese Dip: for when you want something a little sweeter on the board
• Butter Roasted Thyme and Garlic Tomatoes: another way to turn a box of tomatoes into something worth spooning over toast
• Zucchini and White Bean Salad with Feta and Mint: if you have feta left over and a crowd to feed

External Resources

• What makes feta feta: the brined Greek cheese behind the salt and tang in this dip
• Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health: Vegetables and Fruits: background on why tomatoes earn their place on the plate

Frequently Asked Questions

What is whipped feta made of?
At its simplest, feta blended until smooth with something creamy. This version uses double cream feta, cream cheese and a spoonful of plain yogurt, which gives you a dip that is rich and thick but still has the tang feta is there for.

Can I make whipped feta ahead of time?
Yes. The creamy feta can be made up to 3 days in advance and kept covered in the fridge. Blister the tomatoes just before serving so they go on warm.

Can I make whipped feta without a food processor?
A blender works if you scrape down the sides a few times, and a hand mixer will get you most of the way there with softened cream cheese. The texture will be slightly less silky, which nobody has ever complained about.

Why is my whipped feta grainy?
Usually one of two things. Either you used pre-crumbled feta, which is drier and often coated with an anti-caking agent, or you did not run the processor long enough. Cold cream cheese also makes it harder to get smooth.

What do you serve with whipped feta?
Sourdough toast or crackers are the default here. It is also very good with pita, raw vegetables, or spooned underneath grilled chicken or lamb as a sauce rather than a dip.

Can I use a different cheese?
Goat cheese works and gives you something tangier and softer. Ricotta makes a milder, lighter version. If you go either route, keep the cream cheese in for body.

Can I use regular tomatoes instead of cherry tomatoes?
Cherry or grape tomatoes are best because they blister quickly and keep their shape. Larger tomatoes release too much water and go to mush. Halved cocktail tomatoes are a reasonable middle ground.

Whipped Feta with Blistered Herbed Tomatoes

Print Recipe

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Whipped feta with warm blistered cherry tomatoes, chives, parsley and dill. An easy 15 minute appetizer that can be made ahead and served with sourdough toast.

• Author: Andrea Buckett
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 5 minutes
• Total Time: 15 minutes
• Yield: Serves 6 as an appetizer

Ingredients

Units MUS

• 250g double cream feta
• 125g cream cheese
• 2 tbsp plain yogurt
• 2 tbsp olive oil, divided
• 250g cherry tomatoes
• ¼ tsp salt
• 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 2 tbsp sliced fresh chives
• 1 tbsp minced fresh parsley
• 1 tbsp minced fresh dill
• ½ tsp freshly ground pepper
• Sourdough toast or crackers for serving

Instructions

1. Add the feta, cream cheese and yogurt to a food processor fitted with the multi-purpose blade. Process until everything is smooth and creamy.
2. Heat a medium skillet over medium heat and add the olive oil. Once the oil is shimmering, add the tomatoes and cook, stirring often, until they are blistered and beginning to split.
3. Add the red wine vinegar and salt and cook for another 30 seconds, until most of the vinegar has evaporated. Remove from the heat.
4. Scoop the feta mixture out on to a serving platter and tip the warm tomatoes over the top. Scatter chives, parsley, dill and ground pepper over the tomatoes. Serve immediately with sourdough toast or crackers.

Notes

• Make it ahead. The creamy feta can be made up to 3 days in advance and kept covered in the fridge.
• Serve it warm over cold. Blister the tomatoes right before serving so they go on warm against the chilled feta.
• Use block feta. Pre-crumbled feta is drier and will leave the dip grainy.