Ready in just 5 minutes and made with feta cheese, Greek yogurt, lemon, garlic, olive oil, and a variety of spices, this creamy and EASY dip is a FAVORITE! Just the right amount of tangy-salty-creamy! It's PERFECT for holiday or casual entertaining, game day parties, or summertime backyard get-togethers and everyone will want the recipe!Make sure to read the blog post about substitutions questions. And for how to make other flavor varieties such as spicy, herbed, etc. by just changing the seasonings.
Optional fresh herbsfor garnishing such as thyme, oregano, basil, mint, rosemary, etc.
Instructions
To the canister of a 14-cup food processor or similar large food processor, add the feta cheese, Greek yogurt, garlic, zest of the lemon, and pulse until smooth and creamy. Tip - Make sure to only use the yellow rind and not go down to the white, or pith, because it's bitter.
With the machine running on low speed, through the feed chute, slowly drizzle in the olive oil, lemon juice, and process until smooth and incorporated.
Open the lid, scrape down the sides of the canister if necessary, add the dill, smoked paprika, salt, optional pepper, replace the lid, and pulse to incorporate.
Taste the dip and make any necessary seasoning adjustments, if desired, such as additional salt, pepper, spices, etc.
Place in a bowl, and although you can serve the dip now, I recommend covering it with plastic wrap, and allowing the dip to sit at room temp for about 30 minutes, which allows the flavors to meld, marry, and develop. If it's very warm in your kitchen, you may want to let it rest in the refrigerator.
Before serving, garnish with fresh herbs if desired, or an additional dizzle of olive oil or honey, additional crumbled feta, etc. Tip - Make sure to read the blog post for all the varieties of flavors you can create with just a few changes to the spices, seasonings, or garnishes. Serve with your favorite veggies, bread, crackers, chips, etc.
Storage - Dip will keep airtight in the fridge for up to 5 days, noting that the flavors like garlic could intensity as time passes. Before serving, I like to let the sit at room for about 15 minutes so it can soften it up. Tip - If the dip has become too thick (remember cold dips always seem thicker and can seem to thin out after about 15-30 minutes), you can stir in a little bit of olive oil or Greek yogurt to thin it out. I do not recommend freezing the dip because the texture will change and it could separate upon thawing.
Make Ahead - It's possible to make this dip 24-48 hours ahead of time for a party or event. Note that the flavor of the garlic could intensity as the dip sits in the fridge.
Notes
Feta Cheese - For the best taste and texture, use high-quality feta cheese made from sheep's milk or goat's milk. Don't use pre-crumbled feta, as it can be drier and less tasty. Don't use fat free feta and expect smooth and creamy results! I suggest buying one 8-ounce block of feta cheese that's full-fat feta cheese.Greek Yogurt - I recommend full-fat, high quality Greek yogurt. 3/4 cup is 6 ounces and I would pick up a little 6-ounce container of Fage or similar brand. I personally wouldn't use 0% fat Greek yogurt here. But, if you're trying to cut fat from the recipe, I would make the compromise here with the Greek yogurt and NOT the feta cheese. Fat free feta just doesn't blend smoothly and nicely for a dip. In place of the Greek yogurt, do not use plain regular yogurt, it's too runny. You could potentially substitute with sour cream, although I don't. If you wanted to add a couple tablespoons full-fat cream cheese, it would likely be fine and make the dip extra creamy and tangy, but I have not tried. Don't add more than that or you'll throw off the other ingredient ratios.