This whipped feta with roasted tomatoes and garlic is the easiest, most delicious appetizer and my new favourite recipe to serve to guests. I’ll be making it all summer long. The whole dish comes together in 30 minutes with very little hands-on action.
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I can see why this recipe and the various permutations of it went viral on social media, in particular, on TikTok. I’m often wary of what goes on in the food space there but was pleasantly surprised by the egg fried in feta and chilli crisp oil recently, so I’m prepared to give some of them a whirl.
The viral whipped feta on TikTok had a simple topping of honey and spices, but I really wanted to add roasted tomatoes and garlic to mine. You can add raw or pre-roasted garlic directly to the whipped feta which would be nice, but for ease, I roasted thin slices with the tomatoes.They get all jammy and delicious.
I used a punnet of mixed of cherry tomatoes that were very ripe and sweet. I always ripen my tomatoes for around 5 days or more at room temperature before eating them.
You simply toss the tomatoes with the finely sliced garlic, add a generous drizzle of olive oil (which becomes a key part of the dip) and a few sprigs of thyme in a small baking tray. Balsamic vinegar adds a dash of sweetness, but you can leave this out.
For the herbs, I love fresh basil in this recipe and used a small handful of baby basil leaves, but shred up a few bigger leaves if that is what you have. I personally don’t like eating thyme raw so used this to roast with the tomatoes.
The smell you have in your house when you roast tomatoes is pure heaven.
How to make whipped feta
I did a huge deep dive and looked at about 40 recipes for whipped feta and experimented with a couple. Some people added yoghurt while others added water or cream cheese.
I found that using yoghurt made the dip very runny so I opted for cream cheese instead. It gave the whipped feta a delicious texture and tempered the salty flavour of the feta.
The results will vary depending on the brand of feta and cream cheese you use, so play around until you find the perfect one you like.
Equipment needed to make whipped feta
You will need a small food processor or chopper to make this small quantity of whipped feta. There is just a little too little to add to a big blender unless you are doubling up. Whipped feta cannot be made by hand.
Depending on how powerful your processor is, you will need to blend the whipped feta for about 3 – 5 minutes until the feta is smooth. Just keep going and checking.
Once you have whipped feta down you can play around with so many flavour variations. I might add roasted garlic next time as I don’t eat it raw.
Plating your whipped feta
Spread the whipped feta on a medium-sized plate (about the size of a fish plate) and then top with the roasted tomatoes or anything else you want. Chopped nuts could add texture and fresh herbs are a must.
I added a light drizzle of honey over the tomatoes which added an almost undetected sweetness that amplified the tomatoes. With hindsight I might have added the tomatoes for their last two minutes of cooking, but either way, delicious.
As I am a bit of a chilli wimp, I left this out, but if you like things fiery, a sprinkle of chilli flakes would certainly work in this recipe.
Extra virgin olive oil
I made this recipe for Babylonstoren and to showcase their incredible range of extra virgin olive oils. I’ve used their Coratina extra virgin olive oil known for its fruity and tangy flavour reminiscent of radichio and artichoke, which pairs perfectly with Italian dishes, tomatoes and creamy cheese.
You can buy directly from their shop or online where they deliver nationwinde for free.
Olive oil is such a key component of the dish, you really want to use the best. I used it to roast the tomatoes and to create a delicious sauce that gets drizzled over the dip, and in the whipped feta itself. Scoop this over golden ciabatta toast which I griddle fried with the olive oil until super crunchy.
FAQ’s
Why is your whipped feta grainy?
Feta is crumbly and can be quite dry, even after blending or processing it, it may be grainy. This will depend on what brand of feta you use, the power of your blender and what you add to the feta to thin it down.
I suggest adding cream cheese and olive oil which helps to give the whipped feta a smooth texture. You could also try processing it for a bit longer or changing to a different appliance. Either way, it will still taste delicious even if it has some grain.
Why is your whipped feta runny?
Start by adding only a little cream cheese or yoghurt at a time to the feta. Olive oil will also help with smoothing the crumbly feta out. If it is runny you could add more feta until it firms up. Alternatively put the whipped feta in the fridge to firm up
If all else fails you can drizzle the runny whipped feta over salads such as, or sandwiches or add a few other flavour and textural elements to make a runnier dip for chips and crudité. As long as it tastes good, you are winning.
Nothing screams summer more than tomatoes and I cant get anough of them. I aboslu*tely love them in my summer pasta with tomato, olives and anchovies, the best tomato galette with flaky pastry, and panzanella salad with white anchovies and fennel.
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Whipped feta with roasted tomatoes and garlic
A delicious appetizer of whipped feta topped with roasted cherry tomatoes and garlic can be whipped up in 30 minutes. It is so delicious.
Print Recipe
Prep Time:10 minutes mins
Cook Time:30 minutes mins
Ingredients
Roasted tomatoes and garlic:
- 250 gms – Ripe mixed cherry tomatoes
- 2 cloves of garlic finely sliced
- 3 4 small sprigs of thyme
- 3 Tbsp Babylonstoren Extra Virgin Coratina Olive oil
- 1 Tbs Balsamic vinegar optional
Whipped Feta dip:
- 200 gms Crumbly feta
- ¼ cup + 2 Tbsp full fat cream cheese
- Zest from ½ a lemon
- 2 Tbs Babylonstoren Extra Virgin Coratina Olive oil
To serve:
- A drizzle of honey
- A small handful of small fresh basil leaves or shredded larger basil
- Griddle fried ciabatta with olive oil
- Salt & Pepper
Instructions
Both the roast tomatoes and the whipped feta can be made in advance and plated just before serving.
Preheat the oven to 180C/350F.
In a small baking dish add the tomatoes, sliced garlic, and thyme. Drizzle over the olive oil and balsamic vinegar and toss to combine. Place the tomatoes on top of the garlic slices so they don’t burn. Season with salt and pepper. Roast for 30 minutes until blistered and starting to burst. Remove the tray from the oven and take out the thyme stalks. Set aside to cool to room temperature.
To make the whipped feta, add the feta, cream cheese, lemon zest and olive oil to a bowl of a small food processor or power blender and whizz for 3 – 4 minutes until smooth. The length of time this takes will depend on the appliance.
To plate up, spread the whipped feta over the base of a flat serving plate (about the size of a fish plate). Swirl to make grooves over the surface. Spoon over the roasted tomato, and garlic and any olive oil in the pan.
Drizzle lightly with honey and scatter over the fresh basil and season with a sprinkle of sea salt and pepper.
To make griddle fried ciabatta, brush slices of bread with olive oil and fry in a griddle pan until golden on both sides.
Servings: 4
