Feta and Olive Dip with Kalamata Olives and Dill
By Marcus Hale
Prep
10 min
Total
10 min
Servings
8
Level
Easy
Combining room-temperature feta and cream cheese before adding olives makes the dip creamy‚ and brief processing time helps prevent the olives from mixing into the dip․ I make this dip for a cold‚ briny‚ lemon-and-dill-flavored dip․ The dip is ready in about 10 minutes․
I use a block of brined feta cheese instead of crumbled feta cheese․ I let both dairy ingredients come to room temperature before adding them to the food processor․ Room temperature dairy products blend better in the food processor and leave fewer unblended bits in the final dish‚ as cold pieces of feta cheese may not blend well․ I use full-fat cream cheese in this recipe․ Fresh lemon juice helps cut the saltiness of the final dish․
After making the base‚ put some olive oil into the container while the food processor is running and puree until the base is evenly distributed in the container․ Add olives and dill and pulse a few times․ I don't recommend fully pureeing the olives because it will remove small bits from the dip that keep it from clumping and allow you to see olives in each serving․ Some of the base should remain visible next to the olives․
Scoop the dip into a serving dish and top with olive oil‚ chopped olives‚ and dill (I like the extra olives)․ Serve with utensils right away․ Other ways to use the dip include as a topping for Greek chicken pizza and grilled chicken and fish․
Why you'll love this recipe
- Room-temperature feta and cream cheese blend well․ Cold dairy products don't blend well․
- Adding olive oil to a running food processor before other ingredients can bring the mixture together․
- The olives keep some of their shape when pulsed at the end to give the dip more texture․
- Squeezed lemon juice can help balance the salty flavor․ Dill flavor can be preserved if it isn't blended for long․
- No stove is required for this recipe․ Total preparation time is 10 minutes‚ from start to bowl․
- Add chopped olives to the dip as a topping for extra taste․
Ingredients
- •8 oz feta cheese (block feta packed in brine, at room temperature)
- •4 oz cream cheese (full-fat, softened)
- •1 cup Kalamata olives (pitted and roughly chopped)
- •1 clove garlic (minced)
- •2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- •3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- •2 tbsp fresh dill (chopped)
Instructions
- 1
Add the softened cream cheese, crumbled feta, garlic, and lemon juice to a food processor.
- 2
Pulse a few times to break down the feta mixture.
- 3
Run the processor, slowly drizzle in the olive oil, and blend until completely smooth.
- 4
Add the Kalamata olives and fresh dill, then pulse only a few times until the olives are coarsely chopped.
- 5
Transfer the dip to a serving bowl.
- 6
Garnish with a drizzle of olive oil, extra chopped olives, and fresh dill.
- 7
Serve immediately.
FAQ
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
155
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