This AMAZING dip is SO easy (10 minutes of prep!) and only uses 5 simple ingredients! It’s rich, garlicky and deliciously addictive. Perfect for, lunch, parties, or just a little evening snack with a glass of wine!
A few years ago Laurier and I had dinner at a great Italian restaurant. As an appetizer we ordered the artichoke dip. The dip was rich and creamy. But there was something… something about it that was different. There was a salty, tangy umami flavour that cut through the richness and I just couldn’t get enough of.
It took me a little while to put my finger on it, but eventually I figured out that it must have feta in it.
To this day I have no confirmation of the feta, but I can tell you this. I have spent the past two years thinking about that dip. And wanting to recreate it. It was just that good.
So finally, I have.
This dip just has a few simple ingredients, but it packs a TON of amazing, addictive, salty flavor into every bite.
The base is cream cheese, which I stock up on BIG TIME when it goes on sale, because we use it for so many recipes – both sweet and salty.
Tip: You can read more about my advice for how to Stock Your Fridge here.
Add to that some fresh (or frozen) lemon juice, garlic (super cheap), a can of artichoke hearts, and, the star of the show – feta.
Tip: Stock up on pantry items when they go on sale and keep them on hand for easy recipes like this one!
Feta (and good cheese in general) is not necessarily cheap. BUT, it goes on sale at many grocery stores, is often a great price at Costco, and can be frozen. All of these things help make it more affordable.
Tip: Once you use part of a block of feta you can cut the rest up, wrap it well and freeze it to use next time you make this incredible dip (or something else with delicious, salty, briny feta).
Whipped Artichoke and Feta Dip – Step-by-Step Instructions
Whipped Artichoke and Feta Dip – Ingredients
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (if you plan to bake this right away). Peel 5 cloves of garlic (don’t skimp!). Start your food processor, and with it running, drop whole cloves of garlic through feed tube. Watch it mince beautifully with pretty much no effort on your part!
Add 1/2 cup (give or take) of feta and run the machine to whip it up until it’s nice and fluffy, and well combined.
Then add 1 block (in pieces) of softened cream cheese, 1 teaspoon of fresh lemon juice, and pepper to taste. Whip it well to combine completely. Give it a taste and if you want, add 1/4 teaspoon of salt.
Chop 1 can of artichoke hearts into large chunks and add them to the bowl of the food processor. Pulse until they are broken down into small, bite sized pieces.
Scrape into a baking dish and bake for 20 minutes, or until dip is heated through and bubbly (and smells amazing!).
Tip: You can also make this ahead of time and wait to bake it later – just store the dish in the fridge but make sure you bring it to room temperature before putting it in a hot oven.
Enjoy! 🙂
Common Questions & Answers:
Why whip the feta?
Feta is typically a solid cheese, and whipping it makes it creamy and incorporates a lot of air into the cheese, making it fluffy and light. If you like feta but have never tried whipping it, you MUST give this recipe a try. It’s SO good.
Can I make this artichoke feta dip ahead of time?
Yes! This is a great recipe to make ahead of time. You can do the food processor part of the recipe (which takes less than 10 minutes) any time and then store the dip in the fridge. About 30-60 minutes before you want to serve it, take it out of the fridge to come to room temperature, then bake as directed in the recipe. Easy!
What are some different ways I can serve this whipped artichoke and feta dip?
This dip is delicious with crackers, toasted pita bread, pretzels, chips, slices of baguette or another crusty bread. It would also be fantastic with crudité (fresh, sliced or whole raw vegetables) like carrots, celery, cucumbers, radishes, green beans, red peppers and more.
Can I add things to this dip?
Yes! After cooking, you could top the dip with fresh herbs (parsley, dill, basil, mint, chives, tarragon and even thyme would all be spectacular), a splash of olive oil, chopped (drained) tomatoes and cucumbers, red peppers, olives and other Mediterranean-inspired ingredients would be delicious and make this heartier.
What can I do with leftover dip?
While I highly doubt you’ll have leftover dip (unless you plan ahead and double or triple the recipe!), here are a few ideas for what else you can do with this artichoke feta dip: spread it on a sandwich (especially a grilled sandwich), spoon it onto baked or roasted potatoes, or grilled chicken or steak. You could also thin it with some yogurt and make salad dressing with it. YUM!
Did you make this Whipped Artichoke and Feta Dip? Leave us a star rating below!
Whipped Artichoke and Feta Dip
Ingredients
- 5 cloves garlic
- 1 package cream cheese softened (8oz)
- 1/2 cup feta cheese
- 1 tsp fresh lemon juice
- 1/4 tsp salt*
- pepper to taste
- 1 can artichoke hearts
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (if you plan to bake this right away).**
- Peel garlic. Start your food processor, and with it running, drop whole cloves of garlic through feed tube. It should mince perfectly in the bowl of the food processor.
- Add feta and run the machine to whip it up until it's nice and fluffy, and well combined. Then add softened cream cheese (broken into large pieces), fresh lemon juice, and pepper to taste. Whip well to combine completely. Taste the dip to see if it's salty enough, and then add the salt, if you want.
- Chop artichoke hearts into large chunks and add them to the bowl of the food processor. Pulse until they are broken down into small, bite sized pieces.
- Scrape into a baking dish and bake for 20 minutes, or until dip is heated through and bubbly (and smells amazing!).
- Enjoy! 🙂
Notes
* Whip all the ingredients but the salt and taste the dip before you add it. Feta varies in saltiness, and it's best to make sure it isn't salty enough already.
** You can also make this ahead of time and wait to bake it later - just store the dish in the fridge but make sure you bring it to room temperature before putting it in a hot oven.
Nutrition
This recipe was originally published on October 18, 2017.
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Julia D. says
This was fantastic! Absolutely loved it! I’ve realized I can only make this when we have company because we eat way too much of it! Thanks for the recipe 🙂
Myra says
So glad you like it! I really love it too… which is why I was daydreaming about it for a couple of years!