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This Whipped Feta with Hot Honey makes an easy yet impressive appetizer. I tested 4 creamy bases—yogurt, cream cheese, ricotta, and sour cream—for the whipped feta. The winner surprised me! It makes a luscious, silky, balanced dip that's hard to stop scooping.
This recipe is a bolder spin on my popular Whipped Ricotta Dip. Feta adds tang and salt, while hot sauce adds a spicy kick to the sweet honey.
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Why you'll love this recipe
- Easy: This recipe takes just 5 minutes to make—including the homemade hot honey!
- Best flavor: Whipped feta is usually made with yogurt or cream cheese. But after testing both, we discovered the best whipped feta dip is made without either! This dip tastes more balanced—not too sour, too salty, or too runny—it's just right.
- Silky smooth: Sometimes whipped feta ends up grainy or too runny. But this recipe yields a silky smooth dip that doesn't require any straining! And, it's thick enough to scoop.
- Crowd pleaser: Looking for an appetizer that'll wow the crowd? This dip is it! It's stunning served with colorful veggies, bread, or crackers—and so fast to make.
- Versatile: While whipped feta is delicious as a dip, it's also a great sauce for fries and falafel, a sandwich spread, and so much more.
Ingredients (and substitutes)
This creamy whipped feta recipe has just 4 ingredients—including the homemade hot honey! Here's what you'll need:
- Feta: The better the feta, the better this dip turns out. Buy a block of feta in brine—rather than store-bought crumbled feta. The brine preserves the cheese, so it doesn't dry out or change flavor.
- Greek feta is made with sheep's milk (sometimes goat). But outside Europe, it’s often mixed with cow's milk for milder flavor. Choose the feta you like best! Use extra feta to make Butter Bean Salad or Tomato Chickpea Casserole.
- Ricotta: Ricotta’s mild, creamy texture balances out feta’s intensity. It’s lower in fat and salt than many cheeses. So choose whole milk ricotta which has a richer taste and texture than low-fat ricotta.
- Hot Sauce: Louisiana-style hot sauces—like Frank's Red Hot—are vinegar-forward which balances honey's sweetness. But you can swap a Mexican hot sauce, Sriracha or a similar substitute.
- Red pepper flakes (optional): For even more heat, add red pepper flakes. Too much hot sauce makes the honey runny. They make a pretty garnish too.
Find the recipe card below for the complete recipe, including all ingredients and instructions.
Do you love hot honey? Check out my recipes for: Halloumi Wraps with Hot Honey and Roasted Squash Tart with Feta and Honey.
Why Ricotta makes a better Whipped Feta Dip
Whipped Feta combines feta with a creamy base—usually yogurt or cream cheese. For this dip, I tested 4 different bases: Greek yogurt, cream cheese, sour cream, and ricotta.
Up until now, I've always used yogurt in my whipped feta recipes—like in my Snap Pea Salad with Whipped Feta, Roasted Squash Tart with Honey, and in my cookbook. But those recipes use whipped feta more as a sauce/spread than a dip.
The dip results were surprising. Ricotta created the best whipped feta dip! Here's why:
- Greek Yogurt: Feta and yogurt are both tangy. In side-by-side taste tests this combination often tasted too sharp. Plus some brands made the dip runny, so it didn't scoop as nicely.
- Sour Cream: Similar to yogurt, sour cream adds tang but is slightly saltier. I didn't test multiple brands of sour cream, but I'd bet the consistency concerns are similar.
- Cream Cheese: While it keeps the dip thick, cream cheese is quite salty. Some taste testers found the combination to be way too salty with the feta.
- Ricotta: Its mild flavor balanced feta's intense, tangy flavor. Ricotta's low salt content pairs well with feta's natural saltiness. It made for a delicious dip that we couldn't stop scooping!
How to make (step-by-step photos)
This creamy Whipped Feta Dip takes just 5 minutes to make. It's so simple—but impressive enough to bring to a party! Here's how to make this recipe:
1. Combine feta and ricotta in a food processor (or blender—see notes if using).
2. Puree until smooth and fluffy, scraping the sides as needed.
3. Combine honey and hot sauce to make "hot honey".
4. Spoon hot honey over whipped feta—serve with bread, crackers or veggies.
Find the recipe card below for the complete recipe, including all ingredients and instructions.
Tips
- Feta "in brine" tastes better: The best feta to buy is a block submerged in liquid brine, which preserves its flavor and texture. It'll last longer too. Pre-crumbled feta dries out, which can impact the taste. And crumbled feta usually has anti-caking agents added.
- Go for whole milk ricotta: It has better flavor and texture. Since ricotta is already lower in fat than most cheeses, "low fat" versions aren't really worth as they often have added stabilizers.
- How to make whipped feta without a food processor: You can use a hand blender or a regular blender. If using a large blender, you may need to scale up the recipe so there's enough volume to cover the blades. I don't recommend a stand mixer or electric beaters because the feta will remain slightly chunky—not silky smooth.
- Hot honey substitute: My homemade hot honey uses just 2 ingredients, but you could swap in store-bought instead.
What to serve with Whipped Feta
Here are my top 5 favorite "dippers" to pair with Whipped Feta Dip:
- Warm bread—like crostini, grilled bread or pita, focaccia, or a crusty loaf
- Air Fryer Pita Chips (or substitute store-bought)
- Fresh vegetables—like carrots, bell peppers, cucumbers, celery, radishes
- Air Fryer Tomatoes—spoon roasted tomatoes over the dip to take it to the next level!
- Crackers
Also, it's not just a dip! You can also use this whipped feta in other ways, such as:
- Fry sauce: My husband loves to dip fries into this whipped feta. For a healthier spin make Baked Parsnip Fries, Broccoli Fries, or Avocado Fries.
- Falafel: Swoop crispy Oven Baked Falafel into this fluffy feta. Or, slather it on Falafel Burgers.
- Sandwich spread: Use as a creamy, flavorful spread on your favorite roasted veggie sandwich or burger.
How else would you use this Whipped Feta? Let me know in the comments below!
Recipe FAQ's
Yes, you can make this recipe with a handheld blender (choose a tall, narrow blending container). A regular blender works too. Just keep in mind that if the blender's too big, the volume might not cover the blades—so you can scale up the recipe as needed.
For a thinner consistency, you can add more ricotta, a drizzle of olive oil, or some of the feta brine (from the container). But add gradually, because it's easier to thin it than to thicken it.
Yes, this is a great make ahead dish! You can make the whipped feta up to 3 days in advance. Top with the hot honey right before you serve.
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📖 Recipe
Whipped Feta Dip with Hot Honey
Ingredients
- 1 cup crumbled feta cheese (see note 1)
- ½ cup ricotta cheese (whole milk recommended)
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 to 2 teaspoons hot sauce (Frank's Hot Sauce recommended, see note 2)
- red pepper flakes (to taste, optional)
Instructions
- Mix: In a food processor (see note 3), combine 1 cup crumbled feta cheese and ½ cup ricotta cheese. Process until smooth, scraping down the sides as needed.
- Hot honey: In a small bowl, stir together 2 tablespoons honey, 1 to 2 teaspoons hot sauce, and red pepper flakes to taste (if using).
- Serve: Transfer the whipped feta to a bowl. Drizzle with as much or as little of the hot honey as you'd like (extra can be served on the side, see note 4). Serve with "dippers" of your choice (see note 5).
Notes
- Feta: For the best flavor, choose feta that's sold as a block in brine (rather than pre-crumbled feta). Feta in brine keeps longer, is less dry and often creamier and higher quality.
- Hot Sauce: Louisiana-style hot sauces (Frank's or Crystal) work well because they're vinegar-forward, which balances hot honey's sweetness. You can swap other hot sauce (such as a Mexican-style or Sriracha). Every brand varies—adjust amount to taste.
- Food processor alternative: A blender or hand blender (with a tall narrow container) can do the job. Just be aware that in a bigger blender, small amounts might not cover the blades, so you may wish to scale up the recipe.
- Hot Honey garnish: A shallow, wide bowl gives more space to drizzle honey on top. If you're using a small bowl, start with about half the honey, then add more as it gets eaten. This method is especially good when serving a crowd, letting everyone add extra hot honey if they prefer.
- Serving suggestions: This creamy Whipped Feta Dip pairs well pretty much any bread (warm naan, crusty bread, focaccia, baguette), pita chips, crackers, and/or fresh veggies (such as cucumber, carrot sticks, bell peppers, radishes, etc).
- Storage tips: Refrigerate in a resealable container. Enjoy within 3 to 4 days.
- Yield: Makes about 1 cup. Nutritional Estimate assumes 2.5 to 3 tablespoons per serving.
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