If you are looking for a quick and easy appetizer dip that's full of flavor, you've come to the right place. This Roasted Red Pepper and Feta Cheese Dip (aka Festive Feta Dip) is amazing! Simply made with cream cheese, jarred roasted red peppers, lemon juice, fresh dill, and fresh garlic all whipped up in minutes in your food processor.
.jpg "Roasted Red Pepper and Feta Cheese Dip")
I think it would taste wonderful with my recipe for Baked Tortilla Chips or these Air Fryer Tortilla Chips.
The inspiration for this roasted red pepper feta dip was found in my copy of Weight Watchers Weekly, a newsletter handed out at meetings each week. Sometimes, like with this appetizer recipe, they really hit the mark on the perfect balance of flavors.
While you're here make sure to check out another great recipe inspiration from WW Weekly is this recipe for Skillet Rigatoni with Sausage, Beans, and Spinach.
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| Original photo from original blog post from Dec. 2010 |
How to make Roasted Red Pepper and Feta Cheese Dip
Feta dip recipes are sort of trendy these days. Who doesn't love salty feta cheese? To make this red pepper dip recipe you'll need a good feta cheese and good roasted red peppers, since both are the heart of this recipe.
What kind of Feta cheese works in this recipe?
Feta cheese is a Greek brined cheese made from a variety of milk sources. Greek varieties are made with sheep's milk or a combination of sheep's milk and goat's milk. But here in America, you can also find Feta cheese made from Cow's milk.
You can often find this cheese sold in a solid block or in crumbled from in a container in the dairy or cheese area of your grocery store.
I, personally, prefer Greek feta cheese from sheep's milk or a combination of sheep and goat milk. I think it's much creamier and has a better flavor than feta cheese made from cow's milk. If you can find it still in the brine, even better. But this cheese can be pricey.
Cow's milk feta is much less expensive and still tastes good. If you are going with cow's milk feta, I prefer the block feta over the crumbles but any of the forementioned feta cheeses will work in this easy dip recipe.
A word about roasted red peppers
I prefer to purchase roasted red peppers in a jar for this recipe because it's just so easy to pop open the jar. You can find them packed in either a water solution or an oil solution. I like drained jarred roasted red peppers in a water solution for this recipe.
If you are really ambitious, you can roast your own fresh peppers for this recipe. There are several ways to roast red peppers; in the oven, over a flame (like on the grill or over the flame of a gas range burner, and in the air fryer).
Start by washing and drying the peppers, then use one of these methods to roast them:
1. To roast red peppers in the oven - Start with cutting the peppers in half, removing the stem, seeds, and the pith. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Cover a baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray with cooking spray. Lay the pepper halves on the baking sheet skin side up and place in oven for 15 to 20 minutes or until the skins blacken. Remove from oven and with tongs place roasted peppers in a large bowl and cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap. Let them sit until cool enough to handle. Slide the skins off the peppers. Place roasted red peppers in an airtight container in the refrigerator and use within 3 days.
2. To roast red peppers over a gas flame (grill or gas stove)- Keep pepper whole with the stem. With tongs, turn the pepper every 2 to 3 minutes over the open flame until they are completely charred on all sides. Place peppers in a large bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap. When pepper is cool enough to handle, slide the skins off and cut into sections or halves, removing seeds and stems. Place roasted red peppers in an airtight container in the refrigerator and use within 3 days.
3. To roast red peppers in an Air Fryer - Prepare peppers as you would for oven roasting. Place cut and stemmed peppers into the air fryer basket. (It doesn't matter what side you start with because you will be turning them during the roasting process.) Put basket in air fryer and turn heat to 375 degrees F (you do not need to preheat) and cook for 10 minutes. Open basket, and with tongs flip peppers over to the other side. Close and cook an additional 8 minutes. Place peppers in a large bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap. When pepper is cool enough to handle, slide the skins off and cut into sections or halves, removing seeds and stems. Place roasted red peppers in an airtight container in the refrigerator and use within 3 days.
Equipment needed
You will need a 6 cup or larger food processor for this recipe. I think you could use a high powered blender as well, but I haven't tried making this dip in one.
Main ingredients needed
(Full amounts are found in recipe card below!)
Cream cheese, can be Neufchâtel cheese for a healthier take
Feta Cheese
Roasted Red Peppers
garlic clove
fresh ground black pepper
lemon juice
fresh chopped dill
Start making this delicious dip by putting all the ingredients into the bowl of a food processor, except dill.
Turn the processor on and blend until smooth.
Add chopped dill, pulse until evenly distributed.
Put mixture into serving bowl, cover and refrigerate for at least an hour to blend flavors.
To serve, let it come to room temperature for about 30 minutes.
What to serve with Roasted Red Pepper and Feta Dip
- crackers such as whole wheat or buttery rounds
- warm pita bread
- tortilla chips
- cut up fresh veggies like cucumbers, carrot sticks, celery, green and red bell peppers
- jarred red cherry peppers
- use as a spread on everything bagels for a quick snack or as a spread on garlic toast
Variations and Substitutions
Substitute the cheeses with lower fat varieties to lower fat and calories
Replace the fresh dill with other fresh herbs such as fresh basil, or fresh parsley
Drizzle a little good extra virgin olive oil over the dip before serving
Make a it spicy with the addition of red pepper flakes or a pinch of cayenne pepper
Replace the fresh clove of garlic with a couple of roasted garlic cloves for richer garlic flavor
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. This dip actually becomes tastier as it sits, and the flavors have a chance to blend! I love this great appetizer. It's a wonderful last-minute party recipe and a festive holiday appetizer for all your holiday gatherings.
More delicious dips you might enjoy
Yield: 8 servings
.jpg "Roasted Red Pepper and Feta Cheese Dip")
Roasted Red Pepper and Feta Cheese Dip
Prep time: 5 MinInactive time: 1 HourTotal time: 1 H & 5 M
This fabulous cheese dip is made with cream cheese, feta cheese, roasted red peppers, black pepper, lemon juice, garlic and dill for a quick and tasty appetizer dip.
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup water packed roasted red peppers, drained
- 8 oz. cream cheese
- 2 oz. feta cheese, crumbled
- 1 large garlic clove
- 1/4 tsp. fresh ground pepper
- 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
- 2 TBSP fresh dill, chopped
Instructions
- In a food processor, combine all ingredients except dill. Process until smooth. Add chopped dill, pulse until evenly distributed.
- Put mixture into serving bowl, cover and refrigerate for at least an hour to blend flavors. Serve with cut up raw vegetables, crackers, tortilla chips or pita chips.
Notes
This recipe can be made with reduced fat cheese products to decrease calories.
You can roast your own red peppers for this recipe by following the directions in the blog post above.
Nutrition Facts
Calories
120.09Fat (grams)
11.29 gSat. Fat (grams)
6.67 gCholesterol (grams)
34.94 mgCarbs (grams)
2.32 gFiber (grams)
0.1 gSugar (grams)
1.1 gNet carbs
2.23 gProtein (grams)
2.83 gSodium (milligrams)
249.82 mgNutritional Information provided is an estimate.
Copyright © 2010 Renee's Kitchen Adventures
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YUM! This is right up my alley!
ReplyDeletemmmmmm feta cheese in dip-able form? I need some!
ReplyDeleteOooo! That sounds wonderful!
ReplyDelete