Tirokafteri - Spicy Whipped Feta Dip

Salty, spicy, and creamy with a tangy yogurt flavor and a garlic aftertaste. Tirokafteri is one of the most loved and popular Greek dips!

What's not to love about this dip? Feta is a flavorful cheese on its own. Now think of it whipped, combined with creamy Greek yogurt, garlic, and a fresh spicy pepper. It's so delicious!

Table Of Contents

• Tirokafteri Ingredients
• Tips
• Toppings
• Storing
• Serve With
• Recipe

For Greeks, it's a favorite side to grilled meat dishes. Sometimes also added inside Souvlaki Pita Wraps. It's as popular and as good as Tzatziki. And it's super easy to make.

All you do is toss everything in a food processor and pulse until a smooth and creamy dip forms. However, some people like it chunky and prefer to mash the cheese with a fork (not me though!).

Tirokafteri Ingredients

To make this delicious Tirokafteri recipe you need:

• Feta Cheese: for a creamy dip go for a soft not too-ripe one.
• Greek yogurt: like most Greek recipes, Tirokafteri calls for strained Greek yogurt. You can use plain as well but the dip won't be as creamy.
• Garlic
• Hot pepper: Most of the time we're using a green hot pepper but you can use a red one if you like. As for types of peppers to use, I'm using a Hungarian Wax Pepper which is pretty hot. If you want a milder spicy flavor you can use a Banana pepper or a Poblano pepper.
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Vinegar: red wine, apple cider vinegar, or even white wine vinegar if you prefer.

Tips

1. Let feta cheese reach room temperature before making the dip. This way it will pulse easier and the dip will be smoother.
2. Use soft feta cheese (like I mentioned above). The ripest a feta cheese is the harder it becomes. Therefore, it won't pulse as smoothly and the dip will be chunkier.
3. Use strained Greek yogurt for a creamy dip. Can't find it? You can strain it yourself at home. Or you can substitute it with plain Greek yogurt, creamy Ricotta, or low-fat cream cheese.
4. If you're not sure how spicy you want the dip, or you don't like spicy altogether, you can use a sweet green pepper (amount mentioned in the recipe below) and serve with cayenne or chili pepper on top, or mix it in and adjust while tasting.

Toppings

You can serve this Greek spicy feta cheese dip topped with sweet paprika, hot or sweet red pepper flakes, dried oregano, marjoram, or thyme. Even fresh mint. Also diced tomatoes, thinly sliced sun-dried tomatoes, sauteed or grilled cherry tomatoes.

Storing

Store this Greek feta dip in an air-tight food container for up to 10 days in the fridge. The garlic flavor will get stronger as the days pass. Also, take it out of the fridge for 10-15 minutes before serving to soften because it gets thicker as it cools.

Serve With

This spicy feta dip recipe is a great side dish for all grilled (and baked) meat dishes. Try it with Greek Souvlaki, or Mpiftekia (meatballs). Or spread it inside sandwiches and wraps. I'm sure you can imagine how scrumptiously good it combines with potato fries be it Oven Fries or French Fries.

Recipe