Tomato feta dip in the Thermomix® needs exactly 17 seconds of blending time. No more. We add the ingredients in three stages so the feta keeps its texture and does not turn into a paste.
The dip works as a bread spread, a grill side or with vegetable sticks. We have been making it regularly for years because it comes together faster than anything from a shop and tastes considerably more flavourful.
Quick Tomato Feta Dip with the Thermomix®
Ingredients 0 / 8 ✓
- 1 garlic clove
- 40 g sun-dried tomatoes in oil
- 150 g feta
- 200 g full-fat cream cheese
- 10 g olive oil
- salt to taste
- 1 tbsp dried oregano
- freshly ground pepper
Instructions 0 / 3
-
1
Chop the garlic.
Add the garlic clove to the mixing bowl and chop for 3 seconds / speed 8, then push down with the spatula.
-
2
Chop the sun-dried tomatoes.
Add the sun-dried tomatoes and chop for 4 seconds / speed 8.
-
3
Stir the spread together.
Crumble the feta into the mixing bowl, add the remaining ingredients and stir together for 10 seconds / speed 3.
Tip: You can also stir other herbs into your quick tomato feta dip, such as fresh basil.
Video
Nutrition per serving
Why three stages instead of everything at once
Garlic first at speed 8, then sun-dried tomatoes at speed 8, finally feta and cream cheese at speed 3. This order has a reason: feta only needs gentle stirring. Blended too long at high speed it turns into a smooth paste and loses the slightly crumbly texture that makes the dip interesting.
Garlic and tomatoes, on the other hand, need to be properly chopped. Speed 8 for 3 to 4 seconds each is enough to chop them finely without reducing them to a puree. The garlic distributes evenly and the tomatoes remain visible as small pieces.
Sun-dried tomatoes as the flavour base
The 40 g of sun-dried tomatoes in oil are not decoration. They provide all the tomato depth in the dip. Fresh tomatoes would release too much liquid and water down the consistency. Sun-dried tomatoes concentrate the flavour and bring extra savouriness from the oil they are packed in.
Let the oil from the jar drain briefly before weighing, but there is no need to remove it completely. It contributes to the rounded flavour and makes the dip smoother.
The feta to cream cheese ratio determines the consistency
150 g feta to 200 g cream cheese gives a spreadable dip with a pronounced feta flavour. More feta makes it crumblier and saltier, more cream cheese makes it milder and creamier.
The full-fat cream cheese provides the necessary creaminess and binds the flavours together. Lower-fat versions work but make the dip drier and less smooth.
Oregano reinforces the Greek character. 1 tbsp of dried oregano is enough. Fresh herbs such as basil also work but shift the direction of the dip. With basil it becomes more Italian, with oregano it stays Greek.
10 seconds at speed 3 for the right consistency
Once the feta, cream cheese and remaining ingredients are in the mixing bowl, 10 seconds at speed 3 is all it takes to stir everything together. That is enough to combine everything without completely breaking down the feta. The mixture becomes homogeneous but keeps a slight texture.
Blending longer makes the dip smoother, but then it loses its texture. Blending for less time leaves lumps. 10 seconds is the point at which the balance is right.
Serving and combinations
The dip can be served straight after blending or chilled for 30 minutes. Chilled it firms up and spreads more easily as a topping. At room temperature it stays softer and works better as a dip.
It goes well with grilled vegetables, flatbread, potato wedges or as a side with gyros. It also works well with raw vegetables such as peppers, cucumber or carrots.
How long it keeps in the fridge
In a sealed jar the dip keeps for 3 to 4 days in the fridge. Over time the fresh garlic and feta intensify the flavour, which some people enjoy and others do not. After 5 days the freshness noticeably fades.
Goes well with: Baguette and flatbread.
Freezing does not work. The cream cheese separates on thawing and the feta becomes crumbly.
