Baked Whipped Feta Cheese

If you’re a big fan of feta cheese like me, you might have already had whipped feta cheese, but here is how you can make it even better by baking it in individual mini tomato cups. I will also be sharing a bonus recipe for what to dip into these cute tasty cups.

This is one of the easiest recipes, in which there is barely any chopping or cooking, but it does take a bit of “off-hands” time. There is simply no substitute for roasted garlic that I know of, and you can’t really use fresh or pan fried garlic for this. The good news is that roasted garlic is so delicious and it has a lot of other uses in different recipes, so I often make a few heads at a time and consume them throughout the week in salad dressings, pasta sauces, or simply smeared on toasts.

For the tomatoes, I’m using this variety called Campari tomatoes, which are not too small or not too big, making it the perfect size for this particular dish. After cutting off the tops of the tomatoes, scoop out the seeds using a melon baller or a small spoon.

Now onto the star of the show – cheese dip filling, which cannot be easier. Using an immersion blender or a food processor, simply blend your favorite feta cheese, greek yogurt, roasted garlic, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, and a few pinches of salt and pepper. Make sure to blend until it becomes smooth and creamy, scraping the sides as needed. Then using a piping bag or ziploc bag, fill the tomato cups with the cheese dip. You could, of course, do this with a spoon, but I just find it much easier and faster to use a piping bag for this process.

These are perfectly delicious as is, served with your favorite crackers or any kind of dipper like pita bread or tortilla chips, but if you are feeling a little fancy like me, try making these super flaky and crispy phyllo chips. 

They are very easy to make starting with half a sheet of thawed frozen phyllo dough. Give it a quick spray of oil, then sprinkle a tiny bit of salt and pepper. Make a letter fold lengthwise, give another spray of oil, and fold the dough into thirds again before cutting them into triangles. (If you saw my “Goat Cheese in Phyllo Pillow” recipe, the process is very similar.) Place these triangles on a parchment lined cookie sheet, cover them with another piece of parchment paper, then place another cookie sheet on top before baking them in the oven for 12-13 minutes until they turn golden brown. These flaky chips are a perfect accompaniment for these warm creamy tangy goodness.

The garnish is completely optional, but I decided to decorate each cup with some finely chopped parsley, kalamata olives, and lemon zest, all of which compliment the flavors of this cheese dip perfectly. I hope you’ll enjoy this recipe as much as I did!

Sipping Suggestions: Light White Wine or Sparkling Wine. Or You do You!

Baked Whipped Feta Cheese

Recipe by sipandappCuisine: Vegetarian

Servings

8

Tomato Cups

Total time

1

hour 

20

minutes

Ingredients

• Roasted Garlic

• 1 Head Garlic

• ½ TBSP Extra Virgin Olive Oil

• 1 Pinch Salt & Pepper

• Cheese Filling

• 4 oz Feta Cheese

• ¼ Cup Greek Yogurt

• 3-4 cloves (or more if desired) Roasted Garlic (see below)

• 1 TBSP Extra Virgin Olive Oil

• Salt & Pepper to taste (according to the saltiness of Feta)

• 8-10 Campari Tomatoes

• Phyllo Chips (Optional)

• 5 Sheets Thawed Frozen Phyllo Dough

• Olive or Avocado Oil Spray

• Salt & Pepper

• Optional Garnish

• Parsley

• Kalamata Olives

• Lemon Zest

Directions

• Preheat the Oven: Begin by preheating your oven to 420°F (215°C).
• Roast the Garlic: Cut off the top of a whole head of garlic to expose the cloves, then drizzle olive oil over it and season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Wrap the garlic tightly in foil and bake in the preheated oven for about 45 minutes, until the cloves are soft and caramelized. Once done, allow the roasted garlic to cool slightly, then squeeze out a few cloves from their skins and set them aside.
• Prepare the Tomato Cups: Cut off the tops of Campari tomatoes and scoop out the seeds using a melon baller or small spoon.
• Make the Cheese Dip Filling: In a food processor or using an immersion blender, blend together feta cheese, Greek yogurt, roasted garlic cloves, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, and a pinch of salt and pepper until smooth and creamy, scraping the sides as needed.
• Fill the Tomato Cups: Transfer the cheese dip filling into a piping bag or a ziplock bag. Then, pipe the filling into the prepared tomato cups. Alternatively, you can use a spoon to fill the cups.
• Bake the Tomato Cups: Place the filled tomato cups on a baking sheet and bake in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes, until the tomatoes are soft and the tops are slightly browned.
• Make Phyllo Chips (Optional): Take half a sheet of thawed frozen phyllo dough and spray it with oil. Sprinkle with a bit of salt and pepper, then fold the dough in thirds lengthwise. Spray again with oil and fold the dough in thirds once more before cutting it into triangles. Place the triangles on a parchment-lined baking sheet, cover with another piece of parchment paper, and place another baking sheet on top. Bake in the oven for 12-13 minutes, until golden brown.
• Garnish (Optional): Optionally, garnish each tomato cup with finely chopped parsley, kalamata olives, and lemon zest.
• Serve: Serve the baked feta dip in tomato cups with your favorite crackers, pita bread, tortilla chips, or the homemade phyllo chips.

Recipe Video