This festive and flavorful Cranberry Whipped Feta Dip is easy to make with fresh or leftover cranberry sauce (woot!) and is so quick, easy, and downright delicious! We love this holiday appetizer!
Though I happily grew up on the jellied can-o-cranberry (and still love it to this day) I am very much team homemade cranberry sauce now that I’ve started making it myself.
Of course I’ve completely spoiled my family to the point that the can is no longer deemed acceptable (rude) and they have taken to requesting that I make cranberry sauce not just for Thanksgiving but basically on repeat from early November until about mid January.
We put it on EVERYTHING! In fact, I just published a little round up of some of my favorite ways to use cranberry sauce and this delightful whipped feta dip is going on the list STAT.
I can’t wait for you to try it!
So… What exactly is Whipped Feta?
In a word, amazing! But because that clearly won’t suffice, it’s a delightful way of turning flavorful feta into a silky and spreadable sort of ordeal that is perfect for crackers, crostini, flatbreads, crunchy veggies, and so much more. Blended with cream cheese and a little honey or olive oil, it goes from crumbly to luscious in minutes. YES PLEASE!
I love to add it to cheese boards, veggie trays, and charcuterie boards galore because it adds that little something extra and pairs so nicely with all the different elements/ingredients.
Whipped feta is a baller base for so many different toppings. Jams, jellies, compotes, nuts, fresh herbs, pestos, and basically anything you can dream up.
Cranberry Whipped Feta Dip
Today we’ll be adding delightfully sweet and tart cranberry sauce with a drizzle of honey, some tasty chopped pistachios, citrusy orange zest, and a little sprinkle of parsley for a burst of color.
Naturally with all these beautiful reds and greens, I had to play up the Christmas factor a bit and serve this delicious cranberry whipped feta dip in a christmas tree serving bowl. All the toppings ended up looking like ornaments decorating the tree.
I’m a total kid when it comes to playing with my food, I know. But the CUTENESS! I cannot handle it!
Q: How much dip does this recipe make?
This easy peasy recipe will yield around 2.5 cups of whipped feta deliciousness. Once you add the 1/2 cup (or more!) of cranberry sauce on top you’ll end up with at least 3 cups of this saucy spread, perfect for sharing as a party appetizer.
Need less? Feel free to halve the recipe!
Leftovers are PHENOMENAL the next day, which brings me to the next perk of this recipe…
Q: Can I mAKE IT IN ADVANCE?
You sure can! Just like cranberry sauce can easily be made in advance, whipped feta dip can be as well! I usually keep the feta dip and the cranberry sauce in separate containers and then assemble them with the toppings before serving so everything looks super fresh and so that the pistachio topping is nice and crispy.
This awesome appetizer is so quick and easy it’s a total breeze to throw together for holiday parties and potlucks. I’m so stoked for you to try it!
NO LEFTOVER CRANBERRY SAUCE? HERE’S A RECIPE!
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Warm up leftover cranberry sauce (I’ll add a recipe if you need to make it fresh) and set aside.
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Crumble an 8 oz block of feta into a food processor or blender. Pulse a few times to finely chop.
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Cut an 8 oz block of cream cheese into 8 squares and add to the food processor along with 2 TBSP honey. Blend until smooth and creamy.
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To a shallow bowl add whipped feta and top with cranberry sauce. Drizzle with honey and sprinkle with chopped roasted pistachios. Garnish with optional fresh orange zest and parsley for a little something extra.
FOR THE CROSTINI
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Slice baguette into quarter-inch slices. Choose cooking method below. I love the buttery stove top crostini best because they legit taste and smell like the bread from a grilled cheese sandwich. So delish!
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Buttery Stove Top Crostini: Set a cast iron skillet with 2 TBSP butter to medium high heat. Once the butter has melted and spread, arrange bread face down and cook for 3-4 minutes until golden. Add more butter, use tongs to flip, and toast the other side for approx 2 minutes, lowering heat as needed. The second side will cook a bit quicker than the first so keep an eye on them. Cool crostini on a wire rack. Repeat as needed for remaining bread.
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Oven Toasted Crostini: Preheat oven to 400ºF. Brush/pray both both sides of each slice with olive oil then place on the baking sheet in a single layer. Bake for 6-7 minutes, flip the crostini over, and continue baking another 6-7 minutes, or until lightly browned and toasty. Keep an eye on them to prevent overbrowning. Once they’re ready, transfer to a wire rack to cool and crisp.
HOMEMADE CRANBERRY SAUCE
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Bring sugar, orange juice, and water to a boil in a small saucepan.
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Mix well and add cranberries.
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Once they return to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until most of the cranberries have burst, approx 10 min.
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Leave as a whole berry sauce, mash with a fork for a more rustic sauce, or follow my lead and use an immersion blender (or any blender/processor really) to blend the sauce until smooth. Season with cinnamon and optional orange zest to taste.
Nutrition Facts below are estimated using an online recipe nutrition calculator. Adjust as needed and enjoy!
Calories: 165kcal, Carbohydrates: 23g, Protein: 8g, Fat: 5g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 14mg, Sodium: 460mg, Potassium: 107mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 7g, Vitamin A: 98IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 155mg, Iron: 1mg
Variations
- Drizzle with hot honey for a spicy twist!
- No feta? No problem! Try it with goat cheese.
- In place of pistachio you could use toasted or candied pecans or walnuts.
If you get a chance to try this holiday worthy cranberry whipped feta dip, let me know! Leave me a comment or review using the form below. I’m always so excited to hear from you, and can’t wait to hear all about your tasty creation! If you post a photo to Instagram tag me @peasandcrayons so I can see it!
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