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This cranberry whipped feta dip is the perfect festive dip to impress your friends and family at your next holiday party. It combines a creamy, tangy whipped feta base with a honey sweetened cranberry sauce and a sprinkle of pistachios. It’s the perfect holiday appetizer.
This whipped feta dip with cranberry sauce is so beautiful and fancy looking, but it’s so easy with simple ingredients and minimal prep. And the flavor combination of salty feta with sweet homemade cranberry sauce is so good! It’s my go-to for making an impressive appetizer during the holiday season.
Why you’ll love this family favorite recipe!
- Festive and colorful. The red cranberry topping and green pistachios make this the perfect festive appetizer for the holidays! I like to add some sprigs of fresh rosemary too.
- A lighter twist. Greek yogurt adds protein and a lighter texture without sacrificing any creaminess.
- Impressive but easy. It looks super fancy and is SO tasty but it’s incredibly quick and easy to make with simple ingredients.
- Perfect for parties. This dip really has the perfect balance of flavors that your guests will love. It’s great for using up leftover cranberry sauce from the holidays too.
Ingredients
For full recipe instructions and complete list of ingredients, scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom of this page.
Whipped Feta Ingredients
- Feta cheese: The star ingredient of the creamy base! I recommend using full fat feta for the best result.
- Greek yogurt: Plain Greek yogurt adds protein and helps to lighten up the dip while keeping it rich and creamy.
- Cream cheese: For that classic creamy dip feel.
- Lemon juice: Brightens everything up with a bit of acidity.
- Garlic: Fresh garlic adds a savory depth that complements both the feta and cranberry topping.
- Salt to taste.
Cranberry Sauce Ingredients
- Cranberries: I prefer fresh cranberries, but you can also use frozen for this homemade cranberry sauce.
- Orange juice: Adds some natural sweetness and bright citrus flavor.
- Honey: To sweeten up the tart cranberries. Maple syrup works too.
Variation Ideas
- Swap the pistachios. Try walnuts or pecans instead. Or, top with pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds to keep it nut-free.
- Add fresh herbs. Elevate this easy dip even more by topping with some fresh thyme or rosemary leaves.
- Top with pomegranate. Instead of the cranberry sauce, remove the seeds from a pomegranate and top the feta dip with pomegranate seeds instead.
- Give it a kick. Finish with a drizzle of hot honey and red pepper flakes for some subtle heat.
- Add some zest. For even more brightness you can also top with some fresh lemon zest or orange zest.
How To Make Cranberry Whipped Feta Dip
- Start cranberry sauce. Start your cranberry sauce by adding cranberries, orange juice, and honey to a small saucepan.
- Cook. Bring to a boil and then immediately turn down to a simmer. Simmer for 20 minutes until the mixture is reduced and jammy. If it’s still too liquidy, continue simmering until it’s thick and jammy.
- Blend feta dip.
Add feta cheese, Greek yogurt, cream cheese, garlic, olive oil, and lemon to a food processor. Process on high until the dip is creamy and fully blended. Scrape down the sides intermittently as needed. Add salt to taste if desired.
- Assemble. In a bowl add whipped feta dip, top with the cranberry sauce and then sprinkle with pistachios. Finish with a small drizzle of honey. Serve with crostini, crackers, sliced apples, or sliced pears.
How To Store
Store leftover dip in airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Recipe FAQ
You can use crumbled feta if you can’t find the blocks, but the texture won’t be as creamy. I recommend an 8 oz full-fat block of feta cheese for this recipe.
You can absolutely make the cranberry sauce ahead of time, but I recommend making the whipped feta dip fresh for the best creamy texture. You can make it ahead and store in the fridge in an airtight container, but the texture won’t be as light and creamy as when it’s freshly whipped.
It won’t be exactly the same, but you can absolutely use store-bought cranberry sauce to top your feta dip to save time.
Serving Suggestions
I recommend serving this feta dip with:
- Crackers or crostini
- Crusty bread or baguette slices
- Pita bread or pita chips
- Naan bread
- Sliced apples or pears
More Holiday Appetizer Ideas
More Healthy Holiday Recipes
If you’ve made and loved this Cranberry Whipped Feta Dip or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and comments below!
Cranberry Whipped Feta Dip
Ingredients
Cranberry sauce topping
- 1 cup cranberries
- 1/3 cup orange juice, 100%
- 3 tbsp honey
Whipped feta dip
- 8 oz feta cheese block, cubed or broken into pieces
- 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1/2 cup cream cheese
- 1 clove garlic
- 1.5 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 lemon, juiced
- salt , to taste
- 1/4 cup pistachios, chopped
- extra honey for drizzling
Instructions
- First, start your cranberry sauce by adding cranberries, orange juice, and honey to a small sauce pan. Bring to a boil and then immediately turn down to a simmer. Simmer for 20 minutes until the mixture is reduced and jammy. If it's still too liquidy, continue simmering until it reaches your desired consistency.
- While the cranberry sauce is cooking, make the feta dip. Put feta cheese, Greek yogurt, cream cheese, garlic, olive oil, and lemon into a food processor. Process on high until the dip is creamy and fully blended. Scrape down the sides intermittently as needed. Add salt to taste if desired.
- In a bowl, add your finished feta dip, top with the cranberry sauce and then sprinkle with pistachios. Finish with a small drizzle of honey. Serve with crostini, crackers, sliced apples, or sliced pears.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should only be used as an estimate.
