Tirokafteri is a classic spicy Greek feta dip that's ready in 5 minutes. Made with creamy feta and roasted red peppers, you can enjoy this dip as part of a mezze platter alongside some pita bread.
Feta is a key ingredient for many Mediterranean and Greek recipes. No Greek salad or spanakopita is complete without the addition of quality feta and you know we love our marinated feta as part of a mezze platter. Feeling adventurous and looking for something new? Try my popular baked feta with honey and zaatar or this spicy creamy Greek feta dip, called tirokafteri!
Table Of Contents:
This classic Greek dip is similar to a whipped feta dip, but spicier thanks to red chili peppers. However, you can control how many peppers you'd like to use and if you don't want the tirokafteri to be too spicy, you can simply remove the seeds.
What is Tirokafteri made of?
- Red chili peppers: They're tiny but very mighty! I usually use 1 or 2 for this recipe and it adds enough heat to the dip without overpowering it.
- Feta: Use the best feta you can find to make this recipe. Quality feta is usually in brine. It's white and made with sheep's milk or a combination of sheep and goat's milk.
- Roasted red pepper: You can find jarred roasted red peppers in almost every supermarket. Using jarred roasted red peppers is a big time saver. However, if you'd like to roast the peppers at home, follow my roasted red pepper hummus recipe.
- Greek yogurt: You need a bit of yogurt to make the dip creamy and spreadable since feta is a hard cheese. It's best to use whole milk Greek yogurt.
- Red wine vinegar: To balance the richness of the feta. Make sure not to overuse it.
How to make Tirokafteri
- Cook the chili pepper in olive oil for a minute so it softens a bit.
- Place the chili pepper with the feta, roasted red pepper, Greek yogurt, olive oil, feta, garlic and red wine vinegar in the bowl of a food processor. Blend until it's creamy and smooth.
- Transfer to a bowl or a plate. Top with more olive oil and slices of chili pepper if desired.
Serving suggestion
Serve this classic spicy Greek feta dip with pita bread or pita chips as part of a mezze platter alongside other dishes such as tzatziki, stuffed grape leaves, melitzanosalata and skordalia.
Make a Greek feast!
Why stop at a mezze platter when you can make a delicious Greek feast? Prepare some keftedes or souvlaki and serve them as pita sandwiches or with some lemon rice or spanakorizo. With a side of tirokafteri and hummus, this will be the meal of dreams!
Storing the leftovers
Store the leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days. When you're ready to serve, stir the spicy feta dip well and top with more olive oil.
Are Tirokafteri and Htipiti the same?
The two Greek dips are very similar since they're both made with feta. However, htipiti doesn't call for yogurt and isn't spicy since it only uses roasted red pepper.
Frequently asked questions
This word is made of two parts: Tiri and Kafteri. Tiri means cheese and kafteri means spicy. Therefore the word tirokafteri means spicy or hot cheese.
If red chili peppers aren't available, use ¼ to ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper or red chili pepper flakes.
Yes, you can make this spicy feta dip up to a day in advance. The feta might release some of its salty water when set in the fridge, which is very normal. In that case, just give it a good stir and top with olive oil.
Tirokafteri lasts for 3 days in the fridge. Make sure it's stored in an airtight container to maintain flavor and consistency.
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Step-by-Step Recipe
Tirokafteri (Greek Spicy Feta Dip)
Ingredients
- 1 chili red pepper use 2 if you like it very spicy
- 3 tablespoon olive oil divided
- â…“ cup roasted red peppers
- 8 oz feta cheese see notes
- 1 clove garlic
- 2 tablespoon Greek yogurt
- 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
Instructions
- Heat 1 teaspoon olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the chili pepper to the pan and cook for just a minute or two. Turn the heat off.
- Place the cooked chili pepper with the roasted red peppers, feta, garlic, Greek yogurt, red wine vinegar and the remaining of the olive oil in the bowl of a food processor.
- Seal the lid and blend until creamy and smooth. Transfer to a plate or a shallow bowl and smoothen the top. Drizzle with more olive oil and a few slices of chili pepper if desired. Serve with pita bread.
Notes
- If you like tirokafteri to be less spicy, remove the seeds of the chili pepper before mixing it with the rest of the ingredients.
- Use the best feta available to you for this recipe. Make sure you're not using crumbled feta. A block in brine works best for this recipe.
- You can use jarred roasted red peppers or you can roast them from scratch. If doing so, follow my instructions in roasted pepper hummus to learn how to roast peppers at home.
- Store the leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Give it a good stir and top with more olive oil before serving.
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