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Why You’ll Love It

This Whipped Feta Beans (with Crispy Cannellini Beans) appetizer is crowd favorite material! The silky whipped feta and the crispy, roasted cannellini beans make a perfect pairing, both flavor and texture-wise. My version of this dish was inspired by a viral TikTok recipe that I’ve adapted with a Mediterranean twist, garnished with olive oil and fresh dill.

I tested lots of different flavor combinations using various ingredients for the feta base. Many recipes call for Greek yogurt, sour cream, cream cheese and/or mayonnaise, all of which I tried, but the best result by far included just 2 main ingredients: Feta and Ricotta. Combined with olive oil, this dip was perfectly milky, savory and earthy. 

Read below for my take on this quick, easy and delicious recipe!

Charcuterie and Snack Board Pairings

• Breads: Grilled pita wedges or toasted sourdough slices are my favorites for this dip! A hearty bread choice makes this dish feel super satisfying.
• Crackers/Chips: Bagel chips or pita chips are nice pairings here, but I prefer bread – the beans on top already provide a good crunch. Plus, crackers tend to be fairly salty, and the feta alone in this dish will satisfy your salt craving.
• Veggies: Cucumber and Bell Pepper slices are great dippers for this recipe. I’d also include pepperoncini, fresh olives, and garlic confit to pair alongside it.

Drink Pairings

Wine experts agree that light, crisp, and dry white wines work best with feta cheese. Greek wines like Assyrtico make the perfect pairing, but more widely available options include Sauvignon Blanc, a dry rose, or Pinot Gris. If you prefer red, lighter and fruitier reds like Beaujolais or Pinot Noir will complement Feta well. My personal favorite is Vinho Verde, a super light and fizzy white (more of a light green, actually!) wine from Portugal.

Equipment You’ll Need

• Air Fryer: Conventional Oven works, too, but the cook time will be longer (closer to 25 minutes). I notice the longer the beans cook, the more prone they are to splitting. So a shorter cook time at high temps has been more successful for my batches.
• Food Processor: For the dip
• Strainer: For the beans
• Measuring spoons (1/2 tsp, 1 tsp, 1 tbsp): For the olive oil, milk and spices
• Measuring Cups (1/2 cup): For the ricotta
• Aluminum Foil: To line the air fryer

Substitutions

• For the Feta Cheese: If you want to make this recipe vegan, you can use a plant-based feta alternative, like this one made by Violife. You can also make your own using a recipe like this one. If you’re not plant-based but don’t love Feta, an all-ricotta base would be a milder, lighter alternative. See my Whipped Ricotta Dip Recipe here!
• For the Ricotta: If you want a tangier result, you could replace the ricotta in this recipe with either Sour Cream or Greek Yogurt with some lemon juice and/or zest. Other recipes utilize 1-2 oz of cream cheese as well.
• For the Cannellini Beans: Any white bean will work for this recipe – think Great Northern beans, Navy beans or Lima beans (otherwise known as Butter Beans, depending on where you are in the world!)
• For the Herbs: Not everyone’s a fan of dill, and that’s OK. Some chives or thyme would work well here, too!

Other ways to use Whipped Feta Beans (with Crispy Cannellini Beans)

• For Breakfast: Make a breakfast quesadilla with egg whites, sauteed spinach, chopped tomato, and a layer of Whipped Feta Beans (with Crispy Cannellini Beans)
• For Lunch: Add some leftover chicken (or any other protein you have on hand) and the Whipped Feta with Crispy Beans to a wrap with lettuce, tomato, banana pepper, onion, and couscous (or rice)
• For Dinner: Served with a Greek-style lamb or beef shank and mashed potatoes under roasted summer vegetables.

Ingredients

• Feta Cheese: You’ll want to use a block of feta (as opposed to the crumbles), as it contains much more moisture and will yield a creamier result. Keep in mind – feta cheese varies SO much depending on where you are in the world. In the US, feta tends to be VERY dense and salty, which is why this dip includes additional ingredients to help give it some balance. The feta alone would be overpowering and unpleasant (which I know because I made this mistake myself!)
• Whole Milk Ricotta Cheese: Ricotta cheese makes an excellent complement to the feta. As mentioned above, feta can be very salty and pungent. The milky ricotta helps to neutralize the salt content a bit and make the dip extra creamy!
• Cannellini Beans (aka White Kidney Beans): Other variations of white bean will also work here – see my recommendations above under “Substitutions”!
• Fresh Dill: Adds some brightness and a little sweetness.
• Spices: Garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, and cayenne are a classic spice blend that works perfectly for these beans and complements the feta dip well.
• Olive Oil: The olive oil in the dip not only helps to keep the dip silky but provides it with an earthy flavor that balances perfectly with the salty feta and milky ricotta.
• Corn Starch: To help coat the beans in a crispy, crunchy outer shell.

Preparation & Storage

If you’re not serving immediately, be sure to store the dip and the beans separately! The beans, quite honestly, are much better served fresh. If you’re preparing them in advance, I recommend placing them in a single layer, uncovered, over paper towels. This will help eliminate as much moisture as possible and keep the beans crunchy for as long as possible. 

Whipped Feta Beans (with Crispy White Beans)

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Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes

Course: Appetizer, Side Dish, Snack

Cuisine: American, Mediterranean

Keyword: Beans, Dill, Dip, Feta, Greek, Holiday, Party, Quick, Simple, Summer

Servings: 8

Calories: 175kcal

Equipment

• 1 Air Fryer (Conventional Oven works, too, but the cook time will be longer (closer to 25 minutes). I notice the longer the beans cook, the more prone they are to splitting.)
• 1 Food Processor (For the dip)
• 1 Strainer (For the beans)
• 3 Measuring spoons (1/4 tsp, 1 tsp, 1 tbsp) (For the olive oil and spices)
• 1 Measuring Cups (1/2 cup) (For the ricotta)
• 1 sheet Aluminum Foil (To line the air fryer)

Ingredients

For the Dip

• 4 oz Feta Cheese
• 1/2 cup Whole Milk Ricotta Cheese
• 2 tbsp Olive Oil
• 1 tbsp Whole Milk

For the Beans

• 15 oz Cannellini Beans
• 1 tbsp Olive Oil
• 1.5 tbsp Cornstarch
• 1 tsp Garlic Powder
• 1 tsp Onion Powder
• 1 tsp Paprika
• 1/4 tsp Salt
• 1/4 tsp Cayenne Pepper Optional

For the Garnish

• 1 tbsp Olive oil To drizzle on top
• 1 tsp Fresh Dill

Instructions

For the Beans

• Rinse beans well under cold water and pat dry with paper towels. Be sure they're fully dry before combining with the other ingredients - ridding any excess moisture is critical in achieving optimal crispiness.
• Add dry ingredients to a medium-sized mixing bowl and stir to combine.
• Then, add in the beans. I use my hands to combine the beans and dry ingredients because the beans are often fragile, but you can also use a spoon.
• Lastly, I'll add the olive oil and combine. I like adding the olive oil last because I feel the beans become more evenly coated in the dry ingredients.
• Place beans in the air fryer in a single layer over a sheet of aluminum foil.
• Air fry at 400 for 12 total minutes. About halfway through (after 6 minutes of cooking), toss the beans to ensure that they cook evenly. Continue to do so every 2 minutes until the 12 minutes is up. Keep in mind all air fryers are a little different, so check your beans frequently to monitor their cooking process.
• Once done, remove the beans from the air fryer. They will be super crispy on the outside and pillowy soft on the inside. Once they cool down, they'll have the crunch and consistency similar to Corn Nuts - ever had those?

For the Dip

• Add your olive oil, ricotta and chunked feta to the food processor, in that order. I like to start with the liquid ingredients and work my way up to the most solidified because I find it blends better that way.
• Blend for about 20 seconds. Then scrape down your sides towards the center of the processor and add milk. Blend for another 20 seconds.
• Plate and top with crispy beans, fresh dill and a drizzle of olive oil! I like to add half the beans to the top of the dip and put the other half in a small bowl for dipping and snacking.

Video

Whipped Feta Beans Tutorial Video by Kristen Vaugh

Nutrition

Calories: 175kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 21mg | Sodium: 301mg | Potassium: 44mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 0.2g | Vitamin A: 282IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 138mg | Iron: 1mg

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!