Whipped Feta with Balsamic Roasted Strawberries

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Why You’ll Love it

This Whipped Feta with Balsamic Roasted Strawberries can satisfy any craving! It’s sweet, savory, earthy and creamy, making it the perfect appetizer for any occasion.

I’ve made this recipe several times and have perfected the strawberries. It was important to me that the strawberries looked as good as they tasted; often roasting strawberries can give them a sad and dull brown color. Read below for how I get this recipe to look as vibrant as it tastes!

Toppings and Mix-Ins

This dip is already loaded with flavor and is amazing as-is, but there are still a few toppings I’d consider in place of the basil:

• Herbs: Sliced mint
• Nuts: Chopped candied walnuts

Charcuterie and Snack Board Pairings

• Breads: Fresh, crusty bread makes the best dipper for this recipe. Toast up some tangy sourdough or nutty multigrain slices and you’re good to go.
• Crackers/Chips: Crostini is another top choice for this recipe and can be served alongside or pre-plated with the dip. Pita chips, shredded wheat crackers like Triscuits, or seeded multigrain crackers are other alternatives that would also add a nice crunch to this dip.

Drink Pairings

According to wine enthusiasts, light and dry white wine best complements the strong and savory feta cheese. Such wines include the Greek Assyrtico and more common varietals like Sauvignon Blanc, dry Rosé, or Pinot Gris. If you’re into reds, lighter and fruitier options such as Beaujolais or Pinot Noir pair nicely with both feta and strawberries. I personally love a champagne or sparkling wine with this recipe – who doesn’t love some bubbly with their strawberries, am I right?

Other ways to use Whipped Feta with Balsamic Roasted Strawberries

Considering you’ve stored the dip base and strawberries separately, here’s what you can do with leftovers of this dish:

• For Breakfast: Serve together on a toasted multigrain bagel. For additional protein, add a side of crunchy bacon.
• For Lunch: Serve the feta/ricotta base on a pita with falafel, cucumber, tomato and fresh dill. If you like a lil’ lunch dessert like me, add the roasted strawberries to some plain Greek yogurt with a drizzle of honey.
• For Dinner: Serve the base with pasta and spinach, topped with grilled chicken
• Dessert: Vanilla ice cream topped with balsamic roasted strawberries and fresh mint.

Ingredients

• Feta Cheese: Opt for a solid block of feta instead of the crumbles – it’s got a higher moisture content and will therefore produce a creamier texture. Keep in mind that feta varies a lot throughout the world. It tends to be super sharp and brine-y here in the US, so I added the ricotta to help balance it out. I thought I could get away with just feta and olive oil the first time I made this recipe, but it wound up being unbearably salty and practically inedible (in my opinion ;))
• Whole Milk Ricotta Cheese: The creamy, milky ricotta helps to counteract the intense and robust flavor of the feta cheese.
• Olive Oil: The olive oil in the dip not only helps give it a smooth texture, but lends an earthy flavor that harmonizes seamlessly with the savory feta and creamy ricotta. The result is a well-balanced and flavorful dip.
• Strawberries: Fresh strawberries work best here, for sure. Frozen strawberries contain a ton of water which takes away from the flavor and texture you get from roasting.
• Balsamic Vinegar: A little balsamic goes a long way in this recipe! It adds a little tang and simultaneously highlights the sweetness in the strawberries.
• Maple Syrup: I use maple syrup over honey because I particularly like how the maple syrup and balsamic vinegar complement one another. 
• Lemon Juice: Coating the berries in just a small amount of lemon juice will help keep their bright and beautiful color! 
• Basil: The bright, sweet and sometimes peppery flavor in basil makes it a really complementary addition to both the feta/ricotta base and to the berries.

Substitutions

• For the Feta Cheese: If you’re simply not into feta, an all-ricotta base offers a lighter and gentlerw substitute (check out my go-to Whipped Ricotta Dip!). For a plant-based twist on this recipe, consider substituting traditional feta with a vegan alternative such as Violife’s Just Like Feta. Alternatively, if you’re feeling adventurous, you can whip up your own vegan feta using a recipe like this one.
• For the Ricotta: For a brighter, tangier base, consider swapping out the ricotta in this recipe with either sour cream or Greek yogurt, along with a touch of lemon juice and/or zest. Some variations also incorporate 1-2 oz of cream cheese for added richness.
• For the Strawberries: A jammy raspberry compote or even fresh raspberries could also work well with the feta/ricotta base.
• For the Herbs: As mentioned above,  fresh mint would make a good alternative to basil.
• For the Maple Syrup: Honey will also work here and is commonly used in other versions of this recipe. But, as mentioned, I think maple syrup and balsamic marry together just a tad bit better.
• For the Lemon Juice: If you don’t want to use any lemon juice, you can just replace it with additional balsamic vinegar (totaling 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar)

Equipment You’ll Need

• Food Processor – For the feta/ricotta base
• Scraper Spatula – To scrape & plate the feta dip, and to combine the wet ingredients with the strawberries.
• Measuring spoons (1 tbsp, 1 tsp, 1/2 tsp) – For the olive oil, milk, balsamic vinegar, maple syrup and lemon juice
• Measuring Cups (1/2 cup) – To measure the ricotta
• Baking Sheet – Use a baking sheet that’s got enough room to line the strawberries in a single layer. I tried making this recipe in a glass baking dish and the berries were a lot more waterlogged and less flavorful. 
• Parchment Paper – Parchment paper is preferred for this recipe because it’s more nonstick than aluminum foil. The strawberries become very delicate when they’re baked so the parchment paper makes it easy to transfer them.

Preparation & Storage

Store the feta and strawberries separately if you’re making this in advance! The moisture from the strawberries would water down the feta/ricotta base and make it look like a red, runny mess by the time it’s served. Plus, you can use any leftovers separately (not that there usually are any!)

Whipped Feta with Balsamic Roasted Strawberries

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Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes

Course: Appetizer, Side Dish, Snack

Cuisine: American, Mediterranean

Keyword: Dip, Feta, Holiday, Party, Quick, Simple, Strawberries, Summer

Servings: 8

Calories: 123kcal

Equipment

• 1 Food Processor (For the dip)
• 1 Cutting Board (For the berries and basil)
• 1 Strainer (To wash and rinse your berries)
• 1 Scraping Spatula (To scrape and plate feta base; to combine berries and wet ingredients)
• 3 Measuring spoons (1 tbsp, 1 tsp, 1/2 tsp) (For the olive oil, milk, maple syrup and balsamic vinegar)
• 1 Measuring Cups (1/2 cup) (For the ricotta)
• 1 sheet Parchment Paper (To line the baking sheet)
• 1 Baking Sheet (To roast the berries)

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 Strawberries

• 1 lb Strawberries Fresh
• 1 tbsp Maple Syrup Honey also works
• 2.5 tsp Balsamic Vinegar
• 1/2 tsp Lemon Juice

For the Garnish

• 3 leaves Fresh Basil Optional

Instructions

For the Strawberries

• Wash, de-stem, and halve the strawberries. For large or extra large strawberries, cut into quarters. Add to mixing bowl.
• Add lemon juice to the mixing bowl and combine with strawberries. Do your best to coat the berries evenly in the lemon juice - I often find my that using my hands is the most effective way to do this.
• In a separate dish, add the maple syrup and balsamic vinegar and stir well to combine. Once fully combined, pour into the mixing bowl with strawberries and lemon juice. Combine all ingredients until the berries are fully coated.
• Place the strawberries seed side up on the parchment paper. Space them apart evenly in 1 layer.
• Cook at 350 for 30 minutes or until the strawberries are fork tender and the juices are released onto the parchment paper.
• Let strawberries cool in a single layer until they're room temp or cooler.

For the Dip

• To the food processor, add your olive oil, ricotta and chunked feta, in that order. I find starting with the liquid ingredients and progressing to the more solid ones helps achieve a smoother blend.
• Blend for 20-30 seconds or until most of the contents are blended. Then, scrape down the sides toward the center of the processor, add milk, and blend for another 20 seconds or until the consistency is smooth and creamy.
• It's recommended to let this dip rest in the fridge for at least an hour before adding the berries. That will help it firm up before adding the jammy berries.

Video

Whipped Feta With Balsamic Roasted Strawberries Tutorial Video by Kristen Vaugh

Nutrition

Calories: 123kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 21mg | Sodium: 177mg | Potassium: 123mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 139IU | Vitamin C: 33mg | Calcium: 117mg | Iron: 0.4mg

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