When my teenage son told me that this was better than a dip from the shops, I knew I was onto a winner! The kitchen smells amazing as the capsicum roasts and then it’s just a matter of peeling the roasted capsicum and garlic, adding everything to a food processor and blending!
And if you’re like me and love a dip recipe, then try my Smooth Hummus Recipe, Dairy Free Tzatziki or my Lemon & Pistachio Pesto. Personally I love whipping up a dip over the weekend to have in the fridge, ready to add into lunches with veggies sticks or to use as a spread on wraps, sandwiches and pita. They’re a great way of adding extra flavour and nutrition to a meal or lunchbox.
Everything You’ll Need to Make Red Pepper Feta Dip
As the title suggests, you only need 5 very simple ingredients to make this dip. I found everything at my local grocery store, easy! I’ve popped the ingredients you will need below as well as any possible substitutions and ingredient notes. The ingredient quantities are in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- red peppers – also known as capsicum to my fellow Australians. I like to roast my own peppers, it does add a little time to the total cooking time but it’s easy and well worth the extra effort. I wouldn’t recommend swapping for jarred peppers as you would still need to roast the garlic. Unless you then swap the roasted garlic for just 1 fresh garlic clove, it just won’t have the same depth of flavour.
- garlic – the whole garlic cloves go in the oven with the capsicum. Roasting the garlic adds a really yummy depth of flavour that I wouldn’t skip on.
- almonds – just whole fresh almonds! Feel free to swap for another nut like walnuts or pistachios.
- feta cheese – you will need a firm feta for this recipe. A creamy feta would make the dip too runny so go with firm and crumbly. I’ve used salted feta, which meant that the dip was salty enough already and I didn’t need extra. If you use low salt feta then you might need to add some extra sea salt to taste.
- extra virgin olive oil – you only need a small amount of olive oil to brush the capsicums with before roasting. You can swap for another oil like avocado oil, which also has a high smoke point.
Variations
- make it spicy – add some spicy red pepper flakes or other spices like cayenne pepper or chilli powder to the dip to up the spice level.
- make it dairy free – use a vegan feta to make this recipe dairy free and vegan.
- zesty – add some lemon zest to the dip before blending. You could add a little lemon juice but no more than a tablespoon as it will thin out the dip too much.
Tips for the perfect dip
- roast in a fan forced oven if possible – this really helps to get that skin blistered and charred. You can roast in a conventional oven but it will just take a more time.
- steam is your friend – once roasted, place the roasted red peppers and garlic cloves into a bowl and cover with plastic wrap to trap in the steam. Set aside for around 10 minutes or until the peppers are cool enough to touch. The steam helps the skins come off easier.
- peel over a bowl or tray – a fair bit of liquid will come out of the red peppers as you peel them so peel over a bowl or a tray to catch the liquid and mess.
- blend – I’ve used a food processor but if you’re using a stand up blender then you will probably need to scrape down the sides a few times to help it blend evenly.
Storage
Transfer the dip to an airtight container or jar and store in the fridge for up to 5 days.
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Serve alongside
To make a beautiful grazing board, spoon the dip into a serving bowl, topped with cracked black pepper and a drizzle of olive oil. Remember to top with a pinch of red pepper flakes if you want a touch of heat. Serve alongside:
- veggie sticks – celery, carrot and cucumbers work perfectly here.
- fresh radish – I like slicing the radish into chunks to dip with.
- flaxseed crackers, crostini or pita – warm pitas and cut into triangles or serve alongside pita chips.
- flavor adds – olives and artichokes would go beautifully!
Roasted Red Pepper Dip with Feta
Equipment
- Food Processor
- Basting Brush
- Spatula
Ingredients
- 3 medium capsicums
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic
- ½ cup almonds
- 200 grams firm feta
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200°C/392°F (fan forced). Line a baking tray with baking paper and set aside.
- Place the whole red peppers onto the baking tray, drizzle with the olive oil and use a basting brush to brush the oil over the whole surface of each red pepper/capsicum. Add the garlic cloves to the pan and place the tray into the oven and roast for 20 minutes or until the skin is blistering. Remove from the oven, transfer the roasted red peppers and garlic to a bowl and cover with plastic wrap or foil to trap the steam in. Set aside until they are cool enough to touch.
- Once cool enough to touch, remove the skin, core and seeds from the capsicum.
- Transfer the roasted capsicum to the drum of a food processor along with the almonds, feta and garlic. Pulse until you get a course texture and then blend until you reach your desired texture, whether that is smooth and creamy or a little coarser.
- Season with cracked black pepper and salt to taste. Transfer to a serving bowl and serve alongside your favourite veggie sticks and crackers or use as a spread for sandwiches and wraps.
Notes
Storage
Transfer to an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to 5 days.Variations
- spice it up – add cayenne pepper to the dip and stir through or top with red pepper flakes.
- dairy-free – choose a dairy-free, vegan feta.
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