Mediterranean Tomato & Feta Dip
This tomato feta dip recipe is perfect for summer parties! This beautiful dip is absolutely delicious and easy to make. Vegetarian and gluten free.
Updated by Kathryne Taylor on August 27, 2024
The past month has been a whirlwind. First up, cookbook launch! I never thought the day would come. Then, celebratory girlsโ night, my grandmaโs birthday in Oklahoma, Aliโs bachelorette party, Memorial Day, Jordanโs baby shower, Aliโs amazing wedding, and another girlsโ night (shown here).
The days are long, and Iโm planning more trips for this year and next. Catching up and celebrating with friends and family has been so restorative. After all those celebrations, Iโm simultaneously eager for another excuse to go dancing and looking forward to more lazy nights in with Cookie. Post-cookbook Kate is ready to take on the world.
Believe it or not, for years after I started sharing recipes on this blog, I was still nervous about cooking for people in real life. I used to get nervous butterflies before anyone took a first bite. Maybe you know the feeling.
Now that the book is finally finished, Iโm so desperate to make up for lost time that Iโm practically bribing friends to come over so I can cook for them. I have a whole cookbookโs worth of obsessively-tested, new favorites to make for them.
For this edition of girlsโ night, though, I made a new recipe. Itโs a combination of two recipes from ages agoโthis baked Mediterranean feta dip (hereโs an improved version) and this tomato basil salad, which was hardly a recipe but look at Cookie.
I was going to just re-make the dip (and I did, actually) but it wasnโt as epic as I remembered it. I didnโt feel like turning on the oven again on a warm June day, so I came up with this recipe instead. This tomato and feta dip is delicious, colorful, and so simple to make. Itโs definitely going to become my go-to summer party appetizer, along with the avocado, spinach and artichoke dip from the book.
I always base my party formula aroundย one dip and lots of complementary fresh fruit and veggies. Iโll often add stovetop popcorn, a cheese plate and crackers, and some cookies to the menu (Tessa brought over these chocolate chip cookies and they are insane).
And wine, of course. Iโm excited to be working with Bota Box this year. Boxed wine hasnโt always been so good, but Bota Box is great, and itโs just so easy. I always have chilled rosรฉ or white wine in my fridge now for impromptu parties, or for a glass with a friend on the patio after a long day. I donโt have to worry about the wine going bad, since itโs vacuum-sealed and keeps well for up to a month once opened. And, itโs easier to recycle one box and bag afterward (their packaging is 100% recyclable) than it is to recycle four wine bottles.
I served this dip with their dry rosรฉ, which is a relatively new offering. Itโs refreshing on a warm day, and itโs definitely on the dry side (not too sweet). Dry rosรฉ wines pair well with bold summer flavors like tomatoes, olives, garlic, grilled vegetables and herbs. Rosรฉ also goes well with the foods that you already associate with white wines, including fruit, pasta and cheese. Their chilled rosรฉ was the perfect contrast to this summery dip. Please let me know how you like the recipe, and the wine!
More Fresh Tomato Recipes
Tomato surplus? Lucky you! Here are a few more summertime tomato recipes:
- Caprese Pasta Salad
- Classic Pico de Gallo
- Easy Tomato Salad
- Heirloom Caprese Salad
- Tomato Basil Bruschetta with Balsamic Drizzle
- Ultimate Gazpacho
Mediterranean Tomato & Feta Dip
This tomato feta dip recipe is perfect for summer parties! This beautiful dip is absolutely delicious and easy to make. You can serve it as a salad or use it as a topping for scrambled eggs or omelets, too.ย Recipe yields 6 to 8 servings.
Ingredients
- 2 pints (4 cups) cherry tomatoes, quartered (I love a mix of red and yellow)
- ยฝ cup pitted Kalamata olives, thinly sliced
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, rinsed and chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
- 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
- 10 twists of freshly ground black pepper
- 6 ounces feta cheese, crumbled (donโt buy pre-crumbled; buy a block of feta!)
- โ cup chopped fresh basil
- Accompaniments: Toasted crostini or pita wedges, crusty bread, pita chips or sturdy crackersโฆ
Instructions
- Combine the quartered tomatoes and sliced olives on a large serving platter or in a medium-sized serving bowl. Set aside.
- In a small bowl, combineย the olive oil, lemon juice, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, vinegar and pepper. Whisk until blended. Drizzle all of the mixture over the tomatoes and olives, and toss to combine.
- Sprinkle the crumbled feta and chopped basil over the tomatoes. Gently toss a few times to combine. Serve immediately, with accompaniments of your choice. This dip is best when fresh, since the tomatoes continue to release their juices over time, butย leftovers (covered and chilled) are still good for a day or two.
Notes
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionistโs advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.
This post was created in partnership with Bota Box and I received compensation for my participation. Opinions are my own, always. Thank you for supporting the sponsors who support C+K!
I live in Cyprus, and feta would more normally be combined with fetaโฆbut, I love your idea. Happy to share any input direct from the source any time. Love your work!
Hi Trish! I think you meant something else when you said feta the second time. Would love to know whatโs normally served with fetaโwhite wine?
My apology. Late here. I meant feta would normally be served with oregano rather than basil. Thanks for replying. And, always her fornyou from the East Med.
Trish youโre prob right but Iโll eat feta with just about anything!!! Ha
Mmmm sounds like summer! love how versatile this recipe is, definitely on my list of foods-to-try.
I hope you do, Aida!
Omg- this is like all of my favourite salty things in an irresistibly-
snackable dip! Hello summer! P.S loving your book this spring! The salads are my favourite :)
Exactly! And no hot stove needed. Happy to hear you love the book, too!
Why rinse the sun-dried tomatoes? You could use this oil in place of some of the olive oil.
You definitely could! Iโm really particular about my olive oilโI guess I just donโt trust the olive oil in the jar to taste good, but I need to give it a shot.
I dry out my tomatoes in my food dehydrator and then rehydrate in a 50/50 blend of red wine vinegar and water for seven minutes, remove from heat and continue to let sit for two in said liquid. Place on a paper towel lined cookie sheet and pat the dry and then pat them dry again. Remove as much extra water as you can to prevent spoilage. Place in a jar and layer with some chili flakes or capers, press down gently on tomatoes, and repeat. Top off and completely submerge in a quality olive oil, and store in the fridge. This way, I decide what olive oil to store them in. Plus, a touch of chili flake spices them up or with capersโฆI just love capers
Love this! We have a big group coming over this weekend โ so Iโm going to give this a go with a big stack of pita as an accompaniment :)
Perfect timing! :)
I put this over my grilled chicken! Yum.
Itโs so versatile, I love that it has so many uses!
YUM!
:)
I looked up bota box wine and it is neither vegan or vegetarian friendly. It may be treated with fining agents like casein, gelatin or fish products. So, not a good choice for vegetarians or vegans.
This looks wonderful! So fresh with all those ripe tomatoes, and the salty feta just sounds like a heavenly match. Great idea!
Thanks! I hope you get a chance to try it, Kelly.
I found out about you after seeing a story on SkinnyTasteโs instagram and Iโm kicking myself for not finding you sooner. I work at a library and asked that we get it for our collection, and after looking at it Iโm purchasing it myself. Iโm not even a vegetarian and I want to try every recipe โ including this one! O_O
Thanks for sharing your talent with the rest of us!
Thanks, Pam! Iโm glad you found my blog, and thank you so much for requesting my book for the library! Thatโs really wonderful. I hope you enjoy it.
wow, I canโt wait to try this. so simple but creative-thanks. by the way I love the photos of cookie, make the site real
Thanks, Suzanne! I hope you enjoy the dip. Cookie says hello!
This dip sounds delicious. I donโt do parties or dips, but love the idea of using it for scrambled eggs or omelets.
Totally off topic: what breed of dog is Cookie? She looks very much like a dog I met recently, whose breed I canโt remember. I just remember that he was a really good, friendly, calm dog.
This would be a great omelet topperโIโm going to have to try that! And Cookie is half schipperke and half dachshund/Australian koolie mix. I was so curious, I ended up doing a DNA test to find out!
Screw parties. Iโll just eat this with a spoon.
I mean, thatโs always an option.
This looks so good. I just planted [eep, late] my tomatoes a week or so ago, and I canโt wait for my cherry tomatoes to pop into existence so I can make this.
Oh, homegrown tomatoes are the *best*. I hope they pop up fast!
I just love seeing the pictures of Cookie. So cute. :)
This dip looks delicious! Feta is my friend
Oh man, feta is my friend, too! And Cookie says hello. :)
this was really good โ perfect to serve over chicken!
Great! Thanks, Chelsy.
Made this tonight for a quick dinner. It was so delicious! Iโll be bringing this to all the parties/BBQs I go to this summer. I love your blog:)
Perfect! Thanks, Jodi!
Delicious, refreshing dish! I served as an appetizer for a dinner party and my guests loved it on a warm summer night. With the leftovers, I added to a basil pesto pasta and it was perfect. Thanks, Kate!
This is so good! I made a big batch for a party, and everyone loved it! Warmed up the leftovers and spooned them over browned chicken thighs to bake for tonightโs dinner. Smells amazing!
Awesome! Iโm so glad you found a good use for the leftovers, too. :)
This was DELICIOUS! I added chickpeas to up the protein count since I wanted to eat it for lunch. The flavor combination is perfection!
Yum! Thatโs a full meal right there. Sounds delicious, Jamie!
I just found your site about 2 weeks ago and have already made several of your recipes. I tried this one today. It was fantastic! I used cinlantro instead of basil because I had just used all my basil on some pesto for some pizza I was making. All in all, it great appetizer before before some pesto pizza!
i made the dip & put it between piecesof sourdough bread and pressed it on my panini press (I didnt have any chips at the time) and it was sooooo good omg thank you kate
even my non vegetarian boyfriend thought it was really filling
That sounds delicious, Tiger! Thank you for your comment and review.
Served it to guests last night, was liked by everyone!
Great to hear, Rina!
Delicious! I had a pre-grated mixed of Parmesan, Asiago, and provolone. Served with toasted pita chips. Would definitely make again!
Wonderful to hear, Heiba. Thanks for your review!
Hi Kate! This looks amazing. Iโm wondering what would be good to use instead of olives? Should I sub something else or just omit? Would love any advice :)
Thanks!
You can omit or try capers?
Can this recipe be made ahead? Like the day before?
This dip is best when fresh, since the tomatoes continue to release their juices over time, but leftovers (covered and chilled) are still good for a day or two.
Oh, SNAP that was delicious. I inhaled it. I had it with sliced, toasted french baguette and put it on a small bed of spinach because it was going bad in the fridge and itโs heart healthy and I need that. YUM. Iโll be posting a pic on your Facebook page.
I love it! This would be delicious on a French baguette.
I love kove loved this. So easy and so good. I have just made my second batch with what Iโm afraid is the last of my homegrown tomatoes. But itโs been a good run. The recipe says itโs best fresh, and I donโt know that this was the case for me. I really enjoyed it on the day I made it, but I had leftovers that chilled in the fridge for several days, and I found it even more delish with the flavors truly mixed by that time. Either way, this recipe was a big hit with me. Thanks, Kate
Delicious! Thanks for the yummy and easy recipe.
Thank you, Nicole!
I made this last night for a tennis team party, first party since last March. This dip was a hit, lots of compliments on it. So fresh and flavorful and easy to make. Canโt wait to try your warm version of this. Thanks for all your recipes and hard work. Prayers and positive thoughts for your smooth delivery.
Thank you, Marcia! I appreciate your review.
I lightly cover a chunk of feta with olive oil, Herbs de Provence and crushed pink peppercorns, then leave out for an hour to warm slightly and serve with Ritz crackers. Next time I make, I will use a larger dish and add tomatoes and olives from your recipe. Thank-you. Colleen
Sounds delicious! Thank you for sharing, Colleen.
I love this recipe and it is a great way to use the glut of tomatoes in my garden. I have made this recipe twice now and last night used mozarella instead of feta and served it on toasted olive bread as a kind of bruchetta. Sue in South Oxfordshire, England.
This looks so good โ Iโm gonna add some chickpeas or black beans to make a satisfying lunch salad. Thank you!
P.S. The star rating system is buggy for me, but here are 5 stars: *****
so good! having again this weekend!
Thank you for your review, Maggie!