Vegan Whipped Feta Dip w Spiced Honey Drizzle
I've been eyeing the Whipped Feta wave for a while now. Pillowy folds of dairy, seem to engage my competitive side! Turns out, it can be made vegan-ly, very well. I've kept the ingredients list specific - as well as broad. Feel emboldened to use what you have available where you live, provided you've tried said product before and liked the taste of it. We're doing faux-dairy cauldron-mixing here, it's going to be good.
The sweet "honey" drizzle only takes a moment to prepare & resembles herby, golden, holographic, unicorn juice! It accompanies the tangy creaminess superbly, creating little auburn moats on your serving platter. Goes without saying, this dish is an immediate crowd-pleaser.
This recipe was adapted from Anna Chwistek's recipe, published on Food 52.
INGREDIENTS
- 1 jar YAY Feta, drained (now stocked in Woolworths - however use 175g of your favourite vegan feta)
- 200g firm (not very-firm) tofu, drained
- 50g natural coconut yoghurt
- salt & pepper
"Honey" Drizzle
- 1 tbsp garlic olive oil (alternatively use extra virgin olive oil & 1 clove garlic, crushed)
- pinch rosemary leaves, finely chopped
- 5 tbsp brown rice syrup (best to use this sweetener, as the mild taste & viscosity is perfect here)
- 1 lemon, juiced (2 tbsp)
- pinch dried chilli
- salt & pepper
To Serve: zaatar, more dried chilli flakes, warm pita bread (or similar)
METHOD
- In a food-processor or blender, blend the vegan feta, tofu & yoghurt for 2-3 minutes until smooth & fluffy. Stop to scrape down the sides a couple of times throughout. Taste & season (you probably won't need any extra salt, but up to you/the feta you used).
- Spread the whipped feta onto a serving plate & set aside. This dip is best enjoyed closer to room temperature.
- To make the "Honey" Drizzle, heat the oil in a small saucepan & once hot, add the chopped rosemary (& crushed garlic, if using). It should sizzle immediately. Take off the heat & add the remaining ingredients. Stir to melt the syrup into the fragrant oil.
- When ready to serve, drizzle some of the syrup over the whipped feta, letting it run into the moats & crevices created by your fine plating effort. Finish with a sprinkle of zaatar, more crushed chilli flakes & serve with warm pita bread (or similar).
