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Greek

Tirokafteri (spicy whipped feta)

Vegetarian

Τυροκαυτερή · tyrokafterí

Feta whipped with olive oil, charred hot green peppers, chilli flakes and a little vinegar into a creamy, tangy, fiery spread. The name means 'hot cheese'; it is a fixture of Greek tavernas and souvlaki shops.

Tirokafteri (spicy whipped feta) is a Greek dip from Greece, ready in about 48 minutes and made with feta and green chilli. It serves 6 and is rated easy to cook.

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Prep
10 min
Cook
8 min
Rest
30 min
Total
48 min
Serves
6
Level
Easy
Calories
173

Ingredients

6 meze servings (about 60 g)

Equipment

Method

  1. Step 1

    Rub the hot peppers with 5 ml of the oil and blister them in a dry cast-iron pan over high heat, turning with tongs (opens in a new tab), until charred in patches and soft: 6–8 minutes. Cool, then remove the stems (and the seeds for a milder dip) and chop finely.

    Food safety: Wash your hands and the board after handling hot peppers, and keep your fingers away from your eyes.

  2. Step 2

    Put the feta (opens in a new tab), the remaining olive oil (opens in a new tab), the vinegar and the chilli flakes (opens in a new tab) (and yoghurt, if using) in the food processor (opens in a new tab) and pulse in 2-second bursts, scraping down, until creamy but still a little grainy: about 1 minute in total.

  3. Step 3

    Add the chopped peppers and pulse 3–4 more times to distribute them; flecks of green should remain visible. Taste for spiciness and acidity.

  4. Step 4

    Chill for at least 30 minutes; the chilli gets stronger as it sits and the dip firms. Serve with a little more chilli flakes (opens in a new tab) and a drizzle of oil.

    • 1 min

About this dish

Origin
Northern Greece, Greece · Commonly attributedAssociated with Macedonia and Thrace; recipes vary in pepper type (fresh hot green, roasted red, or dried flakes) and whether yoghurt is added. This version follows a common taverna style.Also popular in CyprusMore food from Greece
Dish
Lunch · Dinner · Snack · Dips & spreads · Appetizers & starters
Cooking method
Pan-fried, Blended
Taste
spicy (chilli heat), salty, tangy, creamy
Diet
Vegetarian (lacto-ovo) · No gluten ingredients · No nut ingredients · Keto-style · Low-carb
All labelsVegetarian (lacto-ovo) · Eggetarian · Lacto-vegetarian · Pescatarian · Flexitarian-friendly · Whole-food focused · No gluten ingredients · Egg-free · No nut ingredients · No added sugar · Alcohol-free · Pork-free · Beef-free · Mediterranean-style · Keto-style · Low-carb
Worked out from the ingredients. How labels work
Good for
Make-ahead
Cook more with
Feta · Green chilli · Wine vinegar · Red chilli flakes
Techniques
Pan-frying · Wet grinding · Emulsification

Allergens

  • Contains: Milkfrom feta, greek yogurt
  • May contain: Sulphitesfrom wine vinegar

Based on typical versions of these ingredients and not verified allergen-free. Brands differ and cross-contact happens, so always check labels. For severe allergies, follow your clinician’s advice.

Nutrition

173 kcal per serving

Estimated

1 serving ≈ 63 g · recipe makes 6

Where the energy comes from

  • Protein 14%
  • Carbohydrate 5%
  • Fat 82%
Nutrition per serving and per 100 g
NutrientPer servingPer 100 g
Energy173 kcal273 kcal
Protein6 g9.5 g
Carbohydrate2 g3.2 g
Net carbohydrate1.9 g3 g
Sugars0.1 g0.2 g
Added sugars0 g0 g
Fibre0.1 g0.2 g
Fat15.8 g25 g
Saturated fat6.5 g10.3 g
Trans fat——
Cholesterol37 mg59 mg
Sodium475 mg750 mg
Salt equivalent1.2 g1.9 g
Vitamins & minerals per serving
Potassium
40 mg
Calcium
206 mg
Iron
0.4 mg
Magnesium
9 mg
Vitamin A (RAE)
60 µg
Vitamin C
5 mg
Vitamin D
0.2 µg
Vitamin B12
0.7 µg
Folate (DFE)
14 µg

How these numbers were made

  • Calculated from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy) per-100 g values and the listed quantities.
  • Optional ingredients are not included: greek yogurt.
  • Red chilli flakes: Ground cayenne (FDC 170932) used as a stand-in for dried chilli flakes such as pul biber or Aleppo pepper.
  • “—” means the value isn’t known for enough of the ingredients; it is never zero by default.
  • Values are estimates for guidance, not for medical dosing. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. fdc.nal.usda.gov.

Good to know

Tips

  • Mash by hand with a fork for a chunkier, more rustic texture, as many tavernas do.
  • If the feta is very salty, soak it in cold water for 15 minutes before crumbling.

Common mistakes

  • Blending continuously, which warms the feta and makes it gluey.
  • Tasting it immediately and adding more chilli; let it rest first.

Serve with

  • With pita, souvlaki, gyros and grilled meats.
  • As a spread for toasted bread or spooned beside fried courgettes.

Food safety

  • Keep chilled and do not leave yoghurt- or cheese-based dips out of the fridge for more than 2 hours (1 hour in hot weather).

Storage

  • Refrigerate in a covered container for up to 5 days.

Variations

  • With roasted red chilli: Use a roasted long red chilli or Florina pepper for a sweeter, redder dip.
  • Htipiti: The sweet-pepper version from Thessaloniki; see the separate recipe.

Original editorial recipe · FriendsPantry editorial · Not yet independently reviewed · Added · Updated

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Recipe DNA

How this dish is built

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Grouped by each ingredient’s role in the dish. Each band’s width is its share of the dish by weight. Choose a component to see what it does.

What the dish is built around

Main ingredient

Used in steps 1, 2, 3

Make it milder, swap ingredients for your diet, change the batch size or thickness — the original stays as it is.

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