Tirokafteri makes a wonderfully tangy, spicy dip that’ll impress any guests – so be sure to follow the authentic tirokafteri recipe I’ve added below! Make and serve this delicious sauce with hummus and tzatziki for an sophisticated, well-rounded meze!
Table of Contents
- What Is Tirokafteri Sauce?
- What To Eat With Tirokafteri – 5 Things To Serve With Tirokafteri
- Tirokafteri Nutrition
- Tirokafteri Recipe – Greek Feta Dip
- Tirokafteri Recipe Greek
- FAQs
- Tirokafteri Greek Dip – What Is It, And Is It Worth Making?
What Is Tirokafteri Sauce?
Now, if you’re here for this recipe I’m guessing you already know what tirokafteri is. If thats the case, skip to the recipe at the bottom to learn how to make this amazing dip.
For those who are curious, however, tirokafteri is a hot, cheesy Grecian dip. In fact, the name tirokafteri literally means spicy cheese!
It is also called ktipiti or tirosalata in some regions of Greece, and is also spelt ’tyrokafteri’.
Traditionally made with feta cheese, olive oil, greek yoghurt, and crushed peppers, there are many different variations on this according to family recipes and personal preference. You can put roasted peppers, hot peppers, lemon juice and zest, oregano, garlic, black pepper and salt, among various other ingredients!
Tirokafteri is usually served as part of an appetizer or meze and may be eaten alongside reheated pita bread and other such foods.
Whilst it’s really only meant to be a cold appetizer or side dish, many state that it pairs very well with legumes and meat.
What To Eat With Tirokafteri – 5 Things To Serve With Tirokafteri
- Tzatziki
- Tzatziki, like tirokafteri, is a Greek dip also used in mezes. It is made of cucumber, yoghurt, and a few other ingredients, generally giving it a refreshing taste with a creamy texture. It pairs very well with tirokafteri for some dipping variety.
- Hummus
- Hummus is another incredible dip on this list (and just so happens to be my personal favorite!). It’s delightfully tangy, rich yet light, and has a unique texture. Include it in your tirokafteri appetizer for a cooler option with just as much tang.
- Pita bread
- Pita bread is absolutely choice, but honestly any crusty bread or flatbread will do. These blander breads work as excellent vehicles for spooning sauce into your mouth! Although it’s a bit of a culture clash, I love to use naan bread in place of pita too!
- Cubed fried potatoes
- While this might seem a little out of place, fried potatoes are perfect for when you want to use tirokafteri as a side. Simply cut your potatoes up into little cubes, soak, then towel dry and fry for perfect fluffy potato cubes with crispy exteriors.
- Pomegranate Seeds
- Again, a little out of place, but pomegranate seeds can make an excellent alternative to the pine nut garnish mentioned below. Their sweetness both compliments and offsets the tangy spice from the tirokafteri, and adds a lovely crunch to the otherwise smooth sauce.
Tirokafteri Nutrition
Tirokafteri Calories
While this is highly dependent on the recipe used, you can generally expect one serving of tirokafteri to have 60 calories. Again, this – as well as nutritional content – can easily fluctuate due to the variations in ingredients used and the amounts.
Nutrients-wise, 1 serving of tirokafteri typically contains around 2 grams of total carbs, 2 grams of net carbs, 5 grams of fat, and 2 grams of protein.
Tirokafteri Recipe – Greek Feta Dip
Serves: Multiple people
| Prep Time: |
| 10 mins |
The recipe I’ve chosen to feature here today is made by YouTube channel Dimitra’s Dishes. Her recipe for tirokafteri with roasted red peppers is quick n’ easy and – get this – is completely adjustable to your palette.
To warm up your tastebuds even further, try this authentic tirokafteri recipe heated! The recipe I have provided below is simply a transcribed version of Dimitra’s video I’ve made for your convenience.
Now that that’s explained, lets get started!
Tirokafteri Recipe Greek
Tirokafteri Ingredients
| – Roasted red peppers to taste (optional) |
| – Crushed red pepper flakes to taste |
| – Black pepper to taste |
| – Half a pot of greek yoghurt |
| – 1 small bowl full of ricotta |
| – 1 medium heaping bowl of feta |
| – ½ of a large lemon |
| – Olive oil |
| – Pine nuts (optional) |
| – Fresh bell pepper, sliced horizontally (optional) |
| – Salt (optional) |
Method
How to make Greek Tirokafteri
Blend
Add all of your ingredients, save for the bell pepper, salt, and pine nuts, into a blender. Drizzle in about a tablespoon or two of olive oil whilst blending. Then, juice the lemon over your blender whilst making sure to hold a hand beneath it to catch any seeds.
Taste and season
After everything is well blended, taste your mixture and adjust the seasonings if needed. At this point, you can add in some salt if you would like. If you added anything, give the blender a pulse to mix everything together.
Garnish and serve
Pour your tirokafteri into the serving bowl and garnish with extra virgin olive oil or olive oil, pine nuts, and fresh bell pepper slices to finish!
FAQs
What is tirokafteri?
Tirokafteri is a hot, cheesy Grecian dip. It is also called ktipiti or tirosalata in some regions of Greece, and is also spelt ’tyrokafteri’.
How many calories in tirokafteri?
You can generally expect one serving of tirokafteri to have 60 calories.
Tirokafteri Greek Dip – What Is It, And Is It Worth Making?
Tirokafteri is a vibrant, tangy, and tasteful Greek dip, second in popularity only to tzatziki. It is most often used as an appetizer, but compliments certain meat and vegetable dishes amazingly well.
So… where’s the catch?
Luckily, there isn’t one with tirokafteri! It’s not only incredibly simple to make – it’s also very quick. You can throw this sauce together even quicker than a homemade hummus!
And the cherry on top is the level of choice that making it yourself gives you – add or remove any ingredients you want and experiment with the flavor, or keep the heat level to where you’re comfortable.
With all this in mind, it seems that making tirokafteri is absolutely worth it. So, get cooking!
