Published: Mar 14, 2019 · Modified: Oct 8, 2020 by Anna · This post may contain affiliate links

Layered Greek Dip

This dip recipe - a spinoff of a 7-layer dip - is an easy, make-ahead appetizer for a party. The briny Kalamata olives, juicy cucumbers, salty feta and garlicky hummus remind me of my favorite Greek salad.

Who doesn't love a quick and easy appetizer?

The Seven Layer Dip is a time-honored tradition at parties. Everyone loves it and it always disappears.

So what happens when you take a recipe with a cult-like following and give it a unique spin?

Check out our Layered Greek Dip, a fresh, Greek-flavored alternative to traditional taco dip. We combine all the flavors of the Mediterranean for an easy, make-ahead party appetizer.

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Ingredients
Instructions
Serving suggestions
Make ahead tips
FAQs
Recipe

Ingredients

Our Greek dip has - you guessed it - SEVEN layers of goodness made from the following ingredients.

Cream cheese
Lemon juice
Italian seasoning
Garlic
Hummus
Cucumber
Tomatoes
Kalamata olives
Feta cheese
Green Onions

A white platter filled with Layered Greek Dip and garnished with pita wedges.

Instructions

If you can spread, chop and dump, consider yourself an expert Layered Greek Dip maker. Follow these steps for making this easy party dip recipe:

1. Pick a serving dish. Most 7-layer dips are made in a shallow, glass casserole dish. That way you can easily eyeball and measure the layers. You can definitely do that with this Layered Greek Dip, but I go another route.

I like to make this dip on a serving platter or plate and “build” the layers pyramid-style so there is a wider base and a narrower peak. You can still see each layer individually on the platter but building the dip this way gives the whole thing a little more wow factor. Again, no right or wrong here. Purely an aesthetic choice.

2. Make sure your cream cheese is at room temperature before you start making the dip.

Softened, or room temperature, cream cheese is so much easier to work with. If you try to mix ingredients into cold cream cheese, you’ll end up with a lumpy mess. Save yourself the frustration by taking the cream cheese out of the refrigerator about an hour before you want to make this Layered Greek Dip.

3. I often purchase plain hummus for this dip if I’m short on time since there are so many other fresh ingredients at play. But feel free to make your own hummus if you prefer.

Our Edamame Hummus recipe would both be a fun substitution in this recipe.

4. Grape tomatoes are my go-to for this dip because I almost always have them on hand. Feel free to use any combination of colorful grape tomatoes, too.

Regular tomatoes work equally as well but just be sure to remove as much of the seeds as possible to avoid a watery layer of tomatoes in your dip.

5. I’m going to admit it, I’m a bit of an olive “snob”. I prefer to get my olives from the olive bar at the grocery store.

Of course, jarred olives will work just fine here, but I find the olives from the olive bar are usually firmer (which makes them easier to slice) and meatier (which gives a better chew with each bite). Plus I can get just the amount I need and not have to worry about the remnants languishing in the corner of my refrigerator (and usually forgotten).

6. Block vs pre-crumbled feta cheese: is there a difference? The short answer is yes. Although I love pre-crumbled feta cheese for its convenience, there is no question that I prefer block feta for flavor.

Do a side by side test yourself and see what you think! Block feta is packaged in brine which keeps it a bit more milky and moist. That little bit of brine also seasons the cheese and imparts extra flavor. Bonus: block feta cheese is usually less expensive than a similar amount of pre-crumbled feta.

Serving suggestions

While tortilla chips are the go-to dipper for traditional 7-layer dip, this Mediterranean version demands pitas.

If you have extra time on your hands, feel free to toast fresh pita bread wedges to dunk in this dip. Short on time? Tear open a bag of pita chips from the store.

TIP: Toufayan makes a darn good gluten-free pita chip that your gluten-sensitive guests will appreciate.

Make ahead tips

Absolutely! I’ve made this earlier in the day and kept it covered in the fridge until I was ready to serve it. I wouldn’t make it more than a day in advance, though, as your juicier vegetables may start to weep into the hummus and cream cheese layers.

I’ve also prepped the ingredients separately ahead of time (i.e. chopped the veggies, mixed the cream cheese and crumbled the feta) and then quickly assembled the dip right before guests arrive. Either way works very well!

FAQs

What do I do with leftovers?

In the rare event you have leftovers (seriously, it always disappears around here), I have two suggestions:

1) Mix a few scoops of the dip with chopped romaine lettuce for a Greek-inspired salad. Top with additional cucumbers, tomatoes and/or olives.

2) Stir together the leftover dip and spoon it into tortillas. Roll them up, refrigerate for 30 minutes and then slice into pinwheels.

Is there a healthier option to the cream cheese?

The lemon- and herb-flavored cream cheese adds substance and creaminess to this dip. I enjoy it in this recipe because it helps hold up all those tasty veggies. You can easily swap in a light cream cheese for the full fat variety with no issues.

I’ve also seen other recipes that use whole milk Greek yogurt in place of the cream cheese, but I haven’t tried that substitution. My gut says it would be too runny to be made on a platter or serving plate but might work just fine in a shallow casserole. If you try it, please let me know!

Love Mediterranean flavors? You’re sure to enjoy some of these other Greek appetizer recipes:

Top down image of Layered Greek Dip on a white platter.

Or maybe you need a few more easy dip recipes for appetizers?

Check out all of our appetizer recipes!

Recipe

Yield: Serves 8