Foolproof Zucchini And Feta Dip When Your Kiddo(s) Hate(s) Vegetables
Is it a hummus? A feta whip? Mayhaps. But giving the recipe that follows such titles make it sound like intentional creation; it was much more improvisational—new, desperate. Picture summer: an abundance of squash, a hangry small child, and the reality that cheese in anything can only help. Oh, yeah, and make it something you can smear on a cracker.
And here we are. Creamy. Those big Mediterranean flavors. A very quiet vegetable that your child will never know is there. Call it what you want: it’s got snack time or even a portion of dinner covered.
- 1 large Zucchini (or two small ones)
- 2 oz crumbled Feta
- Olive Oil
- Tahini
- 1/2 Lemon (I use fresh but dried is fine)
- Dill
- dried Oregano
- Preheat oven or air fryer to 375.
- peel the skin from the zucchini and slice vertically so that you have 4-5 long, thin pieces.
- Cook until zucchini is soft and slightly golden on exterior, about 10 minutes in air fryer or 12-15 minutes in an oven. Set aside to cool.
- Squeeze or add the juice of the lemon, a glug of olive oil, two spoonfuls of tahini, the feta, your zucchini spears, and a small handful of dill and a couple of shakes of oregano.
- Blend on High until smooth and thick (but not chunky), roughly 30 seconds.
We love this spread on a cracker—perfect for Ritz or Townhouse—or dipped into with crunchy raw vegetables. Works well spread on small pieces of meat, too.
You can make this a full on hummus quite easily by adding in a half a can of chickpeas, adding an extra glug of tahini and olive oil, and the other half of the lemon; up to you if you want to keep the feta. To get that hummus extra smooth—and to reduce some of the hardship when grinding the chickpeas down in the blender—boil the chickpeas with a tiny smidge of baking soda for 6-7 minutes; remove any shells before adding to blender.
Brad (the Dad) is the founder and Chief Recipe Officer of New Dad's Kitchen. His own cooking/feeding journey started humbly during his son's infancy, preparing and managing his son's bottle intake in order to support his wife; it has since blossomed into a full-on passion to feed his child and family delicious and healthy meals that can satisfy both a toddler and his very tired parents.
