Seven Layer Greek Dip

Seven Layer Dip- when you hear this name, probably the first recipe you think of is the delicious gooey goodness of refried beans, guacamole, salsa and sour cream topped with all the fixin's. But everyone brings the Mexican version to parties... how about changing it up Mediterranean style next time? Here I layer creamy hummus, bright and zippy Greek yogurt sauce similar to Tzatziki, garden tomatoes, cucumbers, feta cheese and Kalamata olives for a fresh and unexpected spin on a traditional party favorite. This recipe has become a go-to of mine to bring to parties and get-together's with friends.  It is ALWAYS a huge hit and the recipe is always requested.  In fact I bought this appetizer to a recent neighborhood Recipe and Wine Night party and won 1st Place for best Appetizer! Its great served with fresh pita bread, a veggie tray, crackers or pita chips. And if you happen to have leftovers, roll them inside a pita with some crunchy lettuce for a delicious wrap.

While you could totally buy a tub of hummus and pre-made Tzatziki at the store, I love making my own for this app. Hummus is one of those recipes that is SO EASY that after making it the first time you will wonder why you ever bought it pre-made at the store. The ingredients are inexpensive, you can easily change the flavors by what you happen to have in your fridge and all you do is literally dump all the ingredients into a food processor or blender, push a button and DONE.  Simple as that! I am going to share with you my favorite Hummus recipe if you wish to give it a whirl! But either way, store bought or homemade, this Seven Layer Greek Dip is sure to be a huge hit with all your up and coming holiday parties!

Seven Layer Greek Dip

1/2 English cucumber, quartered and chopped
1 pint cherry tomatoes, quartered
1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled
1/3 cup sliced Kalamata or black olives
3 Tablespoons finely chopped red onion
a few sprigs fresh dill, stems removed

For the Hummus
2 (15 ounce) cans of garbanzo beans (chickpeas), juices from one can reserved
1/3 cup tahini
1/3 cup lemon juice (roughly the juice of two and half lemons)
3-4 cloves garlic
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp crushed red chili flakes
pinch cumin

Combine in food processor or blender the garbanzo beans, tahini, 1/4 cup lemon juice, garlic, salt, red chili flakes and cumin.  Bend until smooth.  Taste and add more lemon juice to suit your taster.  We prefer  it more on the lemony side.  It will be quite thick at this point.  Slowly add in some of the reserved garbanzo bean juice to thin it out.  Blend again.  Add more of the juice, blend and taste. Repeat until you reach the right consistency.  You won't need all the juice just enough to get it creamy!!  The texture should be smooth and creamy and not too thick.

For the Greek Yogurt Sauce
1 1/3 cups thick plain Greek yogurt, like Fage
1-2 garlic cloves, finely minced (I love a lot of garlic flavor, so I use 2 cloves)
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon fresh dill, minced
1 Tablespoon fresh parley, minced

Combine all Greek Yogurt Sauce ingredients in a medium sized bowl and set aside. If you prefer a more mild flavor, you can make this up to a day in advance stored in the fridge.  The longer it sits in the fridge, the less "bite" the garlic will have.

Putting it all Together

On a large platter or 8x8 pan, evenly spread the hummus. Next, careful not to smear together with the hummus, evenly spread the Greek Yogurt Sauce on top of the Hummus creating your second layer. Top with cucumbers, tomatoes, feta cheese, olives, and red onion.  Sprinkle minced fresh dill over the top (kitchen scissors work great for snipping dill evenly over the layered dip!)

Serve immediately with pita bread cut into wedges, fresh veggies, crackers or pita chips.

Insalata Caprese, Tomato and Buffalo Mozzarella Salad

While studying abroad in London during college I took a holiday to Paris for the weekend. I got in late and was STARVING. After checking into my hotel I decided to go wander around and find a place to get a bite to eat. Paris seems to never sleep and there were so many amazing sites and smells all around me, but a cozy little pizza place called my name. After traveling in a foreign country, here I felt at home. This restaurant, of all places, was where I had Insalata Caprese, or Tomato Mozzarella Salad, for the first time. A classic Italian salad while in Paris, France! No better place really, it created a special memory that I'll never forget. What's even better is that it is SO EASY to recreate, and has become a summertime staple in our home.

Insalata Caprese

3-4 large Tomatoes, thickly sliced
2 large balls of Fresh Buffalo Mozzarella, thickly sliced
1 bunch fresh basil leaves, leaves stripped from the stems
Coarse Sea Salt and Fresh Ground Black Pepper, to taste
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Balsamic Glaze

Alternate thick slices of fresh Tomato (look for nice big ones!), Buffalo Mozzarella and Basil leaves around a large platter. Season generously with coarse sea salt and fresh cracked black pepper. Drizzle with Extra Virgin Olive Oil and a Balsamic Glaze. And then dig in!


This salad goes with just about anything. We equally love it alongside a juicy steak as with nice dippy eggs at breakfast. Sooooo good. While the tomatoes are still showing up in your CSA bag and at roadside stands, be sure to give this recipe a try! You'll see it's the perfect kiss of summer.

And here's a little tip.  Instead of buying the expensive basil in the plastic clam shell packs in the produce department (that seem to go bad way before you have time to use them all!) buy the fresh cut stems.  Then when you get home, place them in a glass or mason jar of water on your windowsill. You can pinch off the leaves as you need it when cooking and after time, your basil will start to take root! Eventually you can plant them in a pot for a kitchen cutting garden or in your back yard!