I was eating Alouette Parmesan Basil Cheese Spread and immediately thought, “wow, this is so good,” so naturally I had to try making my own version with Greek yogurt. This parmesan basil Greek yogurt dip is creamy, flavorful, and simple to throw together for a higher protein snack with veggies, pretzels, or crackers. It also works as a spread for sandwiches, bowls, wraps, or even stirred into pasta for an easy flavor boost.
The creamy yogurt and whipped cream cheese make the base smooth and fluffy, while the parmesan adds that salty, savory flavor that makes the dip taste a little more indulgent. Fresh basil gives it a bright, herby flavor, and a little garlic, lemon juice, and black pepper bring everything together.
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Why I Love This Recipe
- It’s multi-functional: serve it as a dip, bring it to work and eat it with veggies as a snack, drizzle it on roasted veggies, or use it as a pasta sauce.
- It has more protein than a traditional cheese spread. Greek yogurt helps lighten it up while adding protein and creaminess.
- You can prep it in just 5 minutes.
- It feels a little fancy but still realistic. It has that creamy, flavorful cheese-spread vibe, but it’s made with simple ingredients you can throw together at home.
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1/4 cup whipped cream cheese
- 1/4 cup overpacked grated parmesan
- 1/3 cup packed fresh basil. Use 1/4 cup for less basil forward flavor.
- 1/2 clove of garlic or 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder.
- Juice of 1/2 lemon or about 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- Black pepper and salt to taste.
What to do with it
It’s so versatile, you don’t have to use it as just a dip!
1. Snack prep dip
Pair with cucumbers, bell peppers, tomatoes, crackers, pita chips, pretzels, or higher fiber crackers.
2. Sandwich/wrap spread
Use it on turkey wraps, chicken wraps, veggie sandwiches, or a Mediterranean-style wrap.
3. Pasta Salad Dressing or Pasta Sauce
Thin it with a little pasta water, olive oil or additional lemon juice.
4. Chicken dinner sauce
Spread it over chicken breasts or chicken thighs and bake with cherry tomatoes. I roasted summer veggies and chicken and drizzled the sauce over it in this recipe: Parmesan Basil Roasted Veggie Bowls.
5. Flatbread base
Use it as the sauce on a naan/flatbread with tomatoes, chicken, spinach, and mozzarella.
Step-By-Step Directions
This recipe makes about 4 servings and each serving has 8.5 grams of protein! Who needs to buy store-bought when you can throw together this easy dip. Seriously, you can use it in so many ways.
I love to use an immersion blender for this recipe because it works so well! No need to dirty a blender.
Directions
- Add all ingredients to a large bowl, small food processor or blender
- Blend until smooth and creamy, scraping down the sides as needed.
- Taste and adjust. Add more lemon juice for brightness, more parmesan for salty/savory flavor, more basil if you want it more herby, or a tiny pinch more salt if it tastes flat.
If you want to thin it out to make it drizzle-able, thin with 1 tablespoon of water or milk at a time. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for about 3–4 days.
Basil Parmesan Greek Yogurt Dip {Higher Protein}
Ingredients
- ¾ cup plain Greek yogurt
- ¼ cup whipped or softened cream cheese
- ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese, overpacked
- ⅓ cup basil, packed or less
- ½-1 clove of garlic or ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- Juice of ½ lemon or 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- Salt and pepper to taste
Equipment
Method
- Add all ingredients to a large bowl, small food processor or blender.
- Blend until smooth and creamy, scraping down the sides as needed.
- Taste and adjust. Add more lemon juice for brightness, more parmesan for salty/savory flavor, more basil if you want it more herby, or a tiny pinch more salt if it tastes flat.
- If you want to thin it out to make it drizzle-able, thin with 1 tablespoon of water or milk at a time. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for about 3–4 days.