Unexpected company is much easier to handle when you have a dip that can be mixed, blended, or heated without turning the kitchen upside down. These 17 recipes cover quick cold dips, creamy sauces, fresh salsas, and warm baked options for different amounts of time and whatever is already in the fridge. Some take only a few minutes, while others are useful when guests give you a little warning. Set one out with chips, crackers, bread, or cut vegetables and let everyone help themselves.
Buffalo Chicken Dip
Ready in 17 minutes, Buffalo Chicken Dip combines shredded cooked chicken with cream cheese, hot sauce, ranch dressing, and blue cheese crumbles. The mixture bakes until warm and lightly golden, then gets a topping of sliced green onions. It makes 8 servings and can be prepared up to 2 days before baking. Bring it to the table with celery, carrots, tortilla chips, or baguette slices.
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Greek Feta Dip
Made in a food processor in just 5 minutes, Greek Feta Dip blends feta cheese with red chili, roasted red peppers, red wine vinegar, olive oil, and garlic. The smooth dip makes 8 servings and needs no cooking or chilling before it is ready. Spoon it into a bowl and add extra crumbled feta or chopped chili on top. Pita bread, olives, carrots, and celery all work alongside it.
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Lebanese Baba Ganoush
Roasted eggplant gives Lebanese Baba Ganoush its soft texture, with tahini, cumin, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, and parsley mixed in afterward. The recipe takes 1 hour 10 minutes, including 20 minutes for the eggplant to cool, and serves 4. Most of that time is hands-off while the eggplants roast. Serve it at room temperature with pita wedges, crackers, or sliced vegetables for dipping.
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Chipotle Sauce
Blended until smooth in 10 minutes, Chipotle Sauce uses sour cream, mayonnaise, chipotle peppers in adobo, cilantro, lime juice, and garlic. The recipe makes about 1½ cups, giving you enough for a snack platter without cooking anything. Its creamy consistency works as both a dip and a drizzle. Put it out with fries or vegetables, or use it alongside leftover chicken, fish, or roasted vegetables.
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Easy BBQ Sauce Recipe
Simmered for 30 minutes, Easy BBQ Sauce Recipe combines ketchup, apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, mustard, paprika, Worcestershire sauce, and liquid smoke. It is ready in 35 minutes and makes 20 servings, so there is plenty when more people arrive than expected. The sauce can also be made ahead and kept ready in the fridge. Use it for dipping pizza, bagels, vegetable sticks, or grilled foods.
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Garlic Dip
Finished in only 5 minutes, Garlic Dip starts with four cloves of garlic briefly cooked in butter before basil, thyme, and mayonnaise are stirred in. The recipe serves 4 and has a thick consistency that clings well to whatever is dipped into it. Let the buttery garlic mixture cool slightly before combining it with the mayonnaise. Place the bowl beside potato chips, French fries, pizza slices, or crisp vegetable sticks.
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Fresh Basil Pesto
Prepared in 15 minutes, Fresh Basil Pesto blends three cups of basil with Parmesan, garlic, pine nuts, almonds, lemon, and extra virgin olive oil. The recipe produces about 14 tablespoons, enough for dipping as well as spreading or tossing with other foods later. A food processor or blender handles nearly all the work. Pair it with torn bread, crackers, mozzarella, tomatoes, or roasted vegetables when guests need something to pick at.
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Pico de Gallo
Chopped Roma tomatoes form the base of Pico de Gallo, joined by onion, jalapeño, garlic, lime juice, and cilantro. It takes 10 minutes, serves 4, and can be adjusted with extra lime or jalapeño before it reaches the table. Since there is no cooking involved, it is useful when visitors are already at the door. Scoop it up with tortilla chips or add it to tacos and other snacks.
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Ranch Dressing
After a 10-minute mix and a 30-minute chill, Ranch Dressing is ready with mayonnaise, sour cream, milk, garlic, onion, parsley, basil, and dill. The recipe serves 8 and stays fresh in the refrigerator for up to one week. Whisk in the milk gradually so the consistency can be kept thick enough for dipping. Set it beside raw vegetables, potato wedges, chicken bites, or crackers for an easy snack plate.
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Avocado Sauce
Blended in just 5 minutes, Avocado Sauce combines a ripe avocado with sour cream, lemon juice, cilantro, garlic, and jalapeño. It makes 6 servings and can be loosened with a little water when a thinner consistency is needed. The smooth sauce brings something fresh to the table without requiring a saucepan or oven. Serve it with tortilla chips, vegetable sticks, tacos, or fries as soon as it is mixed.
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Sweet Maple Ketchup
Stirred together in one bowl, Sweet Maple Ketchup mixes ketchup, mayonnaise, pure maple syrup, and a little salt. The 5-minute recipe serves 6 and uses four ingredients that are easy to keep on hand. Its sweet and tangy flavor makes it a simple alternative to plain bottled ketchup when a snack plate needs another option. Bring it out with fries, potato wedges, vegetable burgers, nuggets, or roasted vegetables.
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Chick-fil-A Sauce
Requiring only 3 minutes, Chick-fil-A Sauce brings together mayonnaise, barbecue sauce, honey, and mustard in a single bowl. The four-ingredient recipe makes about 1 cup, with no blender, stove, or chilling time required. That makes it one of the quickest choices when food is already cooking and guests need something to snack on. Use it for dipping nuggets and fries, or spread it over burgers and sandwiches.
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Spinach Artichoke Dip
Baked until hot and cheesy, Spinach Artichoke Dip combines cream cheese, mayonnaise, Parmesan, mozzarella, artichoke hearts, spinach, garlic, and basil. It takes 35 minutes from start to finish and serves 6. The mixture can be assembled ahead, refrigerated, and baked when people arrive. Carry the warm dish straight to the table with tortilla chips, crackers, toasted bread, or sturdy vegetable pieces for scooping.
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Black Bean Hummus
Smooth black beans give Black Bean Hummus its creamy base, while tahini, lime juice, garlic, cumin, and olive oil add plenty of flavor. The recipe comes together in 15 minutes, serves 4, and can be thinned with a few tablespoons of water. It also keeps in the refrigerator for 4 to 5 days, making it useful to prepare early. Finish with cilantro and serve with chips, vegetables, or bread.
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Hot Crab Dip
Warm from the oven in 45 minutes, Hot Crab Dip combines 1 pound of jumbo lump crab meat with cream cheese, sour cream, Dijon mustard, Old Bay, and Monterey Jack cheese. The recipe serves 8 and bakes for 25 minutes until the cheese is melted and the surface is golden. It can be refrigerated for up to 3 days before leftovers need using. Offer crackers, bread slices, or raw vegetables alongside it.
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Fried Dill Pickle Dip
Topped with buttery toasted panko, Fried Dill Pickle Dip mixes chopped pickles, cream cheese, sour cream, ranch seasoning, and pickle juice. It is ready in 15 minutes and makes 8 servings, with only 5 minutes needed to brown the breadcrumbs. Keep the crumb topping separate until serving so it stays crisp. Spoon the dip into a shallow bowl and surround it with chips, crackers, pretzels, or vegetables.
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French Onion Dip
Slowly caramelized yellow onions give French Onion Dip its deep flavor before they are mixed with sour cream, chives, sherry vinegar, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and garlic powder. The recipe takes 1 hour and makes about 1½ cups, so it suits visitors who give you some notice. Most of the work is letting the onions cook down properly. Serve the finished dip with potato chips, crackers, biscuits, or cut vegetables.
Get the Recipe: French Onion Dip