35 Savory Party Dips for Vegetables and Chips These vegetable, seafood, condiment, and cheese dips are the life of the party. By Alexis McCowan Alexis McCowan Alexis McCowan graduated from Howard University in 2021 and has since interned at Sage Publishing and the Pulitzer Center and contributed to Food & Wine. Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Updated on February 10, 2024 Add Us On SAVE ALL RECIPES NEW! Save as a collection on MyRecipes Close Credit: Photo by Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Lydia Pursell As far as snacks go, dips are always the life of the party. There are so many different kinds that can be served with everything from crunchy chips and crackers to a variety of breads and vegetables. Whether you're looking for a delicious dinner party side or a creamy addition to a charcuterie board, you can't go wrong with these fun, flavorful, savory party dips. Smoked salmon dip, five-onion dip, and green goddess dip are a few of the recipes here that will elevate your entertaining. 01 of 35 Salsa Macha Jen Causey This outside-the-box salsa is made from a fragrant blend of toasted chiles, garlic, peanuts, and sesame seeds. Spoon it over Tuna-Avocado Ceviche, grilled fish, quesadillas, tacos, Mexican-style street corn, salad, pizza, or crusty bread. Get the Recipe Save 02 of 35 Tahini-Tofu Dip with Chili Crunch Photo by Antonis Achilleos / Prop Styling by Christina Daley / Food Styling by Emily Nabors Hall This creamy, smooth dip from 2011 F&W Best New Chef Stephanie Izard creates layers of flavor with a short ingredient list: roasted garlic, tahini, tamari, and bright, fresh lemon juice, to name a few. Get the Recipe Save 03 of 35 Jeow Som Dipping Sauce Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer and John Somerall / Prop Styling by Audrey Davis This sweet, sour, and pungent Laotian dipping sauce from 2020 F&W Best New Chef Donny Sirisavath gets a kick of heat from Thai chiles, ginger, and garlic balanced by bright, fresh lime juice. It's a delicious partner for beefy tri-tip. Get the Recipe Save 04 of 35 Kashke Bademjan (Iranian Kashk and Eggplant Dip) Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Rishon Hanners / Prop Styling by Audrey Davis A little thicker and saltier than yogurt, kashk is an Iranian dairy product that gives this aromatic eggplant dip its luscious texture and tart flavor. Floral saffron, fried dried mint, and more kashk dot the top, adding beautiful color. Get the Recipe Save 05 of 35 Caramelized Five-Onion Dip Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Rishon Hanners / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen A mix of five alliums — shallots, scallions, and sweet, yellow, and red onions — upgrades this classic caramelized onion dip with layers of flavor. Yellow and red onions give it bite, while Vidalia onion and shallots lend a pleasant sweetness. Taking the time to cook the onions low and slow concentrates their flavor, while adding scallions halfway through cooking keeps them just fresh enough to serve with chips, toasted bread, or vegetables like endive, steamed fingerling potatoes, and roasted Broccolini. Get the Recipe Save 06 of 35 Four-Layer Caviar Dip Justin Walker Layers of creamy egg salad, crisp red onion, herbed cream cheese, and salty, briney caviar come together in a beautiful molded dip that serves up an entire caviar platter in one dish. Get the Recipe Save 07 of 35 Smoked Salmon Dip Photo by Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Lydia Pursell This creamy, smoky dip features flaky smoked salmon two ways: Half is finely chopped to add a pleasant texture to the dip alongside briny pops of capers, and the rest is pureed with the mayonnaise, sour cream, and cream cheese, lending its beautiful color and deepening the flavor. Get the Recipe Save 08 of 35 Warm Crab Dip with Fresh Herbs Photo by Antonis Achilleos / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Kay Clarke A base of caramelized shallots, cream cheese, mustard, and chives is topped with a golden breadcrumb crust in this creamy, crowd-pleasing recipe that showcases fresh crab. Get the Recipe Save 09 of 35 Sweet Potato Queso Antonis Achilleos Smooth, creamy pureed sweet potato helps thicken this queso, while the subtle sweetness adds more dimension to the flavor. Get the Recipe Save 10 of 35 Kamaboko Dip Victor Protasio In this Kamaboko Dip recipe from chef Sheldon Simeon, tender julienned kamaboko (a pink and white fish cake sold frozen at Asian grocery stores) plays off of crunchy scallions, mayonnaise, cream cheese, and sour cream laced with umami-packed dashi concentrate (hondashi). Alaea salt, a red Hawaiian sea salt enriched with volcanic clay, adds color and an earthy flavor. Get the Recipe Save 11 of 35 Queso Flameado Photo by Antonis Achilleos / Food Styling by Ruth Blackburn / Prop Styling by Christina Daley Charred poblano pepper, pureed cilantro, and serrano chiles serve as a built-in salsa, layering spicy, garlicky flavors into rich, melted cheese. Flaming the dip with tequila makes the whole thing a little extra while pickled carrots add acidity and brightness. Get the Recipe Save 12 of 35 Smoked Fish Dip Greg DuPree Smoked fish dip is a summer staple on the Georgia coast. This creamy mayonnaise and whipped cream cheese dip, seasoned with lemon juice, mustard, horseradish, and Old Bay, is inspired by Griffin Bufkin's smoked fish dips at Southern Soul Barbeque on Georgia's St. Simons Island. It can be customized with your favorite smoked seafood, found in the refrigerated section of the seafood counter or from local smokehouses. Get the Recipe Save 13 of 35 Baked Brie in a Bread Bowl Jordan Provost / Food Styling by Thu Buser Swirl melty baked Brie with fig jam and capers and bake in a bread bowl for a retro snack to dip apple slices into. Get the Recipe Save 14 of 35 Warm Spinach-Artichoke Dip Justin Walker Filled with four kinds of cheese and plenty of tender artichoke hearts, this dip is creamy with a crisp, golden top. Be sure to drain the thawed frozen spinach well to avoid excess water, which can break the cheese sauce. Get the Recipe Save 15 of 35 Fancy Clam Dip Justin Walker This classic white clam dip — filled with cream cheese, crème fraîche, and, of course, canned clams — is salty, cheesy, and craveable. Some generous splashes of hot sauce and plenty of fresh dill add brightness and cut through the rich, indulgent dip. Get the Recipe Save 16 of 35 Spicy Lamb Meatballs with Green Goddess Dip Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Rishon Hanners / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen Inspired by merguez, a North African lamb sausage, these meatballs are loaded with cumin, garlic, and paprika for the ideal one-bite nosh. Harissa gives them a fiery heat that's tempered by the herby dip. Get the Recipe Save 17 of 35 Dill-Tahini Dip Photo by Antonis Achilleos / Prop Styling by Christina Daley / Food Styling by Emily Nabors Hall This lightly seasoned dip is complex from tahini, soy sauce, and harissa, and creamy from yogurt. Serve it as a snack with vegetables or with kebobs; as a marinade for grilled meats; or as a spread for wraps and sandwiches. Get the Recipe Save 18 of 35 French Onion Dip Jordan Provost / Food Styling by Thu Buser Caramelized onions, Worcestershire sauce, and a beef bouillon cube mixed with sour cream and cream cheese make the perfect creamy, tangy dip for game days and parties. Get the Recipe Save 19 of 35 French 75 Dip Photo by Huge Galdones / Food Styling by Christina Zerkis This plant-based dip offered at the Nashville bar White Limozeen was inspired by its namesake effervescent gin cocktail born out of Paris in the early 1900s. The sauce mimics the delicate flavors of the botanical cocktail by adding juniper berries and lemon to a base of aquafaba, the multi-use liquid in canned chickpeas. Get the Recipe Save 20 of 35 Spinach Maria Photo by Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Ali Ramee / Prop Styling by Christina Daley Spinach Maria is made with lots of spinach, Monterey Jack cheese, and crushed red pepper. The cheese sauce is rich with warmth from the cayenne and nutmeg, and the extra layer of melted cheese on top makes it perfectly indulgent. It's great served as a dip with toasted pita wedges or tortilla chips. Customize the sauce however you want by adding more garlic, or chopped hot chiles, pickled peppers, herbs, or even crab meat. Get the Recipe Save 21 of 35 Muhammara (Roasted Red Pepper and Walnut Dip) Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Lydia Pursell Smooth, thick, and layered with flavor, this mildly spicy dip of roasted red bell peppers and toasted walnuts is thickened with finely ground crispy breadsticks. Pomegranate molasses adds a piquancy that plays off the sweetness of the juicy roasted bell peppers, and spicy pepper paste brings just a touch of heat. Get the Recipe Save 22 of 35 Taco Dip Abby Hocking / Food & Wine Justin Chapple riffs on seven-layer dip, starting with a layer of super–flavorful ground beef that’s spiced with homemade taco seasoning. Get the Recipe Save 23 of 35 Crudités and Fermented Soybean Dip Greg DuPree At The Charter Oak in Napa Valley, Katianna Hong keeps it simple, pairing just-picked vegetables with a thick, tangy soy dip. This dip is the perfect way to show off whatever fresh vegetables you can get your hands on. Get the Recipe Save 24 of 35 Za'atar-Spiced Beet Dip with Goat Cheese and Hazelnuts © Antonis Achilleos Beets have a strong presence in the cuisine of almost every ethnic group in Jerusalem, chef Yotam Ottolenghi explains. They color pickling juices on the Arab table and form the basis for a soup of Jewish, Iraqi, and Kurdish origin. Ottolenghi purees them for this luscious spread. Get the Recipe Save 25 of 35 Buffalo Chicken Dip Abby Hocking Justin Chapple's crowd-pleasing dip has all the punchy flavors of buffalo chicken wings with a creamy texture from the combination of cream cheese and sour cream. Get the Recipe Save 26 of 35 Spinach and Caramelized Onion Dip © Eva Kolenko Food & Wine’s Kay Chun makes this lighter version of classic spinach dip with nonfat Greek-style yogurt. Get the Recipe Save 27 of 35 Ginger-Miso Sweet Pea Spread © David Malosh As a dairy-free alternative to creamy dips, the recipe here calls for pureeing sweet peas with scallions, ginger, and jalapeño, then seasoning the mix with yellow miso. Serve the spread with different kinds of crackers and breads or sugar snap peas and celery for dipping. Get the Recipe Save 28 of 35 Whipped Feta with Cucumbers © Seth Smoot The taste of the Mediterranean shines through in this airy feta spread that's served with olive oil-marinated cucumbers. Get the Recipe Save 29 of 35 Hummus with Tahini and Spicy Chickpeas © CHRISTINA HOLMES Chef Michael Solomonov makes his signature hummus with an unusually generous amount of tahini — something that distinguishes the hummus of his native Israel from that of other Middle Eastern countries. He tops the dish with warm chickpeas fried with jalapeño, cumin, and crushed Aleppo pepper. Get the Recipe Save 30 of 35 Lemony Tofu-Herb Dip © Nicole Franzen Chef Kristen Kish makes her green dip with tofu and Greek yogurt; she adds fresh herbs, garlic, lemon juice, and briny fresh anchovies for amazing flavor. Get the Recipe Save 31 of 35 Whipped Corn Dip with Chile Oil © Nicole Franzen Chapple blends sweet corn with creamy ricotta in this delicious and versatile dip that complements crudités or pita chips. Get the Recipe Save 32 of 35 Crudités with Creamy Pistachio Dip © Anna Williams Salty, creamy, and even a little crunchy, this recipe is the ultimate party snack for when you're looking to go far beyond the average bowl of onion dip. Get the Recipe Save 33 of 35 Salsa de Chile Fresco Asado (Roasted Fresh Chile Salsa) © Lucy Schaeffer You can think of this salsa from chef Rick Bayless as a not-too-smooth, fresh version of your typical rusty-orange hot sauce — fresh chiles replace dried ones, and fresh lime juice replaces vinegar. Get the Recipe Save 34 of 35 Sikil Pako (Toasted Pumpkin Seed Dip) © Christina Holmes Chef Alex Stupak prepares this outstanding Yucatán-style dip by pureeing pumpkin seeds with roasted tomatoes, garlic, and chile. Typically served with tortilla chips, it also makes a nice vegan accompaniment for vegetables. Get the Recipe Save 35 of 35 Roasted Cauliflower and Sesame Spread © Joseph de Leo Chef Jerry Traunfeld toasts and grinds whole coriander seeds before pureeing them with roasted cauliflower, tahini paste, lemon, and cilantro. At home, use ground coriander from a bottle to season this bright, tangy recipe. Get the Recipe Save Explore more: Food Recipes Appetizers Dips & Spreads Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit