30 Easy Dip Recipes

The secret to super-creamy hummus? Ice cubes and cold water, says Mawda Altayan of the St. Louis catering company Damascus Food.

At Des Moines restaurant Tacos Mariana's, the classic avocado-lime-cilantro mash is doctored with cucumber, Cotija cheese, and chiles—the result is one of the best guacs we've ever tasted.

This hearty dip is a crazy-simple appetizer but also can be the heart of a light supper, served with an assortment of vegetables, cheese, crackers, sliced meat and fruit. The recipe comes from the cookbook Pretty Simple Cooking. 

This recipe spins the flavors of Greek spanakopita into a pita chip or veggie dip. It's tasty enough to serve at a party, but healthy enough to keep in the fridge for afternoon munchies.

This Middle Eastern-inspired dip is nutty, sweet and a little tangy.

White dips don't have to be humdrum. In this recipe from The Vegetable Butcher cookbook, Cara Mangini sautes grated carrot, pine nuts and garlic in olive oil, then stirs the mixture into Greek yogurt.

This silky, smoky, garlicky spread—a staple of Middle-Eastern cuisine—will have you scrambling for extra dippers. Long cooking under the broiler gives eggplant a custardy texture.

Jazz up purchased spinach-artichoke dip with just three extra ingredients.

Hummus is easier than you might think: Just throw the ingredients in the food processor. Find canned smoky chipotle peppers in the Mexican aisle of large supermarkets.

Onion dip is a classic for a reason-and this 100 percent homemade version is one of the best we've tasted. It's fab with potato chips, of course, but we also love it with crisp Romaine or Little Gem lettuce leaves for a lighter twist.

This creamy dip is packed with healthy ingredients, so it's great for keeping in the fridge for weekday snacks--but it's also tasty enough to serve at a party.

Ground turkey, reduced-sodium and light ingredients, and a confetti of crisp, colorful veggies make this potluck staple more nutritious than a typical layered dip-but every bit as tasty.

Our healthy south-of-the-border hummus has sweet potato for silky smoothness, chipotle peppers for smoky heat and pepitas (pumpkin seeds) for crunch. If you like, kick up the heat by swirling some of the adobo sauce from the can of chipotles on top of the dip.

If American cheese has a purpose in life, this kicky, ultracreamy dip is it. 

Roasted red sweet peppers fleck this dip with a festive crimson touch. Serve the warm, cheese-filled appetizer with bread or pita wedges, or some water crackers.

The chips are easy and definitely add to the dip's appeal, but rice crackers, sugar snap peas, celery sticks and baby bok choy leaves all make good Asian-inspired dippers.

Roasting the eggplant, zucchini, sweet pepper, onion and garlic intensifies the flavors of this dip. Try with toasted pita wedges.

Roasting beets isn't hard, but you can save time by substituting refrigerated roasted beets. Just start the recipe on Step 3. Serve the dip with sliced apples, celery sticks or toasted baguette slices.

Just add mayonnaise and cooked shrimp to purchased dip for this easy party treat.

Parmesan, Monterey Jack and Swiss cheeses give melty goodness to this classic dip. We served it with toasted pita chips, but you can use crackers or sliced baguette.

Satisfy your sweet-salty afternoon cravings with this nutrient-packed dip, made with canned pumpkin, white beans and maple syrup. It's fab with honey-wheat pretzel twists, and very kid-friendly.

Chipotle peppers and broiled tomatoes make for a bold, smoky challenge to standard salsa.

A garnish of pomegranate seeds and mint gives spark to this refreshing dip; it''s a healthy choice you''ll be glad to have in your recipe box year-round. Serve with pita chips, crisp breadsticks or vegetables.

We've seen a lot of dips through the years, but we've never forgotten this one -- juicy veggies, tangy olive tapenade and feta piled on a thick layer of hummus. We like to make it ahead and serve it with warm toasted pita wedges. 

Combine edamame and avocado with basil pesto, lemon juice and chopped tomato for this easy potluck dip.

Artichoke hearts, dried tomatoes and sauce combine for a rich, creamy dip. Our recipe calls for processed Swiss cheese because it melts smoothly, but regular Swiss cheese will work fine, too. The dip will have a more stretchy, less creamy texture, but it tastes just as good.

The avocado in this piquant puree of lime, cilantro, onion and tomatillos gives the salsa some richness and body.

Try this sweet, colorful salsa-made with tomato, mango and melon-over chips, fish or chicken.

Lime- and jalapeno-spiced guacamole adds a kick to layers of refried beans, cheese, tomatoes and onions. Serve seasoned tortilla chips on the side.

This chunky, mild salsa gets a generous dose of snipped cilantro. Serve with everything from tortilla chips to chicken. Want more spunk? Add more jalapenos.

This salsa does double duty as a tortilla dip or a meat topper. Serve with a slotted spoon over grilled pork, smoked bratwursts or sausages, grilled chicken or salmon.