Healthy Recipes Appetizers Dips & Spreads 21 Easy Dips You Can Make Ahead for Any Occasion By Dillon Evans Dillon Evans Dillon Evans fell in love with cooking at a very young age. He remembers the novel experiences of microwaving a bowl of oatmeal without his parents' permission and asking to make his mother's morning pot of coffee. These moments became catalysts for his interest in cooking and baking. EatingWell's Editorial Guidelines Published on June 1, 2024 Close Photo: Johnny Autry Reduce that pre-party stress by making one of these easy dips ahead of time. From hummus and whipped cheese to salsa and baba ghanoush, these dips come together in as little as 3 steps or less without skimping on flavor. Grab your favorite crudités, chips and/or crackers, and head to your next gathering with our Twarożek (Polish Cottage Cheese Spread) in hand. Or, enjoy dishes like our Cucumber Salsa that are so fresh and delicious, you’ll want to eat it by the spoonful. 01 of 21 Garlic Hummus This garlic hummus recipe couldn't be easier—just toss a few ingredients in the food processor and whir away! View Recipe 02 of 21 Light & Airy Whipped Cottage Cheese Photographer: Rachel Marek, Food stylist: Annie Probst Give this whipped cottage cheese recipe your own spin by making it with your favorite fresh herbs. You can use it as a dip with fresh veggies or as a sandwich spread. View Recipe 03 of 21 Traditional Greek Tahini Dip Super creamy with the nutty flavor of sesame seeds, this homemade tahini sauce recipe is a popular way to begin a meal in Cyprus. Serve with crudités and pita. View Recipe 04 of 21 Twarożek (Polish Cottage Cheese Spread) Rachel Marek, Food stylist: Annie Probst At the heart of the Polish brunch board is a spread called twarożek or gzik, depending on the region of Poland. Traditionally made with farmer's cheese, this version uses cottage cheese along with crunchy radishes and cucumber and fragrant dill. Serve it with hearty rye bread, raw and pickled vegetables, slices of kielbasa, Polish cheese and mustard or horseradish. View Recipe 05 of 21 Loaded Black Bean Dip This is a 7-layer black bean dip simplified: Just heat and season refried beans, then top with fresh vegetables for a texturally exciting dip. View Recipe 06 of 21 Fresh Tomato Salsa Jason Donnelly This easy fresh tomato salsa recipe yields about 5 cups of salsa—plenty to serve a crowd. If you like spicy salsa, use the full amount of jalapeños and add more cayenne pepper. Serve with chips, tacos and more. View Recipe 07 of 21 Cucumber Salsa This fresh, tangy cucumber salsa is perfect for grilled fish or on its own as a simple side salad. Well balanced and easy to make, the flavor mellows and the cucumber softens as this sits, so it can easily be made a day or two ahead of time--or enjoy it right away, fresh and crisp. View Recipe 08 of 21 Spicy Eggplant Dip with Lime & Cilantro Ali Redmond (photography, food & prop styling) Grilling the eggplant gives this dip a smoky flavor that's truly delicious. Serve it as chef Yia Vang does with balls of purple sticky rice for scooping up the dip or along with your choice of vegetables for dipping. View Recipe 09 of 21 Classic Hummus It's easy to make hummus at home with just a few pantry items. Serve drizzled with your best-quality extra-virgin olive oil and chopped parsley. Mop it up with warm whole-wheat pita bread or cut-up vegetables. View Recipe 10 of 21 Avocado-Yogurt Dip Update your guacamole recipe by adding protein-packed yogurt to make a healthy dip recipe. For an extra kick, add minced jalapeño or your favorite hot sauce for some zing! Serve this healthy dip recipe with crunchy vegetables, pita chips or pretzels, or use as a sandwich spread. View Recipe 11 of 21 Copycat Trader Joe's Caramelized Onion Dip Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn This savory caramelized onion dip features fresh sweet onion, cooked until sweet and golden and combined with Greek-style yogurt, sour cream and cream cheese for added body. Serve this copycat dip with fresh, crispy veggies, pretzel chips or classic potato chips to please a crowd. View Recipe 12 of 21 Everything Bagel Cheese Ball This is not your grandma's cheese ball. It has all the flavor of an everything bagel without all the carbs and with just 3 ingredients! Want to emphasize the bagel taste? Serve it with bagel chips and some raw veggies for dipping to keep things healthy. View Recipe 13 of 21 Spinach-Feta Dip with Dill Try this spinach dip, infused with fresh dill and briny feta cheese, as a sandwich spread—or serve alongside crackers or crudité. View Recipe 14 of 21 French Onion Dip Chicken & Rice Casserole Greg Dupree This creamy French onion dip chicken and rice casserole topped with crispy potato chips is perfect for game day or whenever you want a comforting meal the whole family will love. View Recipe 15 of 21 Pear-Pecan Cheese Ball Sweet pear, salty Cheddar cheese and crunchy nuts make this healthy cheese ball recipe an alluring holiday treat. Serve with an array of crudités and crisp party crackers. View Recipe 16 of 21 Caramelized Leek Dip Johnny Autry Caramelized leeks, fresh scallions and chives give this French-onion-inspired dip a triple hit of allium flavor. Serve with crudités and potato chips. View Recipe 17 of 21 Kale Artichoke Dip A riff on traditional spinach artichoke dip, this creamy, cheesy dip recipe is made healthier by replacing some of the cream cheese with yogurt. Serve as an easy appetizer with tortilla chips and carrot sticks. View Recipe 18 of 21 Southwestern Layered Bean Dip Plenty of black beans, salsa and chopped fresh vegetables mean a healthy amount of dietary fiber in this Tex-Mex-inspired layered dip. We use reduced-fat sour cream along with full-fat (and full-flavored) cheese to make the dip lighter without compromising great taste. Be sure to have lots of baked tortilla chips on hand when you serve it. View Recipe 19 of 21 Lemon Avocado Dip For this healthy spin on guacamole, stick with light sour cream. It's lower in carbs than fat-free sour cream. View Recipe 20 of 21 Jason Mraz's Guacamole In this easy guacamole recipe, musician Mraz prefers California Hass or Reed avocados because they are the creamiest. Adjust the heat, tang or other flavorings to suit your tastes. View Recipe 21 of 21 Baba Ghanoush Grilled eggplant is pureed along with garlic, lemon juice and tahini to make a lighter version of the classic Middle Eastern dip. If you can't find ground sumac for the garnish, chopped pistachios are traditional as well. Serve with pita wedges or use as a spread for sandwiches. View Recipe Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit