As soon as Halloween ends, the real party begins. I’m talking about the season of holiday parties and the delicious food that comes with it. And during the holidays appetizers reign supreme.
Here, we’ve compiled a list of fast, cheap party dips you can make for any party: Friendsgiving, your dorm’s Christmas party, all of your Hanukkah gatherings, New Year’s Eve (you know you need something to go with that champagne), and of course the Super Bowl.
Guac-Hummus Hybrid
Photo by Benj Shapiro
What’s not to love about hummus and guacamole coming together and making sweet dip love?
Guacamole and chickpeas make relatively neutral base if you want to add other flavors to it. Try spicing it up with a little Sriracha, or making it Mediterranean with Greek yogurt and dill, instead of cilantro.
Cannoli Dip
Photo by Kelly Logan
I don’t know about you but I view the cannoli shell as a vehicle for the delicious filling — like carrots are for ranch. Here I get a much better filling to shell ratio, and I ain’t mad.
Parmesan Dip
Photo by Katherine Richter
This Parmesan dip should really be called Eat Your Veggies Dip. This is the best way to use up any dippable veggies you’ve got in the back of your fridge, and the best part is you’ve probably got all of the ingredients in your kitchen already.
Spinach Dip
Photo by Kelly Logan
This is another eat your veggies dip, and this one actually has veggies in it. The key to a successful spinach dip is making sure you squeeze out all of the water in the spinach.
Don’t have the Knorr vegetable mix (or you’re afraid of MSG, whatever it is)? This recipe doesn’t use a mix and lightens it up by cutting down the amount of mayo.
Buffalo Chicken Dip
Photo by Hana Ezaldein
This is my favorite football Sunday dip by far. I pretend that it’s healthy by dipping celery in it, but let’s be honest I’m here for the cream cheese and the chicken.
This stuff is a little on the spicy side so if you’re not a fan of heat just use a little bit of the hot sauce and add more if you need to. Or you could just drink a beer with it, either way works.
Salmon Dip With a European Twist
Photo by Eva Reynolds
This is the equivalent of putting salmon on your bagel, but better because you can have a lot more of it. This recipe features a great German cheese called quark. It’s a tart, soft cheese somewhere between cream cheese and cottage cheese.
You can find quark at your local Whole Foods, but if you don’t feel like buying the quark and crème fraiche these can be substituted for cream cheese and some lemon juice.
4-Ingredient Taco Dip
Photo by Alison Wojtowecz
This is such a simple, fast dip to make you’ll want to throw it together for every party you have.
Want to add some fresh ingredients? Chop up some tomatoes and lettuce and throw them on top of the dip right before serving.
And if you haven’t noticed by now I’m not a fan of the spice packets (What? I grew up in a house that thought sodium was evil). Alton Brown, my Food Network crush, has a simple taco seasoning mix, Taco Potion #19.
Skinny Dips
Photo by Kathryn Stouffer
I love any food that’s skinny and takes under two minutes to make. Both the Black Bean and the Honey Bear dip take a minute to make and won’t make you feel guilty for snacking, or will justify eating a fourth cookie this holiday season.
All of the Salsa
Photo by Sydney Segal
There’s nothing better than a bag of chips and a jar of salsa, except a bag of chips and any of these from-scratch, appetizing salsas.
Just for You Spinach and Artichoke Dip
Photo by Samantha Ho
I have no idea how to eat an actual artichoke unless it’s in spinach-artichoke dip.
This recipe serves 2-4, or really just you, but you can easily double it. Use it to impress your family at Thanksgiving so that maybe they’ll stop asking you what you’re going to do with your life.
Dunkaroo Dip
Photo by Aarthi Chezian
Dunkaroos disappeared from our pantries, but never our hearts, in the early 2000s. These little cookie and frosting dippers were the lunchbox dessert you prayed for in elementary school. Now you can relive the days when you could call frosting a snack and adult responsibilities was a far away thing.
5-Ingredient Baked Pizza Dip
Photo by Kelly Logan
Share your love of pizza by creating this dip for your next party. This recipe uses pepperoni but feel free to add your own favorite pizza toppings. Then sit back and watch as everyone devours your tasty dip.
Warm Apple Pie Dip
Gif by Elena Besser
This dip is for anyone who loves pie but never gets to eat it because they fall into a food coma right after they finish the turkey.
Super Bowl Dips
Photo by Maddy Shannon
The Super Bowl not only celebrates the best in football, but the best in appetizers as well. The 7 layer dip is the Old Faithful of the group, but the Creamy Pesto Dip is your wow piece.
Homemade French Onion Dip
Photo by Kelly Logan
This is a homemade take on an old standby. Who knew French onion dip was so easy to make? No one, so just let your friends and family assume you became a culinary master this semester.
Cookie Dough Dip
Photo by Julia Gorlovetskaya
This dip is gluten-free and salmonella-free and you can eat cookie dough, it’s a win-win all around here.