Today I’ve gathered some of my favorite cold dips. These are recipes to serve at your next party (or for a potluck if you are from Minnesota ;)) and are always a crowd favorite. The cold Olive Dip and Pimento Cheese Dip are must-try’s. Like, non-negotiable you MUST try.
For a summer party, my favorite thing to serve is dip and tortilla chips or pita chips. In fact, we sometimes have parties with only dips. If you ask my sister what her favorite appetizer is she says…dip. Any kind. This means I make ALOT of dips.
New Cooks: Below you’ll find our reader fave (mine too!) 3 ingredient Olive Dip. If you are just getting into making homemade dips, this recipe is the place to start. It’s so easy!
DIP RECIPES FROM THE NELLIEBELLIE COLLECTION...
my favorite cold dips that aren’t part of the Nellie Bellie collection…
- 5 Minute Avocado Ranch Dip from Two Healthy Kitchens
- Cheddar Bacon Garlic Dip from The Gracious Wife
- Dill Pickle Dip from A Forks Tale
- Mediterranean Layered Dip from Dinner at the Zoo
- Easy Taco Dip from Sugar Spun Run
- Chipotle Ranch Chip Dip from The Creative Bite
- Sriracha Cheddar Cheese Ball from A Weary Chef
- Cold Crab Dip from Wholesome Yum
- Cold Spinach Feta Dip from Easy Family Recipes
- BLT Dip from The Gracious Wife
- Spicy Corn Dip from Lydi Out Loud
- Mexican Street Corn Dip from Baby Savers
- Beer Dip from The Two Bite Club
- Lemon Dill Dip from Simply Stacie
- Smoked Salmon Dip from Dinner at the Zoo
- Pimento Cheddar Cheese Dip from Tastes of Lizzy T
- Parmesan Bacon Dip from Who Needs a Cape
- Black Bean and Corn Salsa from Garnish and Glaze
- Creamy Cucumber Layered Dip from The Creative Bite
- Creamy Black Bean Avocado Dip from The Gracious Wife
- Roasted Red Pepper Dip from Belle of the Kitchen
- Salmon Dip from Sunny Sweet Days
- Creamy Balsamic Vinaigrette Dip from Who Needs a Cape
- Loaded Bacon Ranch Dip from Food Folks and Fun
tips for cold dips:
- Keep them cold in the refrigerator until time to serve.
- Most dips use a base of sour cream, mayo, cream cheese, or greek yogurt. Many of which can be interchanged to dietary preferences.
- Stirring in fresh herbs like fresh basil, parsley, or green onion before serving your dip is a great way to elevate the dip.
- Many dips can be made a day or two ahead of when you are serving and the extra time they hang out in the dish will enhance the flavor.
- Cover the bottom of a small plastic cup with dip and add veggies or ships to the remainder of the cup for a simple and fun party dip. Line them up for the guests to enjoy.
How to keep dips cold at a party?
- Fill a cooler with ice and place the dips on top of the ice. Make a cute sign to let guests know that they can find the dips in the cooler. Be sure to have a container for the spoons (in the cooler) to land in or you’ll have a mess.
- For small bowls of dip, fill a cake pan or large roasting pan with ice and nestle the dips inside the ice. Be sure to drain off the melted ice on a regular basis.
- For larger containers of dip, place the bowl of dip inside a larger bowl or even a Rubbermaid container filled with ice.
- Have individual servings of the dip in small glasses lined up in coolers ready to go. Maybe even have small bags of chips alongside the cooler.
- Always keep in mind that your serving utensils also need to be kept cold!
What are good things to dip?
Chocolate? Ha…just kidding. Here are some of our personal favorites…
- Pita chips
- Tortilla chips and corn chips.
- Pretzels
- Bread like naan or ciabatta
- Baguettes or baguette slices
- Crackers
- Sliced vegetables
What are raw sliced vegetables served with dips?
- Bell peppers are always a great option. Use red, yellow, and green slices for taste and color.
- Broccoli and cauliflower florets are classics for dip.
- Olives, although not sliced (I like to put them on toothpicks!), are one of my personal favorites for dipping.
- Baby carrots
- Celery sticks.
- Cherry tomatoes, also not sliced but oh so tasty!
How long is dip good for?
Honestly, it depends on the ingredients. But most dips are going to be great hanging out in the fridge for 3 days. If they don’t have any fresh veggies or herbs mixed into their base they can even hang out up to 5 days. However! If I’ve served dips at a party (especially an outdoor one) I toss any dip left over in the dishes. The potential for bacteria from heat isn’t worth it.
Tip: Keep most of your dip in the fridge and set out more as you see it’s being consumed…this will keep your dip as fresh and cold as possible!
CAN YOU FREEZE DIP WITH SOUR CREAM?
Most dips can’t easily be frozen because they use dairy (sour cream) as a base. Dairy gets a little funky when frozen and thawed and isn’t a great texture. I wouldn’t recommend freezing most dips unless the recipe or container says you can do so.
CAN YOU FREEZE DIPS MADE WITH CREAM CHEESE?
Same answer as above..probably not.
I would love to hear what is your go-to cold dip recipe. I’m always looking to try new ones. My sister’s birthday is coming up soon and I have to be prepared :).
