Crowd-Pleasing Dips – But Make Them Gourmet

If you like to bring crowd-pleasing dishes to a get-together that are easy to make but taste like they were made by Gordon Ramsey himself, you’ve come to the right place. Here are our favorite five dip and spread recipes!

Baked Goat Cheese Spread with Pepper Jelly

(image via southern living/antonis achilleos)

It doesn’t get much easier than pepper jelly combined with creamy goat cheese. If you love a warm, creamy spread with a kick, check out this recipe from Southern Living.

Ingredients:

• 16 oz cream cheese, softened
• 10 oz goat cheese, softened
• 1½ tsp kosher salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 2 garlic cloves, grated (about 1 tsp)
• ¼ cup chopped fresh chives, plus more for garnish
• ¾ cup red pepper jelly
• Crudités and bread, for serving

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350° F. Combine cream cheese, goat cheese, salt, black pepper, and garlic in a food processor. Process until smooth, about 1 minute, stopping to scrape down sides as needed. Transfer mixture to a medium bowl, and stir in chives.
2. Spoon mixture evenly into a shallow 1½-quart baking dish. Bake in preheated oven until heated through, 15-18 minutes. Place pepper jelly in a medium bowl and whisk vigorously to loosen. Spread pepper jelly over hot dip; garnish with additional chives. Serve immediately with crudités and bread.

Guac with Charred Jalapeño and Scallions

(image via food & wine/fredrika stjarne)

Guac is always a good idea! Kick it up a notch with fresh scallions and charred jalapeños. If this sounds like your next go-to, check out this recipe from Food & Wine.

Ingredients:

• 3 medium scallions, white and tender green parts only
• 2 medium garlic cloves, unpeeled
• 1 jalapeño, seeded and quartered lengthwise
• 1 Tbsp vegetable oil
• 3 Hass avocados, halved and pitted
• ¼ cup cilantro leaves, finely chopped
• 2 Tbsp fresh lime juice
• Salt and freshly ground pepper

Instructions:

1. Preheat a grill pan. In a small bowl, toss the scallions, garlic, and jalapeño with vegetable oil. Grill over moderately high heat, turning occasionally, until charred, 5-6 minutes. Transfer to a work surface and let cool.
2. Finely chop scallions and jalapeño and transfer to a medium bowl. Peel garlic cloves; mash them to a paste and add to bowl. Scoop avocado flesh into bowl and coarsely mash with a fork. Fold cilantro and lime juice into the guacamole. Season with salt and pepper and serve.

Artichoke Gruyère Dip

(image via the spruce eats/eric kleinberg)

Take a classic dip recipe and make it more gourmet by swapping out cheeses. Take this dip from The Spruce Eats, for example. Swap out Parmesan for creamy, rich Gruyère. The change is subtle but makes all the difference.

Ingredients:

• 14 oz artichoke hearts packed in water, drained
• ¼ cup plain Greek yogurt or sour cream
• 1 Tbsp mayonnaise
• Dash cayenne pepper
• 1 cup grated Gruyère cheese, divided
• 1 Tbsp finely chopped fresh basil or parsley (optional)

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 400° F.
2. Pulse artichoke hearts in a food processor to break them into small pieces, about 20 seconds.
3. Add yogurt/sour cream, mayonnaise, cayenne pepper, and ¾ cup Gruyère cheese. Pulse a few seconds until just blended.
4. Scrape and spread into a baking dish and bake 20 minutes, uncovered, until warmed through and slightly bubbly.
5. Sprinkle remaining ¼ cup grated cheese and fresh herbs (if using) on top and broil for 1-2 minutes.
6. Serve warm or at room temperature with ​slices of crusty bread. Try rubbing the bread with olive oil and toasting it in the oven before serving.

Caramelized Onion Dip

(image via southern living via getty images)

Regular onion dip is fine, but this smooth mixture of cream cheese, sour cream, mayo, and Worcestershire sauce is topped off with caramelized onions to create magic. Check out this recipe from Southern Living.

Ingredients:

• 3 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 yellow onions, sliced
• 8 oz cream cheese, room temperature
• 1 cup sour cream
• ½ cup mayonnaise
• 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tsp kosher salt

Instructions:

1. Place oil in a Dutch oven or large pot over medium heat. Add onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are soft and translucent, about 7 minutes. Continue cooking over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the translucent onions become brown, 10-15 minutes. (Note: The onions should not be crispy or have dark brown spots from contact with the pan; they should be soft, semi-translucent, and brown.)
2. With a mixer, beat cream cheese, sour cream, and mayonnaise on medium-high until smooth. Add Worcestershire sauce and salt and stir to combine. Add caramelized onion and incorporate with a spatula until evenly distributed.

Baked Goat Cheese Bruschetta Dip

(image via dishing out health)

Creamy goat cheese goes with just about anything! That said, a bruschetta topping made of robust tomatoes, fresh basil, and balsamic vinegar may be the best-case scenario. Check out this recipe from Dishing Out Health.

Ingredients:

• 8 oz goat cheese, softened to room temperature
• 4 oz cream cheese, softened to room temperature
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• ½ cup plain full-fat Greek yogurt
• 2 garlic cloves, grated
• 1 cup tomato bruschetta
• 1-2 Tbsp balsamic glaze
• 2-3 Tbsp fresh basil leaves, chopped
• Grilled crostini or pita for serving

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 400º F.
2. In a large bowl, combine goat cheese, cream cheese, mozzarella, Greek yogurt, and garlic; mix well.
3. Transfer to a greased 1-quart baking dish or ovenproof skillet; spread into an even layer.
4. Bake until warmed through and bubbling, 20-25 minutes.
5. Spoon tomato bruschetta mixture overtop; finish with a drizzle of balsamic glaze. Garnish with fresh chopped basil leaves.

Do you have any go-to dip recipes? Share them with us in the comments below!