Dips, Salsa and Sauces
Dips can be made with an endless variety of ingredients, and can certainly brighten up any party, holiday or event! Dips can also add amazing flavor, texture and color to all sorts of foods used for dipping, including crudités (bite-size fresh raw vegetables), Baked Crostini or Broiled Crostini, Pita Chips, Tortilla Chips, potato chips, corn chips, naan bread and more. Dips, salsa and sauce recipes are all included on these pages, simply because they all essentially share the same purpose - to add flavor and texture to other foods.
Dip recipes can be all over the map, and can be made creamy, cheesy, thick or somewhat runny. The basic ingredients of dips (before meats, vegetables or other
ingredients are added) can vary greatly, and can include sour cream, buttermilk, mayonnaise, and one or more variety of cheeses, including cheddar, Monterey jack, cream cheese, mozzarella cheese, goat cheese, Parmesan cheese, cottage cheese, and the list goes on! When it comes to the filler ingredients that truly define each dip recipe, the sky's the limit! Meat (including chicken, turkey, beef or pork), seafood (such as crab, shrimp or even salmon) and vegetables (such as red or green bell peppers, spinach, artichoke hearts, tomatoes or sun-dried tomatoes, roasted red peppers and onions (yellow, purple or green) can add color, flavor and amazing texture to dips. Dips can also be served chilled (referred to as cold dips) or hot after having baked in the oven (referred to as hot dips), both of which are usually still delicious even when cooled to room temperature. Leftover hot dips are also easily reheated in the microwave. Let's also not forget those wonderful dips that contain avocado, chick peas or garbanzo beans (as with hummus) and olives (as with Tapenade). One thing is for certain, when planning for a party, holiday or any event, dips are one of the easiest appetizers to prepare. Once you decide on the best dip recipe to suit your event, all you'll need is some accompanying crackers, plain crostini (baked or broiled), fresh raw vegetables (crudités), or other dippable food, and you're set to go!
Dip recipes can be all over the map, and can be made creamy, cheesy, thick or somewhat runny. The basic ingredients of dips (before meats, vegetables or other
Dip, Salsa and Sauce Recipes ▼
Pesto is a full-flavored and vibrantly green-colored sauce made from fresh basil leaves, pine nuts, garlic, Parmesan cheese and olive oil. This Pesto recipe is incredibly easy to make, and is delicious used with all sorts of foods, including dishes like Pesto Cheese Crostini with Cherry Tomatoes, Pesto Pepperoni Cheese Pinwheels, Pasta with Pesto and even Pesto Pizza!
Pyramid Avocado Dip is similar to Seven Layer Dip, in that it has layers, though the ingredients slightly differ. No refried beans are used with this Mexican layer dip recipe, and instead of using a layer of plain sour cream, a flavorful blended mixture of sour cream, cream cheese and taco seasoning mix is spread on top of some mashed avocados that have been combined with some freshly squeezed lemon juice. A party hit!
This creamy Roasted Red Pepper Dip features equal portions of sour cream and mayonnaise, diced roasted red peppers, diced green chiles, lemon juice, garlic powder and a dash of cayenne to give this festive dip a little "zing" (the cayenne pepper is optional if you prefer less spice). This dip is tasty served with tortilla or other chips, crackers or fresh vegetables, such as carrot sticks, broccoli florets, celery, cauliflower florets, etc.
This Roasted Red Pepper Hummus recipe is a healthy and delicious dip featuring chick peas (also known as garbanzo beans), roasted red bell peppers, tahini (sesame paste), fresh lemon juice and assorted herbs and spices. This hummus dip can be enjoyed with a large variety of foods, including assorted crackers, bagel chips, tortilla and/or corn chips, pita bread, vegetables and more.
Once you try this homemade Salsa recipe and realize how quick and easy it is to make, premade bottled salsa will never again be able to compare! This salsa is perfect served with fresh tortilla chips because of their undeniable freshness and crispiness, though packaged chips can also be used. If you'd like to whip up a batch of fresh tortilla chips with this salsa, an easy recipe for homemade tortilla chips is included with this recipe.,
This easy pesto recipe is similar to traditional pesto recipes, in that it uses fresh basil leaves, Parmesan cheese, pine nuts and olive oil. However, while there is no garlic used with this recipe, sun-dried tomatoes (oil-packed or dried), freshly squeezed le mon juice, red pepper flakes and a little salt are added, bringing amazing tangy and delicious flavor to this pesto. See the recipe for great serving ideas!
