These Dips Will Hands Down Stop You Ever Buying Shop Bought Again

Chips and dip are nothing new. We’ve been slathering sour cream and chive on crisps, dipping carrot sticks in hummus and spreading guac on our tortilla chips for years. And if you’re Adele you’ve been topping your ready salted crisps with Worcestershire sauce, obv.

And this summer we’re predicting a chip and dip revolution. With friends gathering once again, and summer parties in full swing, we’re expecting garden tables heaving with sharing platters and picnic blankets loaded with sausage rolls, meat platters and a selection of fancy dips. And we are here for it!

The origins of dips like salsa, guacamole, tzatziki and sambal span centuries, however the chip and dip combo in Western culture is relatively new. In fact, it’s believed this trend began around the 1950s when Lipton advertised a recipe for their dehydrated onion soup mix with cream cheese or sour cream served with crisps.

In 1988, Waitrose became the first supermarket to stock a new and “exotic” chickpea-based dip, bringing hummus to UK shoppers for the first time. In the UK we now consume 12,000 tonnes of hummus a year, with Waitrose supposedly selling a pot every second.

Then in the 90s, Californian avocado farmers sought new ways to market their product, giving out free samples of avocados and recipes of popular Mexican dip guacamole during the Super Bowl. These days, guac fans apparently consume more than 47 million kilos of avocado on Super Bowl Sunday alone.

Fast forward to today, and we apparently spend over £261million every year on chilled dips in the United Kingdom. And we’re not just talking your bog-standard flavours. We’re after healthy dips to pack into our lunchboxes, loaded, yoghurty spreads to add to our dinner party table and moreish cheesy founde-esque dips to snack on watching Eurovision.

We’re a nation that loves simple yet satisfying comfort food, moreish and messy dishes, foods that remind us of our holidays, and the crisp and dip pairing ticks all those boxes.

Let’s also not forget the rise of adventurous crisp snacks – long gone are the choices between just ready salted, cheese and onion and salt and vinegar, we can now snack on lentil crisps, roasted wasabi peas, and crisp flavours like margherita pizza, gravy and even mince pie.

So in honour of one of our favourite food duos, we've rounded up our best dip recipes whether you’re after a creamy Middle labneh or a XXX, we’ve got you covered.

Three Cheese Custard with Pesto

A dip alternative to a cheese fondue, we love this cheese custard, perfect for crudités like carrots, radicchio leaves and of course gherkins. We've topped ours with good-quality shop-bought pesto, but make your own if you fancy!

Beer Queso Dip

We're kinda obsessed with this dip - also called beer cheese to many. Supposedly originated in Kentucky, it involves combining multiple cheeses with beer for a seriously tasty dip. We'd serve this with crackers or salty pretzels.

Confit Garlic and Tomato Labneh

Labneh is a staple in Middle Eastern cuisine, a creamy and refreshing dip made by straining yoghurt and combining it with herbs and spices. We've topped ours with confit garlic and tomato for a showstopping centrepiece.

Whipped Feta with Glazed Leeks

Feta is by far one of our fave cheeses to eat, and this whipped version makes a super tasty spread. We've elevated ours with the tastiest glazed leeks, but scrap that if you're short on time.

Chilled Baked Bean Dip

This was one of the first things my boyfriend ever made me, proudly shoving a can of Heinz finest in a saucepan, promising me an "out of this world" dip. He wasn't wrong - so simple yet satisfyingly good. You can add sour cream if you're feeling fancy, but cream cheese does the job for us,

Roast Garlic Hummus

Hummus needs zero introduction and our classic roast garlic version is hands down one of our favourites. A dab hand at making hummus? Try some of our favourite variations including: Avocado Hummus, Cauliflower Hummus, Pumpkin Hummus and Pickle Hummus.

Guacamole

Guac has been around for centuries thanks to the Aztecs and their 'ahuaca-mulli' concoction. Fast forward to today and guacamole is one of the most iconique dips out there.

Pink Beetroot Hummus

Beetroot juice ramps up the flavour and the colour in this beautifully-hued hummus. We've used dried chickpeas - and it's worth the effort.

Greek Dip

We call this Greek dip, but it's another whipped feta gorgeousness, this time topped with cucumber and cherry tomatoes for a Greek salad inspired dip.

Crab Artichoke Dip

We've combined two American hot dips, crab dip and artichoke dip to form this fusion of dreams.

Jalapeño Popper Dip

Jalapeño poppers are a buffet table fave, and this dip version is a great crowd pleaser. Don't worry, no milk necessarily, the spice is a mere kick rather than a burn your mouth kinda vibe.

Pizza Dip

Yeah, this doesn't need much explanation but a pizza dip is outrageously good. Bacon, sausage, pepperoni and tons of cheese mixed together for a treat of a dip.

Black Bean Dip

Black bean dip can get a bit of a bad rep, but ours is far from boring. Garlic, chilli, and cheese gives this a flavoursome boost.

Dill Dip

Need something that takes 10 mins max? This easy dill dip is refreshingly tasty, and you can make it even healthier by swapping out for low fat Greek yoghurt and low fat mayonnaise.