Three-ingredient dips you can whip up in minutes

As easy as one, two, three...

Whether you’re looking for an easy starter for a dinner party, the perfect picking plate for a picnic or the ultimate game day snack, you’ll find delicious dips for every occasion in our collection – and each one calls for just three ingredients. From hummus and guacamole to tapenade and tzatziki, ready your tortilla chips (or crisps, crudités or pitta pockets) and get ready for some truly tasty dipping and dunking.

Read on to discover 32 ideas for the easiest – and most mouth-watering – dips around, including some surprisingly sweet options.

Satay

This satay-style dip couldn’t be easier to whip up. Put 8oz (225g) crunchy peanut butter, 3 tbsp soy sauce and 5fl oz (150ml) coconut milk in a blender and blitz until smooth. Pour into a bowl and serve with an array of fresh, crunchy vegetables. You could also add a crushed garlic clove, a sprinkling of chilli flakes and a generous squeeze of lime juice to the mix before blending.

Honeyed curry mayo

For a tasty dip with a bit of background kick, set a small saucepan with 4 tbsp runny honey and 2 tbsp curry powder over low heat. Stir until the curry powder dissolves and the honey just starts to bubble. Remove from the heat and leave to cool, then whisk into 4oz (115g) mayonnaise. At this point, you could also stir in some chopped coriander and a squeeze of lime. Serve with tortilla chips and lime wedges.

Baked brie

Oozy, gooey, utterly indulgent and ever so easy to make – this dip is one to remember. Take a whole brie (with rind) from its box and remove any wrapping. Return to the box or place in a small, ovenproof pan and score the surface of the cheese in a criss-cross pattern. Bake in an oven preheated to 200°C/180°C fan/400°F/gas mark 6 for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven, drizzle with honey or chilli jam and serve with crispy flatbreads.

Whipped smoked salmon

This Scandinavian-style dip combines three great ingredients – cream cheese, salmon and dill – for a refreshing, summery dip. Take 8oz (225g) cream cheese, and combine with 1 tbsp freshly chopped dill and 4oz (115g) finely chopped smoked salmon. Season to taste and serve with slices of dark rye bread or sourdough crackers. For a punchier version, add a squeeze of lemon juice and a little horseradish sauce.

Goats' cheese and lemon

To make this moreish dip, combine 7oz (200g) soft goats' cheese with the juice and zest of a lemon, then blend with 12oz (340g) mayonnaise and season with salt and pepper. You could easily substitute the goat's cheese for feta or cream cheese, and add a tablespoon of olive oil and a clove of garlic to the blender, for depth and richness. Scatter with chopped parsley and drizzle with olive oil to serve, if you like.

Speedy blue cheese

Thanks to the tang of blue cheese and zip of lemon juice, this dip stands up very well to the heat and bite of spicy Buffalo wings. Simply mix crumbled blue cheese and sour cream in equal quantities, then add the juice of half a lemon – that’s it. Of course, you could also add a little mayonnaise, a crushed garlic clove, dash of smoked paprika, scattering of chopped parsley and even crispy bacon bits for garnish, if you want to go all out.

Hummus

To make your own version of the popular Middle Eastern dip, take a standard can of chickpeas (usually around 9oz/250g when drained) and blend until smooth. Add two or three crushed garlic cloves and 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve with lightly toasted pitta bread. Ramp up the flavour with a squeeze of lemon juice, drizzle of tahini (sesame seed paste) and a sprinkling of cumin and paprika.

Creamy ranch

This is a great dip to have in your repertoire and can be made in minutes. Whisk sour cream with the green herb of your choice – parsley, dill or chives all work well. Season with salt and pepper to taste, add freshly squeezed lemon juice and you’re done. Serve with crackers, fresh bread or vegetable crudités. For a slight variation on the idea, combine equal parts mayonnaise and sour cream and continue as before, with the addition of a crushed garlic clove.

Cucumber raita

A traditional Indian accompaniment, refreshing cucumber raita offers a lovely cooling balance to spicy dishes. To make your raita, peel and grate a medium cucumber and stir into 5oz (150g) natural, unsweetened yoghurt. Season with salt and pepper and mix in a large handful of chopped mint. For an elevated version, add a pinch of ground cumin or chilli powder or a couple of finely sliced spring onions.

Crab pâté

Buy prepared crab and this dip is incredibly simple to throw together. Mix 7oz (200g) shredded, cooked crab meat with 4 tbsp sour cream and the juice and zest of two limes. Season to taste and serve with crackers or brioche. For a version with a bit of a kick, add chopped chives and a little Tabasco.

Tapenade

Conjure up a taste of the Mediterranean the easy way with this classic dip. Combine 9oz (250g) pitted black olives, six anchovy fillets and 3 tbsp olive oil. Mix and crush by hand for a rough paste or blend for a smooth one. Serve with slices of freshly toasted baguette. For an upgraded version, add a crushed garlic clove, the juice of a lemon, a couple of tablespoons of capers and some chopped parsley.

Aioli

For a speedy, cheat version of aioli, mix two crushed garlic cloves with the juice of half a lemon and stir into your favourite mayonnaise (you could add chopped parsley too). This rich and creamy dip is fantastic served with fresh seafood and also makes a lovely, punchy base for a potato salad.

Baba ganoush

It’s the deep, smoky taste of roasted aubergine that makes this Middle Eastern dip really memorable. Take three medium aubergines, douse in olive oil and bake in a hot oven for around 30 minutes, or until softened. When cool, scoop out the flesh (discard the skin) and blend to a paste along with two crushed garlic cloves and 3 tbsp olive oil. Season to taste – it will need salt. Serve with pitta or flatbreads.

Smoked mackerel pâté

Mackerel is great value for money and full of healthy fats. To make this tasty dip, combine two parts flaked, smoked mackerel with one part cream cheese and blend with the juice and zest of a lemon. Season to taste with salt and plenty of pepper and serve with crusty brown bread or toast. For an elevated version, add a handful of chopped parsley or capers and a tablespoon or two of horseradish sauce.

Sour cream and onion

With the tang of sour cream, citrussy brightness from the lemon and crunch courtesy of the spring onions, this is a classic dip for potato crisps or tortilla chips and is so simple to make. Just combine 3.5oz (100g) sour cream, a finely chopped spring onion and crushed garlic clove and season to taste with salt and pepper. You can always also add a little lemon juice and a handful of chopped chives if you like.

Roasted red pepper

The rich, deep red colour makes this a great-looking dip, as well as being a great-tasting one. Drizzle four deseeded, quartered red peppers and a roughly chopped white onion with olive oil, then roast in a hot oven until softened. Cool slightly, then blitz in a blender with 2 tbsp olive oil and salt and pepper. Serve with pitta bread for scooping up the dip. You could also easily add a crushed garlic clove and some roasted tomatoes before blitzing.

Beetroot hummus

For a vibrant dip that really stands out, try this beetroot hummus. All you need to do is blend a can of chickpeas (usually around 9oz/250g when drained) with around 9oz (250g) cooked beetroot and a clove or two of garlic. Season to taste and serve with warm flatbreads. For a dip with more depth of flavour, add the juice of a lemon, a couple of tablespoons of tahini and a scattering of ground cumin.

Tzatziki

Similar to raita, tzatziki's core ingredients are cucumber, plain yoghurt and mint. The refreshing dip is often served as part of a Greek mezze and is great with pillowy flatbreads and crudités. To make, take half a cucumber, scoop out the seeds and grate the flesh. Mix with around 9oz (250g) thick plain yoghurt and a handful of chopped mint. A couple of crushed garlic cloves and a squeeze of lemon make tasty extra additions.

Artichoke

To make our simple version of this dip, blitz 14oz (400g) canned artichoke hearts with 12oz (340g) cream cheese and 10oz (300g) Parmesan in a blender until smooth, then season with salt and pepper before serving. You can adjust the texture with the addition of sour cream or mayonnaise and add some complexity with cooked spinach.

Tomato salsa

It doesn’t get much simpler than this tomato-based favourite. Take four of the ripest tomatoes you can find (a mix of colours is nice) and finely chop. Do the same with a quarter of a red onion and combine with a crushed garlic clove, then season to taste with salt and pepper. The salsa will be lovely served with tortilla chips as is or take it up a level with a squeeze of lime juice and some chopped coriander.

Guacamole

Guacamole can of course be made in myriad ways. Our basic version keeps things deliberately simple. Mash three ripe avocados with a good pinch of sea salt, add the juice of two limes and stir in lots of chopped coriander. You could add a dash of Tabasco, a pinch of cumin and some finely chopped spring onions too.

Salmon and cream cheese

If you’ve got a can of salmon lurking in your cupboard, consider whizzing it up in the blender with the same weight of cream cheese and the juice and zest of a lemon. This dip is delicious served on little toasts or with an array of crudités. You could also try adding fresh dill, which works really well with salmon.

Broad bean and basil

For a true taste of summer, this easy dip is just the thing and is great spread on toast or scooped up with tortilla chips. Blanch broad beans in boiling water and pop off their outer skins - frozen broad beans are fine to use. Tip into a blender and whizz up with a little Greek yoghurt or crème fraîche and a big handful of basil. Season well. You could add a squeeze of lemon for extra punch.

Spicy ponzu

This fragrant sauce makes a great dip for spring rolls or potsticker dumplings. Ponzu is similar to soy sauce, but more citrussy. Just add dried chilli flakes and finely chopped spring onions, then leave to infuse for 30 minutes or so before serving. You could jazz it up with a splash of toasted sesame oil.

Whipped feta

For a creamy dip with a pleasingly salty tang, put 7oz (200g) feta and around 5oz (150g) Greek yoghurt in a blender and blitz until smooth. With the blender still running, slowly pour in 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil. Serve topped with a little extra olive oil and plenty of black pepper or for something a little more extravagant, garnish with roasted red onion wedges and olives.

Labneh

Soft, creamy labneh is made by draining the whey out of yoghurt, leaving you with a thick and creamy cheese-like condiment with a concentrated flavour and slight tang. To make it, mix 2lbs (900g) full-fat yoghurt and 3/4 tsp salt and place in a colander lined with muslin cloth and suspended over a bowl. Tie the edges together, cover with a heavy weight and leave to drain in the fridge for at least 12 hours. Discard the liquid and flavour your labneh with garlic, herbs, olive oil or spices.

Hot tomato

Here's a perfect hot dip to serve with potato wedges or fries. Tip a canned tomato and onion mix into a saucepan, add a little dried oregano and chilli flakes, season with salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Simmer until the sauce has reduced and thickened. Taste for seasoning before serving.

Queso

This Tex-Mex dip is well worth turning the oven on for. Set a saucepan with 8oz (225g) grated Cheddar or other good melting cheese, a 12oz (375g) can of evaporated milk and 1 tbsp cornflour over medium heat. Season with salt and pepper and whisk until the mix is well combined and bubbling. For a fancier version, try adding tomato salsa (as much as you like), chopped green jalapeños for heat and a sprinkling of cumin for spice.

Vegan queso

Yes, you read that right – here's a vegan take on queso. To make yours, put around 5oz (140g) raw cashews in a blender with 6fl oz (175ml) hot water, 2 tbsp nutritional yeast and 1 tsp smoked paprika. Blend until smooth and creamy, adding more water if necessary. Season with salt and pepper and sprinkle with a little extra nutritional yeast. Serve with piles of warm tortilla chips.

Caramel sauce

Dips don't have to be savoury; this caramel sauce makes a wonderful partner for all sorts of desserts. Offer with churros or strawberries for dunking or just dig in with a spoon, we won't judge. To make, add equal quantities of butter and white sugar to a saucepan set over medium heat. Stir until the sugar has melted and the mixture is an amber colour, then slowly pour in the same weight of cream, whisking continuously. To vary the recipe, you can substitute the white sugar for brown and add a little vanilla extract or sea salt.

Chocolate sauce

Great as a dip for mini doughnuts or pretty much any other sweet treat, chocolate sauce is really easy to make at home. Combine 3.5oz (100g) dark chocolate with 2fl oz (60ml) double cream and 1 tsp vanilla extract. Leave to melt in a heatproof bowl suspended over a pan of gently simmering water, taking care to ensure the chocolate doesn’t get too hot and seize. Once the chocolate has melted, remove from the heat and whisk to combine.

S’mores dip

The North American fireside treat traditionally combines melted marshmallows with chocolate in a Graham cracker sandwich. But it’s also possible to make a dip version. Here’s how: preheat your oven to 220°C/200°C fan/425°F/gas mark 7. Cover the base of an ovenproof pan with a generous layer of chocolate chips, then add a layer of large marshmallows, halved. Bake for eight to 10 minutes or until the marshmallows are toasted brown on top and starting to melt. Offer Graham crackers on the side, for dipping.

Now discover these brilliantly quick appetisers for last-minute guests

Last updated by Emily Shardlow-Price.