Four crowd-pleasing sour cream dips for easy entertaining

Published 10:07 am Thursday, November 21, 2024

Want to be popular this holiday season? Show up for a party with a creamy dip and something crisp for scooping it up.

What’s not to love?

Around the holidays, it’s almost essential to have quick and easy appetizers for drop-ins, potlucks or your own celebrations.

For these four dips we tried to think outside the box while keeping the recipes simple. Each requires just one 8-ounce container of sour cream. And you can substitute Greek yogurt if you like, but you may have to add a little water, too. Three of them even have a secret power, giving you options in the unlikely event there are leftovers. Each takes 20 minutes or less to throw together.

6 servings (makes 1½ cups)

This dip is the heartiest of our creations. Smoked salmon is flaked into sour cream that has been mixed with everything bagel spice mix, capers, red onion, scallions and fresh dill. (You can make the dip with whipped or softened cream cheese, too.) Serve this with bagel chips.

Make ahead: You can eat the dip right away, but it tastes even better after being refrigerated for 1 day. If you make it with cream cheese, after refrigerating, let it sit at room temperature for 15 to 20 minutes before serving to take the chill off and soften.

Storage: Refrigerate for up to 4 days.

Total time: 20 mins

Ingredients

• 8 ounces sour cream
• 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons salt-free everything bagel seasoning blend
• 2 tablespoons chopped red onion
• 2 tablespoons chopped scallion, plus more for optional garnish
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill fronds, plus more for serving
• 2 teaspoons capers, drained, rinsed and roughly chopped
• ½ teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
• 4 ounces baked smoked salmon
• Bagel chips, sliced carrots, radishes and/or celery, for serving

Directions

In a large bowl, stir together the sour cream, mayonnaise, everything bagel seasoning blend, red onion, scallion, dill fronds, capers and lemon zest until combined. Flake the salmon into the bowl and gently stir to combine, leaving small chunks of fish.

Transfer to a serving bowl and sprinkle with dill fronds and garnish with additional scallion, if desired. Serve with bagel chips, sliced carrots, radishes and/or celery.

5 servings (makes about 1 1/4 cups)

Serve it with sliced fresh apples or pears, dried apple slices or pita chips. Its secret power: Spread it on pork or chicken sandwiches.

Make ahead: You can eat the dip right away, but it tastes even better after being refrigerated for 1 day.

Storage: Refrigerate for up to 4 days; stir before serving.

Substitutions: Nut-free? Skip the walnuts or sub in your favorite seeds, such as unsalted pumpkin.

Total time: 20 mins

Ingredients

• 8 ounces full or reduced-fat sour cream
• 3 ounces blue cheese, crumbled
• 1/8 teaspoon fine salt
• 8 pitted dates (2 ounces total), chopped
• 1 slice cooked bacon, chopped, plus more as needed (may substitute 2 tablespoons real bacon bits)
• 3 tablespoons chopped walnuts
• Pita chips, sliced apple and/or pear, for serving

Directions

In a medium bowl, stir together the sour cream, blue cheese and salt until well combined. Add the dates, bacon and walnuts and stir to incorporate. Top with a sprinkle of dates, if desired. Serve with pita chips, dried apple slices, or fresh sliced apple and/or pear.

5 servings (makes 1 1/4 cups)

Traditional baked potato toppings — sour cream, cheese, bacon bits and chives — are combined in a bowl. Then, you can simply scoop it all up with thick-cut potato chips or warm fries. Its secret power: Use it for topping a baked potato or roasted smashed potatoes.

Make ahead: You can eat the dip right away, but it tastes even better after being refrigerated for 1 day.

Storage: Refrigerate for up to 4 days; stir before serving.

Total time: 15 mins

Ingredients

• 8 ounces regular or reduced-fat sour cream
• 3 strips bacon, cooked and chopped; or 1/4 cup real bacon bits, plus more for optional garnish
• 1/4 cup (1½ ounces) coarsely shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives or scallion, plus more for serving
• 2 teaspoons hot sauce, such as Frank’s RedHot Original Hot Sauce (optional)
• ½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper, or to taste
• 1/8 teaspoon fine salt
• thick-cut potato chips or french fries, for serving

Directions

In a medium bowl, stir together the sour cream, bacon, cheese, scallion or chives, hot sauce, if using, pepper and salt until combined. Garnish with more bacon, if desired, and chive or scallion, and serve with potato chips or french fries.

6 servings (makes 1½ cups)

Jarred roasted red peppers make this recipe easy to pull together. Its secret power: Warm it up and it gets a second life as a savory sauce for roasted vegetables or meats.

Make ahead: Refrigerate this dip for 30 minutes before serving to let it chill, thicken.

Storage: Refrigerate for up to 4 days; stir well before serving.

Total time: 15 mins

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
• 8 ounces full- or reduced-fat sour cream
• 6 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
• ½ cup coarsely chopped jarred roasted red pepper (3 ounces) (see Note)
• ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper; more to taste
• pita chips, sliced carrots, celery and/or radishes, for serving

Directions

In a small skillet over medium heat, heat the oil until it shimmers. Add the paprika and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Remove from the heat.

In a food processor, combine the sour cream, feta, red pepper, cayenne and paprika oil and process until smooth. Transfer to a medium bowl and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. Serve with pita chips, carrots, celery and/or radishes.