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Allrecipes/Julia Hartbeck
Dips reign supreme in social situations, from potlucks to at-home happy hours. Dips, which are fun and easy to eat, are the ultimate appetizer or main component of a low-key snack dinner. But with so many out there, it’s hard to find the best dip recipe, especially on the Allrecipes website. That’s why I pitted our five most beloved dip recipes against each other and compared each one’s cost, cooking process, and taste to determine the ultimate party companion.
What Makes Dips Great?
Need an easy way to feed and entertain a lot of people? A dip is the answer, not only because the dish easily pleases a crowd but also because the preparation is so simple. All of our top dip recipes involve very little or no cooking and relatively simple prep work.
Meet the Contestants
- Buffalo Chicken Dip by NUNPUNCH
- Hot Spinach Artichoke Dip by TIFFANY BRENNAN
- Best Spinach Dip Ever by Shawna
- Seven-Layer Taco Dip by SUE CASE
- BLT Dip by Kathy Bezemes Walstrom
How I Judged the Recipes
I used the following criteria to judge the recipes:
- Popularity: Dips are meant to feed a crowd—so every time I prepared one of these recipes, I made sure people were around to taste it. In addition to gaining additional feedback on each recipe, having multiple tasters available also helped ensure I wasn’t judging each dip with my own personal biases.
- Ease: Whipping up party appetizers shouldn’t require too much work—what’s the point of making a fun dish if you aren’t actually enjoying the process? None of these dip recipes were especially difficult, but I definitely merited the ones that required the least hassle and fewest ingredients.
- Cost: Let’s face it: The economy isn’t exactly great right now. That doesn’t mean people shouldn’t enjoy delicious food.
The Results
Most Indulgent: Buffalo Chicken Dip
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- The Recipe: Buffalo Chicken Dip by NUNPUNCH
- Average Rating: 4.8 stars
- Rave Review: “This was a HIT at a party recently. I put it in a crock pot and didn’t have to worry about it! Perfect!” —jennifer LaMont
Immediately after trying this dip, almost everyone present declared it their favorite. This Buffalo Chicken Dip recipe has a distinct flavor that elevates anything it touches. My stepdad used some of the leftover dip to fill jalapeño poppers, for example, and they were a hit! The creamy texture and just subtle heat kept my family and friends coming back to the slow cooker. On the other hand, the combination of hot sauce and two blocks of cream cheese isn’t the easiest on sensitive stomachs (although truthfully, none of these recipes are, unless you substitute ingredients) so you might consider the after effects.
This 5-Ingredient Dip Is So Good, I Always Double the Recipe
Freshest Tasting: Seven-Layer Taco Dip
AllRecipes / Julia Hartbeck
- The Recipe: Seven-Layer Taco Dip by SUE CASE
- Average Rating: 4.7 stars
- Rave Review: “Can you really go wrong with serving this? I have never had a complaint about this, unless it was to say there wasn’t enough of it!” —Cook and a half
This seven-layer dip recipe involved the largest quantity of fresh ingredients: chopped tomato, bell pepper, green onions, and iceberg lettuce. The vegetables and salsa added a nice contrast to the sour cream and cream cheese mixture, which made it taste lighter and fresher. This dip was tied with the Hot Spinach Artichoke Dip for having the most ingredients (a total of 11) and involved the most prep work—so if you don’t enjoy chopping vegetables, you might not want to skip this recipe.
Fanciest: Hot Spinach Artichoke Dip
Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
- The Recipe: Hot Spinach Artichoke Dip by TIFFANY BRENNAN
- Average Rating: 4.7 stars
- Rave Review: “This tastes like the same dip I’ve had in restaurants. Delicious! I made it for guests and it was a favorite. I paired it with toasted thinly sliced Asiago onion bread. Yum!” —Beth Ring
This dip recipe calls for premium ingredients—artichoke hearts, Parmesan, Romano, and mozzarella cheeses, and a touch of dried basil—that give the standard cream cheese, mayo, and frozen spinach combination some serious edge. It’s an elevated showstopper, but it also requires a lot of ingredients, several of which are on the pricier side. Let’s just say you’ll get your money’s worth, though. Shave some dollars off the receipt by shredding your own cheeses—those key ingredients will also taste fresher and melt more easily .
Best Last-Minute Recipe: BLT Dip
CookinBug
- The Recipe: BLT Dip by Kathy Bezemes Walstrom
- Average Rating: 4.5 stars
- Rave Review: “This is one of the best dip recipes I’ve ever made and my guests think so too. It’s always the first thing to go whenever I make it so now I double the recipe.” —TODI45
Although this dip recipe requires a little cooking (frying bacon or making it in the oven), it came together quickly once all the ingredients were combined. Every other dip recipe I tried demanded more time and attention. For example, although the Best Spinach Dip Ever required no cooking or heating, it still needed to settle in the fridge overnight and the frozen spinach needed to thaw, making it a bad choice for day-of entertainment. If I need a last-minute contribution for a potluck or party, I’m bringing this BLT Dip and lots of veggies. We even tried scooping the dip onto pieces of lettuce, which was delightful.
Best Overall: Best Spinach Dip Ever
Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
- The Recipe: Best Spinach Dip Ever from Shawna
- Average Rating: 4.8 stars
- Rave Review: “The name is certainly appropriate! I’ve made this numerous times, which says a lot for me since I crave variety. It’s great with sourdough bread, beer bread, crackers or just on the end of your finger. This is a great recipe that everyone loves.” —Weekend Chef
This classic spinach dip recipe gets a serious upgrade from an unexpected ingredient, but that’s not the only reason it’s a hit. Out of all five dips I made, this recipe was by far the easiest and required no cooking or heating whatsoever—in fact, the most labor-intensive step of the recipe was cutting and emptying out the bread bowl. The only hangup with this dip is that it needs to sit in the refrigerator for at least six hours. But as long as you time it strategically, it isn’t an issue. For example, I prepped my dip on Christmas Eve and mixed the ingredients together before I went to bed. The next day, I emptied the bread bowl, filled it with the dairy-spinach mixture, and it was ready to serve at lunch.
Our Most-Saved Recipe for the Super Bowl Deserves ’20 Stars’
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