17 Dips to Serve With Snack Trays and Appetizer Plates

A snack tray feels more complete when there is a dip waiting in the middle. Pick one to match the chips, bread, vegetables, or crackers you already have out. Use it for appetizer plates, casual snacks, or a small spread before dinner.

A clear glass bowl with 7 Layer Dip featuring beans, white cream, guacamole, diced tomatoes, shredded cheese, lettuce, and black olives. — 7 Layer Dip. Photo credit: Pocket Friendly Recipes.

Mexican Street Corn Dip

Close-up of a blue corn chip dipped in a creamy cheese and vegetable mixture, garnished with cilantro and sliced jalapeños. — Mexican Street Corn Dip. Photo credit: Pocket Friendly Recipes.

Charred corn and Cotija make Mexican Street Corn Dip eight servings in 30 minutes. Cream cheese, sour cream, mayonnaise, jalapeño, lime, cilantro, chili powder, paprika, cumin, and garlic powder form the warm skillet dip. The corn can be cooked ahead, then reheated with the creamy base when the snack tray is ready. Serve it with tortilla chips, pita chips, bell pepper strips, cucumber, tacos, or quesadillas.
Get the Recipe: Mexican Street Corn Dip

Cheesy Rotel Dip

A skillet filled with creamy cheese dip topped with chopped tomatoes, green onions, cilantro, and sliced jalapeños, surrounded by triangular tortilla chips. — Cheesy Rotel Dip. Photo credit: Hungry Cooks Kitchen.

Sausage and Rotel tomatoes turn Cheesy Rotel Dip into six servings in 25 minutes. Red onion, garlic, taco seasoning, cream cheese, sour cream, and Monterey cheese melt together in one skillet before cilantro, pico de gallo, jalapeños, or green onions go on top. The meat and cheese make this one of the more substantial options on the appetizer table. Serve it hot with tortilla chips, crackers, bread, celery, or bell pepper strips.
Get the Recipe: Cheesy Rotel Dip

French Onion Dip

Bowl of creamy dip topped with chopped chives and black pepper, next to pieces of toasted bread. — French Onion Dip. Photo credit: Splash of Taste.

Slow-cooked onions give French Onion Dip about one and a half cups in a displayed 1 hour. Olive oil, sherry vinegar, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, sugar, sour cream, and chives build the deep onion flavor. The instructions add at least two hours of chilling beyond the displayed total, so this dip needs advance planning. Serve it cold with potato chips, breadsticks, crackers, carrots, celery, or cucumber slices.
Get the Recipe: French Onion Dip

Buffalo Chicken Dip

A hand dips a tortilla chip into a cheesy baked dish topped with sliced green onions. — Buffalo Chicken Dip. Photo credit: Pocket Friendly Recipes.

Shredded chicken and hot sauce fill Buffalo Chicken Dip, an eight-serving appetizer in 17 minutes. Cream cheese, ranch dressing, blue cheese crumbles, and green onions round out the baked mixture before it turns bubbly and lightly browned. The short oven time makes it useful when a warm dip is needed without a long preparation window. Serve it with celery, carrots, tortilla chips, crackers, toasted bread, or bell pepper strips.
Get the Recipe: Buffalo Chicken Dip

Greek Feta Dip

Roasted peppers and feta make Greek Feta Dip eight servings in five minutes. A red chili pepper, red wine vinegar, olive oil, and garlic join the cheese in a food processor until smooth. The fast blend adds a spicy Mediterranean option to a tray filled with heavier meat and cheddar dips. Serve it with pita, olives, carrots, celery, cucumbers, crackers, roasted vegetables, or a mezze plate.
Get the Recipe: Greek Feta Dip

Million Dollar Dip

Close-up of a creamy dish topped with shredded cheese, chopped nuts, bacon bits, and sliced green onions. — Million Dollar Dip. Photo credit: Hungry Cooks Kitchen.

Bacon, cheddar, and almonds turn Million Dollar Dip into eight servings in five minutes. Mayonnaise, cream cheese, garlic powder, onion powder, and scallions bind the no-cook mixture. The toasted nuts add crunch while the cooked bacon gives the chilled dip enough substance for crackers and vegetables. Serve it cold with buttery crackers, pretzels, celery, cucumber, bell peppers, toasted bread, or sturdy potato chips.
Get the Recipe: Million Dollar Dip

Cowboy Queso Dip

A tortilla chip is dipped into a skillet of cheesy ground beef and tomato dip, with melted cheese stretching between the chip and the dip. — Cowboy Queso Dip. Photo credit: Pocket Friendly Recipes.

Ground beef and two cheeses make Cowboy Queso Dip eight servings in 35 minutes. Onion, garlic, tomatoes with green chiles, cream cheese, cheddar, chili powder, cumin, salt, and black pepper cook together in a skillet. The meat-filled queso can hold a central spot on a snack table because it is heavier than a plain cheese sauce. Serve it hot with tortilla chips, nachos, pretzels, bread, celery, or bell pepper strips.
Get the Recipe: Cowboy Queso Dip

Garlic Dip

Butter and fresh garlic give Garlic Dip four servings in five minutes. Dried basil, thyme, mayonnaise, and kosher salt complete the short ingredient list after the garlic cooks briefly in a saucepan. The small batch works well when the tray needs a simple sauce beside fries, pizza pieces, vegetables, or bread. Serve it at room temperature with potato chips, French fries, breadsticks, carrots, celery, cucumber, or roasted potatoes.
Get the Recipe: Garlic Dip

Beer Cheese Dip

A hand dips a tortilla chip into creamy cheese dip sprinkled with paprika and black pepper. — Beer Cheese Dip. Photo credit: My Reliable Recipes.

Lager and cheddar create Beer Cheese Dip, an 11-minute recipe that makes two cups. Vegetable oil, flour, milk, Dijon mustard, garlic powder, salt, and paprika form the smooth saucepan dip. The pub-style sauce can be made ahead and reheated, which helps when several appetizers need to reach the table together. Serve it warm with soft pretzels, tortilla chips, crusty bread, sausages, roasted potatoes, broccoli, or apple slices.
Get the Recipe: Beer Cheese Dip

Lebanese Baba Ganoush

A bowl of hummus topped with olives and herbs, with a piece of pita bread being dipped into it. — Lebanese Baba Ganoush. Photo credit: Two City Vegans.

Roasted eggplant and tahini form Lebanese Baba Ganoush, a four-serving dip with a 1-hour 10-minute total. Cumin, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, and parsley join the softened eggplant after it cooks and rests. The vegetable base gives the tray a dairy-free option among the many cream cheese and cheddar dips. Serve it with pita, crackers, cucumbers, carrots, bell peppers, olives, falafel, or grilled bread.
Get the Recipe: Lebanese Baba Ganoush

Hot Crab Dip

A spoon lifts a portion of cheesy baked pasta topped with chopped parsley from a casserole dish. — Hot Crab Dip. Photo credit: Your Perfect Recipes.

Jumbo lump crab and Monterey Jack make Hot Crab Dip eight servings in 45 minutes. Cream cheese, sour cream, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, mayonnaise, Old Bay, garlic powder, and garlic salt fill the baking dish before it turns hot and bubbly. The seafood dip adds a warm option that can travel in an insulated carrier for up to two hours. Serve it with butter crackers, toasted baguette, breadsticks, celery, or cucumber slices.
Get the Recipe: Hot Crab Dip

Goat Cheese Dip

A bowl of whipped feta cheese topped with mixed olives, sun-dried tomatoes, herbs, and olive oil. — Goat Cheese Dip. Photo credit: Splash of Taste.

Goat cheese, cream cheese, and Greek yogurt make Goat Cheese Dip eight servings in 10 minutes. Lemon, honey, olive oil, olives, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, oregano, and thyme form the whipped base and briny topping. The base can be prepared two to three days ahead, with the olive mixture added shortly before serving. Serve it chilled with crackers, toasted bread, cucumbers, carrots, bell peppers, or pita.
Get the Recipe: Goat Cheese Dip

Chicken and Bacon Ranch Crack Dip

A bread bowl filled with a creamy dip, garnished with shredded cheese, chopped green onions, and bacon bits. Celery sticks are placed on the side. — Chicken and Bacon Ranch Crack Dip. Photo credit: Hungry Cooks Kitchen.

Chicken, bacon, and ranch fill Chicken and Bacon Ranch Crack Dip, a 15-minute recipe that makes three cups. Cream cheese, sour cream, cheddar, garlic powder, onion powder, Worcestershire sauce, and green onions complete the no-cook filling. The mixture is spooned into a hollowed Hawaiian bread loaf, which supplies both the serving bowl and some dippers. Add celery, crackers, bread pieces, cucumber, pretzels, or bell pepper strips.
Get the Recipe: Chicken and Bacon Ranch Crack Dip

Whipped Feta Dip

A bowl of creamy dip garnished with chopped black olives, sun-dried tomatoes, pine nuts, rosemary, olive oil, and black pepper. — Whipped Feta Dip. Photo credit: Your Perfect Recipes.

Feta and Greek yogurt give Whipped Feta Dip six servings in 10 minutes. Olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, and heavy cream blend into the smooth base, while olives, sun-dried tomatoes, pine nuts, and herbs can finish the top. The recipe can be prepared early and refrigerated until the appetizer tray is assembled. Serve it with pita, crackers, cucumbers, carrots, roasted vegetables, breadsticks, or olives.
Get the Recipe: Whipped Feta Dip

Fried Dill Pickle Dip

A close-up of a creamy dip topped with toasted breadcrumbs, chopped pickles, and fresh dill in a white bowl. — Fried Dill Pickle Dip. Photo credit: Your Perfect Recipes.

Dill pickles and toasted breadcrumbs define Fried Dill Pickle Dip, an eight-serving appetizer in 15 minutes. Cream cheese, sour cream, pickle juice, ranch seasoning, butter, and panko create the creamy base and crisp topping. Keep the breadcrumbs separate during transport so they do not soften before serving. Serve the chilled dip with potato chips, crackers, pretzels, celery, carrots, cucumbers, or toasted bread.
Get the Recipe: Fried Dill Pickle Dip

Queso Dip

Close-up of creamy cheese dip being poured over chopped tomato salsa with diced onions and cilantro. — Queso Dip. Photo credit: My Reliable Recipes.

Cheddar, Monterey Jack, and jalapeño make Queso Dip eight servings in 25 minutes. Onion, garlic, cumin, chili powder, onion powder, evaporated milk, cream cheese, milk, hot sauce, and butter form the one-pan sauce. The adjustable heat level lets this dip sit beside mild vegetables or bolder taco-seasoned snacks on the same tray. Serve it warm with tortilla chips, pretzels, bread, nachos, broccoli, or bell pepper strips.
Get the Recipe: Queso Dip

7 Layer Dip

Beans, guacamole, and cheese stack into 7 Layer Dip, an eight-serving appetizer in 15 minutes. Sour cream, cream cheese, taco seasoning, lime, red onion, salsa, lettuce, tomatoes, and black olives fill the remaining layers. The no-cook format adds color and several textures without requiring oven or stovetop space. Serve it chilled with tortilla chips, corn chips, mini peppers, cucumber rounds, crackers, or alongside tamales and tacos.
Get the Recipe: 7 Layer Dip