25+ Healthy Dip Recipes for Tailgating

Roasted Carrot and Parsnip Batons With Tahini Dip Recipe

Deep caramelization from roasting brings out the natural sweetness in carrots and parsnips. Try to cut the vegetables into the size we call for in step 2. If the pieces are too large or too long, they may cook unevenly or end up limp; if they’re too small, they will likely burn. You can make the dip a day or two ahead, but bring it to room temperature before serving for the best flavor.

Curried Sweet Potato-Yogurt Dip Recipe

Sweet potatoes make a wonderful base for a creamy dip, creating a smooth texture and faintly sweet flavor. Toasting the curry paste in the first step helps to deepen the flavor and is worth the extra couple of minutes.

Beet Chips with Turmeric-Yogurt Dip Recipe

Here's a lighter, more colorful take on the usual chips and dip. Beet chips crisp up in a flash in the microwave. Keep close watch on them to make sure they don't scorch.

Smoky Red Lentil Hummus Recipe

Use this fun riff on classic chickpea hummus to anchor a tray of fresh, seasonal vegetable dippers­—we recommend multicolored carrots, radishes, and cauliflower florets. You can prepare the hummus up to three days ahead; wash and trim the crudités a day in advance, and store them in ziplock plastic bags lined with paper towels.

Beet Yogurt Dip Recipe

Harness beets’ striking color and earthy-sweet flavor in this glorious spread inspired by a recipe from Jerusalem: A Cookbook by Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi. For a little extra heat, use up to 1/4 teaspoon of cayenne. You can try 1 1/2 teaspoons za’atar spice blend as a substitute for fresh thyme, but skip ground thyme because it lends a dirt-like taste. Serve with raw carrot slices, pita bread, or rice crackers for scooping.

Beet Yogurt Dip

This recipe originally appeared on Cookinglight.com.

Black Bean Dip Recipe

Use leftover dip as a spread for sandwiches or burritos, or stir into a bean soup or chili for added body.

Pesto Yogurt Dip Recipe

Use this herby dip to anchor a tray of what we call Snack Dinner. Surround it with lots of fresh vegetable dippers, seasonal fruit, sliced cheese, olives, nuts, and a little meat.

Pea and Wasabi Dip Recipe

This blend is a zippy alternative to hummus; serve with crudités or crackers. Sweet green peas offset the kicky heat of wasabi (which you'll find on the Asian foods aisle).

Miso, Sesame, and Sweet Potato Dip Recipe

What's good about it: Sweet potatoes are naturally silky textured yet low in fat. They're also a great source of beta-carotene and fiber. Serve with baby bok choy, separated into leaves.

Harissa-Spiked Hummus Recipe

Round out your holiday hors d'oeuvre plate with a variety of veggies and a couple dips—including this delicious smoky dip, and some tangy romesco. The harissa can be made and refrigerated up to 3 days in advance, and will elevate any store-bought hummus. 

Caramelized Leek and Spinach Dip Recipe

Beautifully caramelized leeks and onions cannot be rushed; resist the urge to crank up the heat. Leeks become especially silky and sweet when left to cook awhile. If they start to stick to the bottom of the pan, add a tablespoon or two of water, and stir (the liquid will evaporate during cooking). Instead of bread or crackers, serve the dip with an array of vegetables, such as baby carrots, endive leaves, radishes, diagonally sliced cucumber, and mini sweet bell peppers for a bit of freshness, color, and crunch. You'll also save calories and room for the rest of the meal.

Apple Chips with Honey-Lemon Mint Yogurt Dip Recipe

There's no need to buy pre-packaged apple chips when the real thing is so easy to make at home. We love the sweet and tangy dip with plain apple chips, but you can also serve with apple chips coated in your favorite spice blend--like Apple Chips with Ancho Chile Cinnamon Sugar or Chinese Five Spiced Apple Chips. If you don't have a mandoline, you can use a sharp knife, but your slices won't be quite as even.

Kimchi-Sesame Hummus Recipe

Here's a fun Korean spin on a classic Mediterranean appetizer. A drizzle of toasted sesame oil enhances the nuttiness of tahini (sesame seed paste) in this quick make-ahead dip, and rice vinegar stands in for the usual lemon juice. Kimchi gets blended into the hummus, where it adds a hint of savory pickled essence. It's also chopped and sprinkled on top for a burst of fermented pungency. Serve with sliced cucumbers, whole radishes, raw cauliflower florets, baby carrots, and rice crackers.

Pumpkin Dip Recipe

Canned pumpkin makes it easy to whip up this sweet treat. Make sure to purchase 100% pure pumpkin and not pumpkin pie filling.

Almond Yogurt Dip Recipe

On the hunt for a treat that satisfies your sweet tooth without busting your diet? Pack these cinnamon-laced apple chips in your lunch bag. Apples deliver natural sweetness and a handsome amount of fiber, making them a smart choice for any diet, and the air fryer transforms them into something altogether more delicious, thanks to its signature move—adding fat-free crunch. Cutting almond butter with low-fat Greek yogurt adds protein to the dipping sauce, as well as extra creaminess.

Greek Spinach Dip Recipe

This savory Greek spinach dip takes its flavor cues from spanakopita. Serve it with warm pita bread or crisp crudités.

Smoky Pumpkin Hummus Recipe

Though pumpkin-flavored dishes are usually sweet, this recipe combines pumpkin purée and chickpeas for a smoky, savory hummus that's perfect for fall entertaining. Serve it in a wide bowl so there's plenty of room for the generous toppings.

Macadamia-Coconut Dip Recipe

This Macadamia-Coconut Dip tastes like a day at the beach and comes together in minutes.

Roasted Sweet Potato Hummus Recipe

This colorful and ultra smooth hummus has added sweetness from roasted sweet potatoes. Serve with your favorite pita chips and crudités for a fun and tasty snack you can feel good about eating.

Carrot Hummus Recipe

Carrots add a pretty orange hue and subtle sweetness to this smooth and creamy hummus. Choose milder red chiles, such as New Mexico-style or guajillo dried chiles, for heat that's not overpowering.

Creamy Tahini Hummus Recipe

The key to achieving this rich hummus’s creamy texture is an unexpected pantry staple: baking soda. Simmering dried chickpeas in a baking soda solution helps the legumes break down faster and more efficiently, resulting in an impossibly smooth spread. While 1/2 cup may seem like a generous measure of tahini, this is what will give your hummus its signature deeply toasty flavor—so don’t cut yourself short. We especially love Soom brand tahini, as this is a high-quality product made from single origin sesame seeds. Better than anything you’ll buy in your grocery store deli, this velvety and delicious homemade hummus is perfect served with warm, fluffy pita and crudite, or spread onto sandwiches. 

Creamy Hummus with Spiced Ground Beef Recipe

Typically, this style of supersmooth hummus starts with dried chickpeas; we discovered a shortcut with canned chickpeas where a little baking soda softens or dissolves the peas' skins. Be sure to use a blender; a food processor will not get the hummus this smooth. Serve with soft whole-wheat pita and crudités.

Smoky Cauliflower Hummus Recipe

Recipe by Amanda Haas, culinary director of Williams-Sonoma and author of The Anti-Inflammation Cookbook (Chronicle Books, 2016). "Three times a week at home, I roast cauliflower florets until they're caramelized," says Amanda. "We eat them by the bucket." This recipe is a natural extension.

Smoky Black-Eyed Pea Hummus Recipe

For the health-conscious among your guests, you can serve this alongside some cut up carrots, celery, peppers, cucumbers, and tomatoes. It’s also nice to indulge with whole-grain crackers or some warmed toasted pita bread, sliced into triangles for dipping.

Green Pea and Parsley Hummus Recipe

For a fresh take on the traditional party dip, swap out your chickpeas and make this green pea hummus instead. We recommend serving this light and refreshing dip with fresh veggies or pita chips.