Dips

This luscious chocolate spread is made with sunflower seeds instead of hazelnuts to sidestep allergy hazards in gift-giving. Store in sealed jars at room temperature to preserve the spread's glisteningly smooth texture. ...read more

Serve this flavor-packed dip with your favorite tortilla chips. ...read more

Peppery watercress and creamy avocado give this all-purpose dip its spring-green color. Serve with assorted crudités, or thin with water to use as a salad dressing. The dip can be made up to two days ahead. ...read more

Chips and queso are a snack combo few can resist. This version of the cheesy dip gets a kick of color and flavor from roasted red peppers and green onions. It gets its creaminess from condensed milk and is thickened with arrowroot powder, which has a silkier, less chalky ...read more

Blue cheese dips are yummy, but they’re not always the prettiest things to serve. Here, roasted and grated golden beets add a burst of color and texture. Serve with your favorite crudités. ...read more

Not all salsas have to be savory. Try this sweet concoction as a topping for yogurt or pancakes, or spoon some into the center of a small melon half or over ice cream for dessert. ...read more

Nothing says summer like corn. Here, kernels are heated just enough to lose their raw taste, then mixed into a chunky salsa verde. Try the mixture stirred into mashed avocado for instant guacamole. ...read more

A little heat helps bring out the flavors of this Mediterranean-inspired salsa. Serve warm or at room temperature, and prepare just before serving so the arugula retains a bit of crunch. ...read more

Sweet, crunchy, creamy, and spicy, this colorful salsa is practically an appetizer on its own. ...read more

This creamy spread will keep up to one week, and its flavor will intensify over time. Serve with crackers or crudités. ...read more

Everybody loves hot dips on a holiday buffet table, so this subtly flavored 
fondue is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser. Look for green, purple, and orange cauliflower varieties to add color to the dipper selection. To make ahead: Cook cauliflower in advance, combine cheese and flour, ...read more

This Italian-inspired spread has the smooth consistency of hummus with a hint of almonds. Try layering it in a tomato-topped bruschetta. ...read more

Roasted red bell peppers mellow the saltiness of a simple olive tapenade. Serve with baguette slices, pita wedges, or sliced vegetables. ...read more

Leftover pâté (if there is any!) can be used for veggie sandwiches or wraps. Serve with crispy toast points or cauliflower florets. ...read more

Play up the Asian flavors in this spread by serving it with rice crackers or sliced daikon radishes. ...read more

Scads of grilled red peppers give this dip, also known as ajvar (pronounced eye-var), a bright, reddish-orange hue. ...read more

Serve this colorful hummus with raw vegetables, such as carrot or celery sticks, red bell pepper, cucumber, or broccoli. ...read more

A riff on the classic alpine favorite, this lightened-up fondue draws inspiration from southern France. ...read more

A combination of dark and milk chocolates yields a particularly luscious fondue. Vary the recipe by using amaretto, Kahlúa, or another after-dinner liqueur instead of cherry-flavored Kirsch. ...read more

Blending waxy or boiling potatoes with an immersion blender gives them a stretchy, stringy texture that mimics cheese and adheres to fondue dippers. Recipe by Aurelia d’Andrea. ...read more

Once the flesh has been scooped out, halved avocado skins make pretty single-serving cups for guacamole; serve them on saucers, surrounded by tortilla chips. They make a tasty preamble to a chili supper or a Mexican-style stew such as Vegetarian Posole Stew or Chorizo and ...read more

Serve this quick, healthful dipping sauce with Crispy Quinoa Cakes. ...read more