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10 Delicious dips for a light lunch or snack

10 Delicious dips for a light lunch or snack
These 10 delicious dip recipes are quick to make, and perfect for a snack or pairing with a light lunch.
Americans really love their dips and chips (dips and crisps to us), but dips can be so much more exciting than an accessory to potato.
They’re so easy to make and come in such a variety of flavours. Be respectful to your dips and serve them with something a bit more interesting than crisps.
 

Try serving your dips with:

  • Strips of toasted pitta bread
  • Bread sticks
  • Carrot, cucumber or bell pepper sticks
  • Nachos
  • Fingers of toast
  • Pretzels
  • Ritz crackers
  • Oatcakes
  • Falafel
  • Cooked sausages
If you have leftover dip why not use it to spread on a sandwich and top with salad? Delicious.

Here are 10 of my favourite homemade dips:

Kale, coriander and hemp hummus

 
I love hummus, it’s such an easy snack and great in pitta bread or a wrap with some salad or roasted vegetables. Sometimes I make plain hummus with chickpeas, tahini, olive oil, garlic, lemon and black pepper, which is great, but I also love to pimp it up with other flavours.
This time I added kale, coriander and some hemp powder.

Sweet potato dip

sweet potato dip
Sweet potatoes are a really healthy choice for any meal and they make a creamy, flavourful mash. Take it to the next level for this dip with garlic, Greek yoghurt, herbs and spices.

Butternut squash hummus

Butternut squash hummus
Autumn is butternut squash season. It’s the best time to pick squash up cheaply and try different recipes. I love it in soup and stews, but it tastes amazing in this hummus too.
The butternut squash is roasted with garlic and then whizzed up with the more traditional hummus ingredients for this really special dip.

Goats’ cheese and rocket hummus

goats cheese and rocket hummus
Adding some creamy goats’ cheese and rocket makes this hummus recipe a little special.
Hummus is fantastic because it’s so easy and quick to make. Just throw all the ingredients in a food processor or blender and whizz.

Spiced Moroccan pâté

Spiced Moroccan pate
I came up with this recipe shortly after my husband turned vegan.
We were about to have some toasted ciabatta when I realised I couldn’t add cheese to his and had nothing to replace it. I whizzed up some chickpeas and tofu with lemon juice, olive oil and spices and it was a great success.

Easy nachos with tangy guacamole

Easy nachos with tangy guacamole
Ever had homemade guacamole? It’s simple to make and so fresh and tasty. This one has a bit of a tang from lemon and is served with homemade nachos, seasoned with cayenne pepper. A perfect combination.

Red lentil, lime and coriander hummus

Red lentil lime and coriander hummus
Hummus is usually made with chickpeas, but this recipe experiments with red lentils with fabulous results. It’s rich, creamy and a great source of protein.
This luxurious dip is best served with crunchy veg and Popchips.

Roasted carrot and white bean dip

Roasted carrot and white bean dip
Carrots are often forgotten when we roast vegetables. They’re pushed aside in favour of the more Mediterranean flavours of red peppers, red onions and courgettes, but roasting carrots really brings alive their flavour.
Here carrots are teamed with red peppers, white beans, walnuts and spices for an exceptionally flavoursome dip.

Yoghurt dip

Yoghurt dip
This really is a dip for beginners. You don’t even need a blender or food processor for this one, just a spoon to stir it with. Combine yoghurt, garlic, lemon juice, paprika and salt.
A perfect dip for crunchy vegetable crudités. It would also make a great salad dressing.

Healthy caramel dip

Healthy caramel dip
I had to finish with a sweet dip. This one’s a healthy caramel dip that’s great served with slices of apple.
It tastes like caramel, but it’s actually really good for you. The caramel flavour comes from dates and vanilla extract.
Jacqueline Meldrum is a freelance food writer and recipe developer. Jacqueline blogs at Tinned Tomatoes.
 
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