We promise these dips will taste better than their shop-bought counterparts.
Chunky guacamole
Guacamole and tortilla chips are a match made in heaven. You’ll need three very ripe avocados to make enough for eight people, plus a large tomato, the juice of a lime, fresh coriander, red onion, and as much chilli as you can handle. Top tip: sit the avocado’s stone in the dip to prevent it from going brown.
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Labneh
The cheapest dip to make in the whole wide world – all you’ll need is natural yoghurt. You’ll spot labneh as part of an Arabic mezze, and it’s made by straining natural yoghurt through muslin cloth (or a tea towel will do), and leaving in the fridge for a day or two.
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Baba ganoush
Recipe author Mina Holland says there are three golden rules to making perfect baba ganoush, an Arabic aubergine-based dip: char the aubergines over an open flame; drain the flesh; and balance your flavours with care. Enjoy sprinkled with za’atar mix and good quality flatbread.
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Muhammara
Not easy to spell, but very simple to make! Muhammara is a classic dip served in Syrian restaurants and is a balance of roasted red peppers, pomegranate molasses, walnuts and garlic. You’ll also need breadcrumbs, plenty of extra virgin olive oil, chilli flakes, and a reliable blender.
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Wild garlic pesto
Pesto isn’t just for pasta. You can also use it as a dip, and it works particularly well with cheese. MasterChef Mat Follas makes his from foraged wild garlic, spinach, hazelnuts, a little honey, and rapeseed oil. If it's too thick for dipping, just thin it out with a little extra oil. Keeps in the fridge for a couple of weeks.
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Fat-free beetroot and thyme dip
A vibrantly coloured dip that is made with roasted beetroot and garlic, swirled into a mixture of thyme and quark cheese. If you can't find quark, which you can find in many supermarkets in fat-free varieties, use low-fat cream cheese instead.
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Goats' cheese dip
Goats' cheese works as an excellent base for a dip. Urvashi Roe suggests mixing up your cheese with curd cheese, and plain yoghurt, beating it into a smooth dip before stirring through diced dill. This recipe suggests making it into a canapé by placing teaspoons of the mixture onto tulip leaves, but you can also dip breadsticks and the like into a bowl of it.
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Red pepper hummus with walnuts
Hummus is a very customisable dip. This recipe adds red peppers, chilli oil and walnuts, but you can try adding fresh chillis and tabasco for a hot dip, different vegetables for colour and flavour, or simply stick to the much-loved plain recipe with tahini, lemon juice and olive oil.
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Squash and herby harissa dip
A warming dip for autumn and winter; mash up your squash (you can use any kind), add a splash of olive oil, mix in a squeeze of lemon, and add a teaspoon or so of fiery and herby harissa. Top with a scatter of toasted pumpkin or sesame seeds.
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