Your Grandmother’s Dips Reinvented

Is there anything better than a good old-fashioned dip? Creamy, versatile, and comforting, dips are a surefire crowd-pleaser for any occasion, and we're not calling them old-fashioned for nothing - but we'll get to that in a minute.

Related: Reinventing Your Go-To Dish

OK, maybe your grandmother wasn't the one who was whipping up dips for you as a child, but there's something about dip recipes that stirs up nostalgia for us, and we're sure you can agree. Back in the day, the 1950s to be exact, there was a dip explosion; the versatile appetizer became a popular mainstay on many cocktail party menus. In an era when convenience was everything, dips were a hit because they often only required simple ingredients, a quick stir of the spatula, and some chips to create an instant party favorite.

Beer Cheese Dip
This dip first made an appearance in the 1940's down south in Kentucky. People say it was created by someone at Johnny Allman's Restaurant, although some beg to differ. No matter where it was invented, we can't get enough of it, especially our version that we serve in a pumpernickel loaf.

Click here to see the Beer Cheese Dip Recipe

Horseradish and Dill Dip
Horseradish has been a popular condiment since ancient times, but as soon as the dip craze picked up in the 1950s, people began to realize it tastes good with sour cream, too. This dip is an easy, no-bake way to serve a few vegetables at your next party.

INGREDIENTS
8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1/2 cup horseradish
2 tablespoons plain yogurt
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tablespoons chopped dill
Kosher salt, to taste

DIRECTIONS
Add the cream cheese, horseradish, yogurt, and lemon juice to a food processor and pulse until smooth. Fold in the dill and season with salt to taste. Serve.

Recipe Details
Servings: 6

Notes and Substitutions:
Special thanks to Mellissa Sevigny of I Breathe I'm Hungry for helping us test this recipe.

Onion Dip
This is the dip that started it all. After Lipton's Onion Soup Mix hit the commercial grocery store scene in 1952, it was only a matter of time before someone thought to mix it with a little sour cream. While we have an unknown California cook to thank for thinking of it in 1954, our version is homemade. Sorry, Lipton.

Click here to see the Onion Dip Recipe

Salmon Dip
While we see salmon toast recipes dating back as far as 1885, smoked salmon, or "lox," did not grace our presence until the 1905, and, along with bagels and cream cheese, became a popular ingredient for dips. This dip is a classic that still makes its way to the coffee table today and is good enough that even the most salmon-adverse will like it.

Click here to see the Salmon Dip Recipe

Spinach and Artichoke Dip
Spinach and artichoke is one of our go-to favorites, and we think it'll become one of yours, too, once you see our recipe. Just a few simple touches to the original recipe makes a cheesy, unforgetable mess to dip your chip into.

Click here to see the Spinach and Artichoke Dip Recipe

-Anne Dolce, The Daily Meal

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