Creamy Dips for Crudités - Cooks Illustrated

Published September 1, 2002.

Supermarket and homemade soup-mix dips have relegated the crudités platter to a bad memory. But the proper base and a few bold ingredients can bring it back.

The Problem

Mediocre vegetables and insipid soup-mix dips may be what we remember from childhood, but they aren't necessarily what we want to eat. Tubs of gummy, musty, store-bought dips are no better.

The Goal

To create dips with well-balanced, creamy bases and a few fresh and assertive ingredients that, with minimal effort, would draw a crowd.

The Solution

Start with either a mayonnaise/sour cream or mayonnaise/yogurt base for body, richness, and perfectly velvety texture. Add flavor-charged ingredients—the fewer the better—for maximum flavor with minimum fuss.

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