How to Make Store-Bought Dips Look and Taste Homemade

Homemade dips are great when you have the time to make them. For those other times, there are plenty of delicious store-bought dips—from hummus and spinach-artichoke to salsa and guacamole—and most can easily be doctored and dressed up to look good and taste even better. 

Whether it’s for casual snacking with friends or a game day get-together, we’re sharing some food styling tips to dress up purchased dips in just a few simple steps. By plating with care and adding a handful of complementary ingredients, you can turn an ordinary dip into something special—and no one will be the wiser.

How to Plate Store-Bought Dips

You don’t need any fancy tools or special ingredients to give your store-bought dips the food stylist treatment. The starting point is a nice bowl and a large spoon.

The Bowl

Think like a prop stylist: Choose a bowl that’s not too deep or too shallow. This is because you want to have a good amount of surface area to work with. Additionally, it should be the right size for the amount of dip—as a general rule, you want to fill the bowl about three-quarters of the way full. 

Plating thicker dips: Hummus, babaganoush, bean dip, onion dip, guacamole, and spinach artichoke dip have more body; thicker dips like this are perfect for swooping with a spoon. To plate these dips:

1. Spoon the dip into a pile in the center of the bowl. 
2. Holding the spoon in your dominant hand, use your other hand to rotate the bowl and press the dip to the outer edges. 
3. If needed, do another rotation to get a perfect swirl. Those nooks and crannies are perfect for soaking up flavored oils, herbs, or whatever else you want to add. 

Plating looser dips: With thinner dips like salsa and ranch, you won’t get those same swoopy waves. That doesn’t mean you can’t make them look great. For this kind of dip, it’s all about stirring in fresh components to make the dip look homemade.

5 Ways to Upgrade Dip

Sometimes a purchased dip just needs a little lift, so consider what other foods will enhance the dip’s existing flavor. There are many ingredients that can be used to amp up the flavor and give pre-made dips a fresh spin, and you probably already have some in your refrigerator or pantry.

Add Something Fresh

Fresh herbs: Delicate herbs are an easy thing to reach for to instantly upgrade store-bought dip. And they can be used for just about any kind of dip—fresh parsley pairs well with hummus; chives with onion dip; dill with ranch; and cilantro with both guacamole and salsa. 

Microgreens: These are a surefire way to make a dip look fancy and homemade. And depending on which greens you use, they can complement the flavor of the dip. Some, like watercress and radish microgreens, have a hint of spiciness. Others, like sunflower and alfalfa sprouts, have a crisp, clean finish. 

In-season fruits and vegetables: Add juicy freshness to a dip with complementary produce. In the summer, we marinate halved cherry tomatoes with lemon juice, olive oil, and garlic and spoon them over hummus. Pomegranate seeds are a particularly nice addition to babaganoush in the fall and winter.

Drizzle Some Oil

As simple as it may sound, a drizzle of really good extra-virgin olive oil can go a long way when it comes to upgrading your dips, so drizzle to your heart’s content. Infused oils are also a great option. You can purchase infused oils or infuse olive oil with ingredients like garlic, chili flakes, and woodsy herbs like rosemary and thyme. They add an instant burst of unique flavor that plain olive oil can’t quite accomplish.

For creamy dips like onion dip, hummus, and babaganoush, a drizzle of oil is always a must. The divots you’ve made with your spoon are perfect for pooling the oil.

Spice Things Up

Another super simple way to improve store-bought dip is with pre-made spice mixes. Play around with mixes like za’atar (a combination of sesame seeds, oregano, and sumac); baharat (cumin, coriander, paprika, and warming spices); berbere (chili peppers, ginger, garlic, and fenugreek); or ras el hanout (cumin, coriander, turmeric, ginger, and warming spices). Think about the flavor of the dip you’re serving and choose a spice mix that fits. Remember, start with a light dusting of the spice mix, then add more as desired. 

Sprinkle seeds: Toasted seeds accomplish something similar. Try sesame seeds, pepitas, or sunflower seeds—all add a touch of nuttiness to a dip. Give the dip an even sprinkle of seeds so that each bite has some of the toppings.

Add Mix-Ins

You can change the look and feel of a dip by blending in other ingredients. Spoon the dip into your food processor with one of the following:

• Roasted garlic: Roasting garlic is very easy, so it’s a great item to have on hand in the refrigerator. Just a few cloves add an instant hit of umami flavor. 
• Preserved lemons: Citrus is a great way to liven up a dip, and preserved lemons are the best of the best. They’re a little tangy, salty, bright, and sweet.
• Achaar: Achaar is an Indian pickle condiment. Flavors can vary—recipes can be made with tomatoes, chilies, mango, and much more. Spices are usually incorporated, so if you want to boost the flavor of a dip beyond a spice mix, achaar is a great choice. 
• Condiments: Even just adding a spoonful of pungent mustard, sweet ketchup, or pickle relish is enough to take a dip from drab to fab. 
• Pre-cooked vegetables: Cooked beets and carrots are two of our favorite ingredients to blend into dips, especially something simple like hummus. Not only do these earthy vegetables add a touch of sweetness, but they also add a pop of color.

Bring the Fire

For those of us who like things spicy, there’s always the option to add some heat. You can add a drizzle of hot honey, chili oil, Calabrian chili paste, chili crisp, or hot sauce just like you would with olive oil. Or, add sliced fresh chiles on top. To make them look their best, slice the chiles with a very sharp knife on a diagonal.