Treat yourself to the BEST Cream Cheese Dip! This savory Garlic Herb Dip is super simple to make and so delicious. Pair it with your favorite veggies, chips, and crackers for dipping ... it's a crowd favorite and perfect for easy entertaining!
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I don't know about you, but there aren't many things I like more than a bowl of creamy dip and some crunchy chips and veggies for dipping.
In fact, my family likes to tease my sister and I about the party where we polished off a whole bowl all by ourselves, guarding it closely until every last drop was gone. This was many years ago, and we were quite young, but thankfully my party skills have improved since then. These days, I can socialize and eat at the same time!
Which brings me to this wonderful Cream Cheese Dip, which I just know you're going to love! This is my current favorite dip, and for good reason: it's super creamy, and with its fresh herbs, zesty lemon, and tasty garlic, so scrumptious, too.
This is the ideal party dip! It's a total crowd pleaser, and no one can resist a dunk or two (or ten). Which makes it ideal for entertaining during the holidays, on game day, or at anytime of year. Best of all, it's super quick and easy to make!
Ready to try this homemade dip for yourself? Then keep reading for all the mouthwatering details!
Ingredients
This easy recipe uses basic, fresh ingredients that you can find in any grocery store. Here's what you'll need:
- Cream Cheese
- Sour Cream
- Green Onions
- Fresh Herbs: Flat-Leaf Parsley and Dill
- Fresh Garlic
- Lemon - You'll use the juice and the zest.
- Salt and Pepper
Simple, right? Of course, it's also possible to customize this recipe a bit, and I'm sharing more tips on how to do that below.
You'll Also Need
Although you can mix this dip by hand, it will be a lot faster and easier if you use a mixer. I used my stand mixer, but a hand mixer will also work.
How to Make Cream Cheese Dip
This Cream Cheese Veggie Dip is super quick and easy to make. Here's how to do it:
- Mix cream cheese until smooth, using your mixer. (You want to get rid of any lumps.) Then, blend in the sour cream.
- Stir in the green onions, fresh herbs, garlic, lemon juice and zest, salt and pepper. I recommend using a spatula for this (these silicone ones are the best!), because you can scrape the bowl as you mix to ensure you don't miss anything.
- Taste, then add additional salt, if needed.
And that's all there is to it! For best results, make this recipe in advance ... either the night before your party or the morning of.
It might be tempting to dig right, and this Vegetable Dip does taste good when freshly made. However, it tastes so much better when it's made in advance, and all those yummy lemon, garlic, and herb flavors have a chance to meld together and really shine.
What to Dip
Now that you've made this Garlic and Herb dip, the most important question is: what are you going to pair it with? This tasty recipe goes well with almost anything ... here are some ideas to inspire you:
- Vegetables - I paired it with grape tomatoes, cucumber, carrots, and sliced peppers. Broccoli, cauliflower, celery, radishes, sugar snap peas, and even zucchini or asparagus would also be delish.
- Crackers - Try it with these homemade Herb Parmesan Crackers!
- Chips - Crunchy chips are the perfect counterpart to this creamy dip.
- Pita Chips - Make this easy Pita Chip Recipe with leftover pita, then start dipping!
- Bagel Chips - Bagels and cream cheese are a classic pairing.
- Pretzels - Serve with pretzels for salty, creamy perfection!
Variations
This Herb Dip is fairly flexible. Try customizing it to your taste with one of these ideas:
- Different Herbs - Chives, cilantro, basil ... almost anything goes. One tip: if you do use a tougher herb, like rosemary, make sure to chop it up really fine.
- Cheesy - Stir in some crumbled feta, goat cheese, mozzarella, or cheddar.
- Spicy - Add your favorite hot sauce (I love this Secret Aardvark Habanero Sauce!) or a few dashes of cayenne.
- Light - While I wouldn't recommend fat free products, feel free to use lower fat versions of the cream cheese (such as Neufchâtel) and sour cream. This Light Sour Cream is the best ... you can't even taste the difference.
- Dipping Sauce - You can easily turn this dip into a dipping sauce by thinning it with a little milk.
Storage
Store any leftover over dip in an airtight container in your refrigerator. It should keep for up to a week, however it will taste freshest when eaten within three to four days.
Related Recipes
Looking for more delicious dips? Try one of these recipes next:
- Whipped Goat Cheese Dip
- Caramelized Onion Dip
- Baked Ricotta
- Cranberry Jalapeño Dip
- Ricotta Blue Cheese Spread
- Classic Hummus (basic recipe + lots of flavor variations)
- Mexican Baked Spinach Dip
- Creamy Lemon Artichoke Spread
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Need a little more info? Check out these frequently asked questions about this recipe:
Yes, you can make Cream Cheese Dip the day before. It actually tastes better when you do, because the garlic and herb flavors will be enhanced.
Creamy dips are delicious when served with almost any crunchy veggie, including grape tomatoes, cucumbers, carrots, sweet peppers, broccoli, cauliflower, celery, radishes, sugar snap peas, and even zucchini or asparagus. Cut vegetables into sticks or slices to make dipping easier.
Serve Cream Cheese Dip with crunchy chips, such as kettle chips, crinkle cut or wavy chips (like Ruffles), classic thin potato chips (such as Lay's), or even pita chips and bagel chips ... basically anything crunchy works!
Because Veggie Dip is dairy-based and perishable, it shouldn't sit out for more than two hours. If you're planning a long party, make a double batch, then replace it after a couple hours.
The best way to soften cream cheese is by setting it on your counter at room temperature for about one hour. If you forget to leave it out, you can cut the cheese into smaller cubes, so it softens faster. Or you can remove it from all packaging, then microwave it at 15 seconds intervals, just until it easily hold a finger impression (avoid overcooking and melting it).
Cream Cheese Dip
Ingredients
- 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup sour cream
- 2 green onions, minced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons minced flat-leaf parsley
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh dill
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ⅛ teaspoon pepper
- veggies, chips, and / or crackers for dipping
Instructions
- Using a mixer, blend cream cheese until smooth.
- Mix in sour cream until well blended.
- Stir in onion, garlic, parsley, dill, lemon juice and zest, salt, and pepper. Mix well, then season to taste with additional salt, if desired.
- Refrigerate until ready to eat, then serve with veggies, chips, and / or crackers for dipping. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
This recipe is also available as a web story, if you'd like to see a quick overview of the steps.
