Some of the world’s best-loved (and most easily made) dips have surprisingly few ingredients. From a Middle Eastern-style hummus to Mexican guacamole and a French tapenade, you can go globe-trotting from your kitchen in a flash. Each of our simple recipes needs just three ingredients, a little salt and pepper, and can easily be jazzed up with fresh herbs for flavour and colour, a squeeze of lemon or lime, or a dash of chilli.

This Scandinavian-style dip combines three great ingredients – cream cheese, salmon and dill – for a refreshing summertime dip. Take 225g (8oz) of cream cheese, combine with one tablespoon of freshly chopped dill and around 120g (4oz) finely chopped smoked salmon. Season to taste and serve with a dark rye bread. For a punchier version, add a tablespoon of lemon juice and a teaspoon of prepared horseradish. 

Dips don't have to be savoury. This caramel sauce makes a wonderful partner for all sorts of desserts. Dip in churros or strawberries, or just a spoon, we won't judge... Add one part butter and one part white sugar to a saucepan on a medium heat. Stir until an amber colour is reached and then slowly add one part cream, whisking continuously. To vary the recipe, you can substitute brown for white sugar and add a little vanilla extract to taste.

Combine around 200g (7oz) of tangy soft goats' cheese with the juice and zest of a whole lemon, then blend with 340g (12oz) of mayonnaise and season with salt and pepper to make this moreish dip. You could easily substitute the goats' cheese for feta or cream cheese, and add a tablespoon of olive oil and a clove of garlic for depth and richness.

With the tang of blue cheese and lemon juice, this dip stands up very well to the heat and bite of spicy buffalo wings. Mix crumbled blue cheese and sour cream in equal proportions, then combine with the juice of half a lemon. That’s it – fast enough to be done during the commercial break. Of course, you can add half as much mayonnaise as you did blue cheese, a crushed garlic clove, smoked paprika, chopped parsley and even bacon bits for a garnish if you want to go all out.

This Middle Eastern dip is now a firm favourite pretty much everywhere. Take a standard can of chickpeas, usually around 240g (8.4oz) when drained, and blend to a fine texture. Then add two or three crushed garlic cloves and two tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and serve with lightly toasted pitta breads. Ramp up the flavour with two tablespoons of lemon juice, a tablespoon of tahini (sesame seed paste) and a teaspoon each of cumin and paprika.

The North American fireside treat traditionally combines melted marshmallows with chocolate in a graham cracker sandwich. But it’s also possible to make a dip version. Here’s how: preheat your oven to 230°C (450°F). Cover the bottom of an oven-proof pan with chocolate chips, then add a layer of halved large marshmallows across the chips. Bake for 8–10 minutes or until toasted brown. You can dip the graham crackers in when you serve.

This is a great dip to have in your repertoire and can be made in mere minutes. Whisk sour cream with a green herb of your choice – parsley, dill or chives work well. Season with salt and pepper to taste, combine with freshly squeezed lemon juice and you’re done. Serve with crackers, bread or vegetable crudités. For a different version, whisk mayonnaise in equal parts with the sour cream and continue as before, with the addition of a crushed garlic clove.

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One of the few dips that requires a little cooking, this Tex-Mex dip is well worth turning the oven on for. Take 225g (8oz) grated Cheddar or other good melting cheese, combine with a can of evaporated milk (375g/12oz) and one tablespoon of corn starch. Whisk together in a saucepan until combined, bring up to a medium heat, whisking and seasoning as you go. For a fancier version, try adding salsa (as much as you like), chopped green jalapeños for heat and a teaspoon of cumin for spice.

Great as a dip for mini doughnuts or pretty much any other sweet dessert, chocolate sauce is incredibly easy to make at home. Combine 100g (3.5oz) of dark chocolate with 60ml (0.25 cup) double cream and one teaspoon vanilla extract. Then simply melt together in a heatproof bowl suspended over gently simmering water. Don't allow it to get too hot, or the chocolate will seize. Once the chocolate has melted, take off the heat and whisk to combine.

A traditional Indian accompaniment, cucumber raita is great for cooling heat from fiery dishes. Grate a whole, peeled cucumber into 150g (5oz) of natural, unsweetened yogurt. Season with salt and pepper and stir in chopped mint. For an elevated version, add a pinch of ground cumin or chilli powder, or finely sliced spring onions.

It’s much easier to buy prepared crab than to hack out the flesh yourself, and once sourced this is a doddle to make. Grab 200g (7oz) of crab meat (white, brown or a mix is fine) and combine with four tablespoons of sour cream, along with the juice and zest of two whole limes. Season to taste and serve with crackers or brioche. For a fancy version, add chopped chives and a little Tabasco sauce.

This is a great dip to conjure a taste of the Mediterranean. Combine 250g (9oz) of pitted black olives, six anchovy fillets and around three tablespoons of olive oil. Mix and crush for a rough paste or blend for a smooth one. Serve with slices of freshly toasted baguette. For an upgraded version, add into the blend a crushed garlic clove, the juice of one whole lemon, three tablespoons of capers and some chopped parsley.

Aïoli is essentially garlic mayonnaise. It's a wonderful dip for prawns. For a speedy cheat's version, mix two crushed garlic cloves with the juice of half a lemon and stir into your favourite mayonnaise. It makes a punchy dressing for a potato salad too.

The deep smoky taste of roasted aubergine makes this Middle Eastern dip a fine partner to hummus. Take three medium-sized aubergines, douse in olive oil and bake in the oven on high heat for around 30 minutes or until soft. When cool, scoop out the flesh, blend to a paste along with two crushed garlic cloves and three tablespoons of olive oil. Season to taste – it will need salt. Serve with pitta or flatbreads.

Mackerel is great value and full of healthy fats. Combine two parts flaked smoked mackerel to one part cream cheese and blend with the juice and zest of one whole lemon. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve with crusty brown toast. For a smarter version, add a handful of chopped parsley or blend in a tablespoon of capers. The smokiness of the fish adds real complexity.

With the tang of sour cream and lemon and a flourish of spring onions, this is an essential dip for potato crisps or tortilla chips. Combine 100g (3.5oz) sour cream, one finely chopped spring onion and one crushed garlic clove. Season to taste with salt and pepper. You can always also add a little lemon juice and a handful of chopped chives, if you like.

The vibrant, deep red colour makes this a great-looking dip, as well as being a great-tasting one. Roast four de-seeded, quartered red peppers and one white onion in a medium to hot oven until soft. Then blitz in a blender with two tablespoons of olive oil and season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve and scoop up with pitta breads. You could easily add a crushed clove of garlic and some roasted tomatoes.

For a vibrant dip that really stands out, try this beetroot hummus. All you need is one can (400g/14oz) of chickpeas, drained and rinsed, around 250g/9oz of cooked beetroot and a clove or two of garlic. Blend, add salt and pepper to taste and serve with flatbreads. For more depth, add lemon juice, two tablespoons of tahini and two teaspoons of ground cumin.

Similar to raita, tzatziki's core ingredients are cucumber, plain yogurt and mint. The refreshing dip is commonly served alongside a Greek mezze and great with flatbreads, tortilla chips and crudités. To make, take half a cucumber, scoop out the seeds and grate the flesh. Mix with around 250g (8.8oz) yogurt and chopped mint. A couple of crushed garlic cloves and a squeeze of lemon make great extra additions.

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Our super-simple version of this dip requires around 400g (14oz) of canned artichoke hearts combined with around 340g (12oz) of cream cheese and 300g (10oz) of Parmesan. Blend, season with salt and pepper and serve. You can adjust the texture with the addition of some sour cream or mayonnaise, and add some complexity with cooked spinach.

It doesn’t get much simpler than this classic tomato-based favourite. Take four of the ripest plum tomatoes you can find, then dice. Do the same with a quarter of a red onion and combine with a crushed clove of garlic. Season to taste with salt and pepper. It'll be perfect served with tortilla chips as is, or take it up a level with a teaspoon of lime juice and some chopped coriander.

A staple from Mexico now widely enjoyed around the world, guacamole can be made in myriad ways. Our basic version keeps it to the bare essentials. Smash three avocados with a good pinch of sea salt, add the juice of two limes to taste, and stir in lots of chopped coriander. You could add a dash of Tabasco, a pinch of cumin and some finely chopped spring onions too. 

Get more ideas for quick appetisers for last-minute guests here

Do you have a can of salmon lurking in the cupboard? Whizz it up in the blender with the same weight of cream cheese and the juice and zest of a lemon. Lovely on little toasts or as a dip for crudités. Try adding fresh dill, a perfect partner to salmon.

For a true taste of summer, this easy dip is great on toasts or for a chip-and-dip moment. Frozen broad beans are fine to use – just blanch them in boiling water and pop off their outer skins. Whizz up with a little Greek yogurt or crème fraîche and a big handful of basil. Season well. You could add a squeeze of lemon for extra punch.

This makes a great dip for spring rolls or potsticker dumplings. Ponzu is similar to soy sauce, but more citrussy. Just add dried chilli flakes and finely chopped spring onions, then leave it to infuse for 30 minutes or so before serving. You could jazz it up with a splash of toasted sesame oil, too.

For an easy, cheesy dip for crackers and sticks of cucumber, whizz up feta cheese with a little milk in the food processor until blended. Just add a little milk at a time to give a thick, creamy texture. Stir in lots of freshly chopped dill and season to taste.

Popular in the Middle East and now a firm fixture on many restaurant menus, labneh is simply strained yogurt, which ends up quite cheesy, a bit like ricotta. You can flavour it with herbs, garlic, spices and olive oil. It's remarkably simple but tastes amazing. It does need 48 hours in the fridge to strain, but it's worth it.

Get the recipe for labneh here 

Here's a perfect hot dip to serve with potato wedges or fries. Take two tins of tomato and onion mix, add a teaspoon each of dried oregano and chilli flakes. Add plenty of salt and pepper, bring to the boil, then simmer until the sauce has reduced and thickened. Taste for seasoning before serving.

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