Need More Dip This Weekend? (Of Course You Do!)

A Red Pepper and Feta Dip from Alyse Whitney's book Big Dip Energy + Other Favorites for Sunday

There’s no better snacking dinner opportunity than Super Bowl Sunday. Even if you’re not watching the game (or just watching for the half-time show, like my kid does), it’s still a great opportunity to make/eat all kinds of fun foods. (I even know of a Michelin-lauded culinary temple that is doing a big stadium-shaped snack platter for family meal tomorrow!)

Of course, it’s not a Super Bowl party without dip—ideally many different dips, from guacamole to onion dip (either homemade or from a Lipton soup packet) to queso. So, as soon as I started thinking about what to make this Sunday, I pulled out Alyse Whitney’s book Big Dip Energy. This bright, dizzying romp of a book has a dip for every mood and occasion—from the Mexican street food-inspired Elote to Love Dip to sweet treats like Boba Tea Dips with Boba Skewers. (Yes, Alyse has given all the dips super fun names—and the photos are equally delightful.)

Alyse has started hosting DIPners—and recently threw a DIPsco party with friends

---

For more quick-and-easy (and delicious!) meals, pre-order a copy of my upcoming book SNACKING DINNERS! As a bonus, you can sign up for added drink-pairing recipes, a free signed bookplate, and a chance to win fun prize drawings. (Pre-orders are a huge boost for sales rankings and encourage indie bookstores to stock the book.)

---

It took me a while to land on a recipe to share this week—there were just so many options, from the healthy sounding Spanikopidip to the elaborate Spicy California Roll Guacamole. I ultimately chose the Roasted Red Pepp in Your Step Whipped Feta Dip, not only because it has a gorgeous photo but also because it meets my criteria for this newsletter: It’s super fun and, because it’s full of veg and feta, it also has all the elements you need to make a full meal. This is key, because once I put out a bowl of dip, I’m going to eat a lot of it!

Roasted Red Pepp in Your Step Whipped Feta Dip

“Feta is the most transformative cheese I can think of. What is at first crumbly, dry, and aggressively salty becomes a lighter-than-air, creamy-dreamy dip in seconds when whipped in a food processor. To help it along, there’s also cream cheese in this dip, and a lot of roasted red peppers to give it a vibrant orange color and a flame-kissed flavor.”

1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened at room temperature
1 cup jarred roasted sliced red peppers, drained
2 ounces feta cheese, drained with brine reserved in a bowl
2 garlic cloves, grated
2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for garnish
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
½ teaspoon dried oregano
½ cup fresh basil leaves
Calabrian chile paste or oil, to dollop or drizzle on top (optional)
Crackers; pretzels or pretzel chips; crudités such as carrots, cucumbers, celery, broccoli, cauliflower, and/or sweet peppers

1. In a food processor, combine the cream cheese, roasted peppers, feta, garlic, oil, lemon juice, oregano, and half the basil. Pulse or run the motor until completely smooth.

2. To serve, pour into a medium serving bowl (preferably a shallow one), drizzle with either more oil or, if you want things spicier, Calabrian chile paste, and garnish with small whole basil leaves, or tear large ones for a rustic dip confetti.

*The dip can be made in advance, but you may need to thin it with feta brine or milk as it firms up in the fridge. It will keep up to a week in the fridge in an airtight container.

More to Snack On

To help with tomorrow’s feasts, I’ve gathered up some favorite snacking recipes—from my archives and other outlets. Here are some of the things I’d add to my Super Bowl buffet:

French Onion Dip

This homemade version of the classic junk-food treat comes from Dan Pelosi, in the New York Times. Here’s a gift link to the full recipe.

Alyse’s recipe for Elote to Love Dip was featured in The Dinner Plan this week:

We All Need Dip for Dinner

Recipe excerpted from cookbook Big Dip Energy by Alyse Whitney. Copyright © 2024 by Alyse Whitney. Reprinted by permission of William Morrow Cookbooks, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers.

Photos: Andrew Bui (4), Georgia Freedman, Andrew Bui, Georgia Freedman, Christopher Testani for the New York Times, Andrew Bui