These five dips handle the hungry hour before Thanksgiving dinner: two rich and cheesy, one with a buffalo kick, one bright with corn and cotija, and one cold New England classic you stir together the day before.
None needs more than 35 minutes of prep and cook time, and all five can be mixed ahead so Thursday is just heat and serve. Put out two for a small table or all five for a crowd.
Jump to a dip: Mississippi Sin Dip, Crab Dip, Buffalo Cauliflower Dip, New England Bean Dip, Mexican Corn Dip.
1. Mississippi Sin Dip (No Bread Bowl Needed)
Cream cheese, sour cream, sharp cheddar, crumbled bacon and green onions, baked until the top is golden and the middle is bubbling. Skipping the bread bowl means no hollowing out a loaf on a day when counter space is already gone. Add the diced jalapeños if your crowd likes heat, or leave them out for the kids’ end of the table.
- Time: 10 to 15 minutes to cook
- Make ahead: Mix it up to a day early and refrigerate. The unbaked dip also freezes for up to 2 months.
- Serve with: Tortilla chips, pita chips, crackers, celery and carrots
Get the Mississippi Sin Dip recipe
2. Crab Dip (Cheesy, Hot & Ready in 20 Minutes)
This is the one that makes the appetizer table feel like a holiday. A full pound of lump crab goes into cream cheese, sour cream and mayo with Old Bay, Worcestershire and a little lemon, then gets a blanket of sharp cheddar that melts in the last five minutes. Pick through the crab with your fingers before mixing, since even good lump crab can hide a bit of shell.
- Time: 20 minutes total
- Make ahead: Mix it without the topping cheese up to 48 hours early. Let it sit out about 20 minutes before it cooks.
- Serve with: Ritz or saltines, toasted baguette slices, pita chips, cucumber rounds, endive
3. Buffalo Cauliflower Dip (Cheesy, 35 Minutes)
All the flavor of buffalo chicken dip with a head of cauliflower standing in for the chicken. The florets cook in buffalo sauce first, then get chopped and folded into cream cheese, sour cream, cheddar and ranch or blue cheese dressing. It is a meatless option for the table, and a welcome bit of heat next to a plate of mild, buttery sides.
- Time: 35 minutes total
- Make ahead: Assemble up to 24 hours early and heat just before serving.
- Serve with: Tortilla chips, toasted pita, crackers, celery, carrots, cucumbers
Get the Buffalo Cauliflower Dip recipe
4. New England Bean Dip (Century House & Continental Copycat)
The only dip here that never sees heat, which makes it the easiest thing on your Thanksgiving list. Kidney beans are lightly mashed and stirred with mayo, pickle relish, diced onion, dry mustard, Worcestershire and horseradish, the same sweet and tangy bean dip those restaurants set out with crackers. It tastes better after a night in the fridge, so make it Wednesday and forget about it.
- Time: 10 minutes, plus at least 30 minutes to chill
- Make ahead: A day early is ideal. It keeps 3 to 4 days in the fridge.
- Serve with: Crackers, sliced baguette, tortilla chips, fresh vegetables
Get the New England Bean Dip recipe
5. Mexican Corn Dip (Easy Elote Dip)
Corn already belongs on the Thanksgiving table, and this is the most fun way to get it there. Corn kernels, roasted chiles, mayo, sour cream, chile powder and a Mexican cheese blend melt together, then cotija and fresh cilantro go on top right before serving. Frozen or canned corn works fine in November.
- Time: 18 minutes total
- Make ahead: Mix it a few hours early and save the cotija and cilantro for the last minute.
- Serve with: Tortilla chips, pita, crackers, bell pepper strips, cucumber and carrot sticks
Get the Mexican Corn Dip recipe
Your Thanksgiving Dip Game Plan
Mix everything by Wednesday night and Thursday’s appetizer work drops to about 15 minutes per hot dip.
| Dip | Serves | Mix ahead | On Thanksgiving |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crab Dip | 8 | Up to 48 hours, without the topping cheese | Rest 20 minutes, cook, add cheese for the last 5 minutes |
| New England Bean Dip | 6 | 1 day | Stir and set out cold |
| Mississippi Sin Dip | 16 | 1 day | Cook 10 to 15 minutes |
| Buffalo Cauliflower Dip | 16 | 24 hours | Heat 8 to 10 minutes until bubbly |
| Mexican Corn Dip | 8 | A few hours | Heat 5 to 8 minutes, then top with cotija and cilantro |
The four hot dips cook in the air fryer, so the oven stays free for the turkey and the sides.
A few things that make the table easier:
- Stagger the hot dips. Set out the bean dip first, then bring a hot dip every 20 minutes or so instead of all four at once.
- Share the dippers. Tortilla chips, crackers, pita chips and a tray of celery, carrots and cucumbers cover all five dips.
- Double the small ones. The crab dip and bean dip serve the fewest and tend to go first.
Thanksgiving Dip FAQs
Which dips can I make the day before? All but the corn dip. The crab dip can be mixed two days ahead, the sin dip, bean dip and buffalo cauliflower dip one day ahead, and the corn dip is best mixed the morning of.
Which dips are meatless? The buffalo cauliflower dip and the Mexican corn dip. The bean dip has no meat either, but most Worcestershire sauce contains anchovies, so use a vegetarian brand if that matters to your guests.
How long do leftovers keep? About 3 days in an airtight container in the fridge for the hot dips, and 3 to 4 days for the bean dip. The crab and buffalo cauliflower dips do not freeze well.
Can I freeze any of them ahead of time? The Mississippi sin dip. Freeze the unbaked mixture for up to 2 months, thaw it overnight in the fridge, and cook it Thanksgiving day.
Which dip is going on your table? Save this list for Thursday, and happy Thanksgiving.
