19 Mediterranean Dips Everyone Should Try At Least Once

Whether they are served as an appetizer, side dish, or an accompaniment to an entrée, dips are popular around the world. One region that is especially well-known for its plethora of spreads is the Mediterranean. While the Mediterranean is not a monolith, with 22 countries flanking the waters of this sea, certain commonalities exist among the diets of these nations.

Among the hallmarks of the Mediterranean diet are whole grains, healthy fats, vegetables, legumes, fish, and seafood, many of which are reflected in the dips found within the culinary traditions of these countries. As a chef who studied food anthropology with a focus on cultures surrounding the Mediterranean, I have developed a particular affinity for the spreads of this region. These go beyond hummus, featuring a world of flavorful and visually appealing ingredients that are sure to have your taste buds titillated. Read on to discover the Mediterranean dips everyone should try at least once.

Among the more well-known dips of Syrian and Lebanese birth is muhammara. This spread, with a name that literally translates to "reddened" in Arabic, is generally served as part of a mezze, or assortment of small plates, not dissimilar to Spanish tapas or Italian antipasti. It is often accompanied by warm pita bread, but can also be used as a dressing for a sandwich or a sauce for kebabs.

The crimson hue of muhammara is conferred by roasted red and Aleppo peppers. These are puréed together until coarsely ground with walnuts, pomegranate molasses, olive oil, garlic, cumin, and coriander. It resembles a Spanish romesco sauce or a Catalan salsa de calçots, which is also known as salvitxada. This sauce is best when garnished with fresh pomegranate seeds, which lend a crunchy texture and tart flavor.

If you are looking for an intriguing dip recipe that happens to be celebrity chef Andrew Zimmern's favorite midnight snack, try bagna cauda. Bagna cauda, which translates to "hot bath" in Italian, is a dip of Piedmontese origin. This area of Northwestern Italy is known for its stick-to-your-ribs cuisine and specialty items, like black or white truffles, grissini, and gianduia, which is the inspiration for the popular spread, Nutella.

Though it is typically a featured dish at Christmas and New Year's celebrations, it can be found all across Italy, served with bread and raw or cooked vegetables for dipping. It is generally made from anchovies, garlic, red wine, olive oil, and butter, which are slow-cooked in an earthenware pot for several hours. Its rich, salty, savory flavor can be tamed by the addition of cream, fresh truffles, toasted hazelnuts or almonds, and/or walnut or hazelnut oil.

No compilation of Mediterranean dips would be complete without the addition of hummus. Though hummus is now a staple of the diets of many of us, this dip likely originated in ancient Egypt. Its name, which is often spelled hommus, humus, houmous, or hommos, translates to "chickpea" in Arabic. A variation of this classic is prepared and served by virtually every country across North Africa and the Middle East alongside warm pita bread and vegetables for dunking.

The primary ingredients in a creamy homemade hummus recipe include chickpeas, tahini paste, garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, and spices, though the precise recipe varies from country to country and household to household. In fact, hummus is so central among the people of this region that it has even prompted what are known as the "hummus wars" between the countries of Lebanon and Israel, with each vying to hold the record for the largest serving of this dish to ever be made.

If you have ever had the pleasure of experiencing a Moroccan meal, these typically begin with a vast assortment of appetizers, salads, and dips served with hearty, freshly baked flatbreads. Among the most quintessential of Moroccan salads, which doubles as a dip, is zaalouk. Zaalouk, will often begin as an appetizer, but will remain on the table throughout a meal as an accompaniment to a main dish, which can be meat- or vegetable-based.

The basic ingredients of zaalouk include eggplant, tomatoes, garlic, cilantro, parsley, olive oil, cumin, and paprika. These are cooked together and served either slightly chunky or more puréed. The eggplants are often steamed or boiled, though some recipes will call for them to be roasted, which produces a more robust, complex flavor. Zaalouk can be eaten hot or cold, though it is generally best at room temperature, where all the flavors can be savored equally.

Another dish of Moroccan heritage is bissara or bessara. Bissara is unique in that it can be made as a soup or a dip, depending on the household. When served hot, it is generally dished up as a soup. When cooled to room temperature, it is often offered as one of the dips accompanying the parade of first course items on display during a Moroccan meal. It is always served with a hunk of freshly baked Moroccan bread for dunking.

The base of this dish is made from split fava beans, a staple of the Moroccan diet owing to its affordability, availability, and nutritional prowess. These are generally soaked overnight before being cooked along with garlic, olive oil, paprika, and cumin. Once soft, the beans are blended until smooth and creamy. Bissara is often garnished with harissa paste, a spicy condiment that can be found all across North Africa.

Among the best and most well-recognized dishes you will often find as a part of a classic Greek mezze is taramasalata. Taramasalata is a traditional recipe that emerged as a means of celebrating the first day of Lent. Its moniker describes what this dip is made from, namely "taramás," which is fish roe in Greek. Though classically produced with a mortar and pestle, this dish can be made more or less creamy, depending on the degree to which it is puréed.

This salty dip can be made from either white or pink fish roe, which is mashed together with olive oil, lemon juice, or vinegar, and stale bread or mashed potatoes. Though this dish generally reflects the color of the roe used in the recipe, it is often dyed a bright, cotton candy pink with food coloring for visual effect when sold commercially.

Olives and olive oil play a central role in the culinary traditions of every country surrounding the Mediterranean. One dip that showcases the prowess of the olive is tapenade. Named for the Provençal word for capers, namely "tapéno," this dish emerged in its modern iteration in the late 1800s when it was prepared by the chef of the famed La Maison Dorée in Marseille. That said, it has its roots in ancient Rome, where a similar dish, known as epityrum, was made, and it is served across the Mediterranean in various forms.

A classic tapenade recipe features black olives, capers, anchovies, and olive oil, which are mashed into a spreadable paste. This is served as a dip, spread for canapés, filling for tarts, sauce for fish or meat, and as a finishing element for risotto and pasta dishes. Different varieties of tapenade include ones that are made from sun-dried tomatoes, artichoke hearts, roasted peppers, or green olives.

Whether you call it a dip, sauce, salad, or side dish, caponata is a dish of Sicilian origin that speaks to the Moorish influences that pervade cultures across the Mediterranean. This dish features one of the most popular ingredients in the region, namely eggplant. The fried eggplant is combined with vegetables, and a sweet and sour sauce of Persian origin called agrodolce.

Though similar to the French dish ratatouille, caponata is distinct in a few ways, including its use of agrodolce, inclusion of capers and olives, and the incorporation of different vegetables and herbs. Caponata is most often served at room temperature with plenty of crusty Italian bread for dunking. It can also be served atop fish or meat, as a garnish for polenta, rice, or pasta, and as a condiment on sandwiches.

Among the more well-known Mediterranean dips that also features eggplant as the star of the show is baba ganoush. This dip of murky genesis can be found on menus across the Middle East, though its invention is frequently attributed to Lebanon or Syria. The literal meaning of its name translates to "pampered daddy," perhaps referring to a number of its origin stories, which often involve a child making a similar dish for its parents.

A classic baba ganoush recipe typically includes baked, roasted, or grilled eggplant, olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, and occasionally tahini, other vegetables, or pomegranate molasses. These are puréed together until coarse in texture and served at room temperature alongside freshly baked pita or flatbreads as part of a traditional mezze. It can also be served as a spread on a sandwich, though this is less typical.

Mutabal is often referred to as the creamier, more complex cousin of baba ganoush. This dip featuring eggplant is also of Middle Eastern origin and frequently associated with Lebanese or Syrian cuisine. Its name is derived from the Arabic word "tabbala," which translates to "seasoned." This speaks to the primary difference between these dips, namely the aromatic components that are added, which generally include various spices and herbs, like cumin, paprika, chilis, and parsley.

Another defining feature of mutabal is its texture, which is typically creamier and more delicate, owing to the consistent addition of tahini paste and occasionally yogurt. Like baba ganoush, mutabal is often a centerpiece of a mezze and generally served at room temperature with plenty of warm pita or vegetables for dipping. It can also be a fantastic side dish for grilled meats and seafood.

Among the most beloved Greek dips that are popular additions to a mezze is tirokafteri. This dip, whose name translates to "cheese burning," is made from one of the cornerstones of Greek cuisine, feta cheese. Not just any kind of feta suffices here. This requires a quality Greek feta, which is generally made from sheep's or goat's milk cheese, per PDO requirements. This unique, salty, briny cheese is combined with roasted red peppers, olive oil, chili flakes, hot peppers, and red wine vinegar and puréed together until smooth and a delightful orange hue.

Some variations of this dip are made without red peppers, giving the dip a lighter complexion. Others omit or limit the amount of hot peppers used to produce a milder heat level. Still others add Greek yogurt for a looser, more creamy dip.

When it comes to celebrating, particularly Greek Independence Day, which occurs on March 25, one of the most festive spreads in the Greek culinary lexicon is skordalia. Skordalia is a garlicky potato dip with origins that pre-date the introduction of the potato to Greek soils. Indeed, this new world food was part of the Columbian Exchange, which began in the 16th century. Prior to this, a similar recipe was made using bread.

The etymology of this word speaks to its primary flavor. "Skordo" means "garlic," while "agliata" translates to "garlicky." Though this dip may look like mashed potatoes in a bowl, it should not be underestimated. Garlic is truly the star of this show. While skordalia can be served as a part of a traditional mezze with warm pita, it is commonly spread across cooked salted cod as a sauce.

While they both start with the letter "t," tzatziki is quite a different beast from tahini. Tzatziki is perhaps the most well-known of sauces or dips hailing from Greece. This refreshing, yogurt-based spread fuses grated cucumber and garlic with olive oil and fresh herbs, like mint or parsley.

Variations of this dip may include lemon juice or red wine vinegar, for a dash of brightness, and spices, like citrusy sumac, for a bit of intrigue. Though similar to Indian cucumber raita, tzatziki is made from shredded cucumber, while raita features small chunks of this vegetable along with a different combination of spices. This dip can be served as-is as part of a mezze with plenty of warm pita for dunking, or it can be used as a dressing for a salad or atop souvlaki and gyros.

Considered the National Dish of Egypt, ful medames, also called foul mudammas or just fūl, is a recipe that has existed for centuries. It is made from rehydrated fava beans that are cooked until just tender before being mixed together with samneh, a type of fermented butter similar to ghee, until rich and creamy. Historically, this dish was made using leftover ashes from the communal baths, hence its name, which translates roughly to "beans in ashes."

Ful medames are often combined with spices, garlic, lemon juice, and fresh herbs and garnished with hard-boiled eggs and thinly-sliced red onions. Though frequently consumed as a hearty breakfast, this stew-like dip works equally as well as a component of a mezze served alongside flatbread, various salads, and pickles. Similar dishes can be found across the Middle East and North Africa.

Though similar in nature, cacik is quite distinct from its Greek cucumber and yogurt dip cousin, tzatziki. It hails from Turkey, where yogurt is integral to the diet, which means it tends to be more yogurt-forward and has a thinner, almost soup-like texture. It is a popular menu item served alongside heavier, meat-based dishes on a hot summer day, though more robust, dip-like iterations are popular on mezze platters.

In terms of ingredients, cacik is generally made with either dried mint or fresh dill, though these vary depending on who assembles the dish. Additionally, the cucumber is generally diced rather than grated, with any excess moisture that is released during salting reserved to help give the dip a creamier, looser texture.

To know romesco sauce is to appreciate the fundamental essence of Mediterranean food in general. This sauce, which is also served as a spread, condiment, and dip, originated in the coastal village of Tarragona in the Catalonia region of Spain, though variations on it can be found in countries across the Mediterranean.

At its heart, this is a sauce made from roasted peppers. While red peppers are the go-to for most home chefs, bixto or nyora peppers would have been the varieties of choice for locals in Catalonia, where the sauce was originally intended to be served with fish. These peppers are augmented with roasted tomatoes, garlic, vinegar, olive oil, and toasted nuts for a bright, nutty, yet smoky, flavor. Though the sauce can be puréed until smooth and creamy, when served as a dip, it is typically pulled together with a mortar and pestle until just chunky and scoopable.

Like Morocco, Tunisian cuisine is known for an assortment of small dishes that begin the meal. These are called kemia, and they are the North African equivalent to Spanish tapas or Middle Eastern mezze. Among these, one of the most popular is a dip or salad known as omek houria.

The dish gets its distinctive red color from cooked carrots, which are mashed together with garlic, parsley, oil, and the spicy North African condiment called harissa. It is supplemented with various spices depending on who makes the dish. The dip is often served garnished with chunks of flaky tuna, olives, and hard-boiled eggs. It can be served hot or at room temperature and should be accompanied by plenty of fresh bread for dunking.

If you have ever heard of the legendary breakfast dish shakshuka, you might already be familiar with the essence of the Moroccan specialty known as taktouka. Not only do they sound similar, they include many of the same ingredients. Taktouka is another dip-like salad that is commonly served as part of the parade of small dishes for the first course of a meal in Morocco.

The primary ingredients of this dish include roasted green peppers and tomatoes. The roasting process helps to tame the bitterness of the green peppers, while lending a smokiness that balances out the acidity of the tomatoes. These are cooked together with garlic, oil, vinegar, parsley, cilantro, and spices, most typically paprika and coriander. This dip is generally served with crusty bread or atop meat or fish. Leftovers can easily be repurposed into a quick shakshuka for breakfast the next day.

Often dubbed "vegetable caviar," ajvar is a dip of Balkan origin. Though it is often associated with Serbia, countries throughout the region assume ownership over the recipe, inciting disputes not too dissimilar to those involving the birthplace of hummus. What remains constant, however, is when this dish is prepared, which is generally in the fall, during what is known as "pepper season."

The base of this dish is roasted peppers combined with vinegar, oil, and salt. Variations may include eggplant, garlic, carrots, tomatoes, and sugar. The dish may also differ in terms of the type of pepper used and how these are cooked. While ajvar is often seen as a condiment, it can be served as a dip, sauce, or even used to augment pasta sauce for a zip of flavor.