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    Home » Recipes » the daniel plan

    Easy Creamy Avocado Dip Recipe

    Published: Feb 7, 2023 by Sally Cameron · This post may contain affiliate links · 4 Comments

    163 shares
    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    This easy creamy avocado dip is terrific for parties and get together's, afternoon snacks, or a healthy nibble while watching the big game. Use it as a creamy avocado sauce too! It's great for avocado toast and alongside fish, chicken and shrimp. Make it in a minute. It's addictive and full of healthy fats.

    Veggie and cracker board with creamy avocado basil dip.
    Jump to:
    • Why You'll Like This Recipe
    • Recipe Ingredients
    • Recipe Substitutions and Variations
    • Recipe Instructions
    • How to Serve
    • How to Store
    • Recipe FAQ's
    • More Recipes to Try
    • ⭐️Did you Make This?
    • 📖 Recipe
    • 💬 Comments

    Why You'll Like This Recipe

    • Super quick and easy to make.
    • Use a food processor or make it by hand.
    • This versatile avocado dip works as a sauce too.
    • The creamy texture melts in your mouth.
    • Do you love guacamole? Try this recipe.

    Recipe Ingredients

    Ingredients for creamy avocado dip with basil.

    Simple, basic ingredients. For measurements please see the recipe card.

    • Avocados: Be sure they are ripe by gently pressing with your fingers at the top and sides of the avocado. You want them soft but not squishy (over-ripe).
    • Yogurt: Buy plain Greek yogurt, which gives the dip the rich creaminess and a nice tang. Don't buy flavored yogurt like vanilla.
    • Fresh herbs: Basil is my first choice, but you can use other mint-family herbs. See the substitutions section. Use just the leaves and not the stems for the dip.
    • Citrus juice: Preferably fresh lime juice or fresh lemon juice, for fresh bright flavor.
    • Garlic: Use garlic powder or fresh garlic. With fresh garlic, chop it very fine and smear it into a paste with the back of your knife so no one bites into a piece of raw garlic. Garlic powder blends in and rehydrates quickly.
    • Pepper: I prefer white pepper for this healthy dip recipe but ground black pepper works too.

    Chef's tip: How to make avocados ripen faster? Place them in a brown paper bag with a banana. Bananas contain ethylene, a natural plant hormone. It triggers ripening in fruit. The paper bag traps the ethylene gas that's produced and speeds up the ripening process. Apples and tomatoes work too. Read here about how avocados ripen.

    Recipe Substitutions and Variations

    • To make this vegan: Use my go-to mayonnaise, or other vegan mayonnaise as a substitute for the yogurt.
    • Replace the yogurt with sour cream.
    • Herbs: Instead of basil (or in addition to it) use fresh cilantro, fresh flat leaf (Italian) parsley, or fresh feathery dill. Use a combination of herbs if desired. A mild mint is refreshing too. No herbs? Use fresh baby spinach leaves.
    • For heat: Add a finely chopped jalapeno pepper, a pinch of red pepper flakes, a pinch of cayenne pepper, or a splash of liquid hot sauce.
    • Add a little ground cumin or ground coriander for even more flavor.

    Recipe Instructions

    How to make avocado dip:

    Avocado, lemon, basil and garlic for avocado dip in a food processor bowl.

    Food Processor

    Add all ingredients to the workbowl of a food processor and process smooth. Taste and adjust with any additional citrus, yogurt or salt. So easy!

    Beautiful green dip pureed to creamy texture in a food processor workbowl.

    By Hand

    Mash the avocados as smoothly as possible with a fork in a medium bowl then use a whisk to make it creamy. Chop the basil leaves fine, then add the rest of the ingredients and continue whisking until it is as smooth as possible.

    Depending on how ripe your avocados are, it could be creamy or a little more chunky like traditional guacamole. Either way it will taste great.

    For another terrific avocado appetizer or snack, try my guacamole with pomegranate seeds.

    How to Serve

    Build a veggies and cracker snack board or a crudite platter.

    A party platter of colorful vegetables with a bowl of avocado dip in the center.

    For serving, scoop the dip into a bowl and place in the center of a plate, platter, or board and add what you like. Here is what I serve with the dip:

    • Bell peppers: Red, orange, or yellow, cut into strips.
    • Zucchini: Raw zucchini sliced into "chips" or strips, or the baby ones, split in half lengthwise.
    • Carrots: Any color you can find, cut into sticks, or use the baby ones.
    • Broccoli: Broken into bite-sized florets.
    • Endive leaves: My favorite! These crisp, pale green or red leaves make terrific scoopers. Trim the root end and peel off leaves.
    • Radishes: Halve then for easier eating, leaving on a little stem for the color and as a handle.
    • Sugar snap peas: Drop them in boiling salted water for 30 seconds, then into ice water. They are much nicer to eat than totally raw. It's called blanching. Still crisp and crunchy, softens them just a tad.
    • Cucumbers: Slice into "chips" on the diagonal or crosswise into rounds.
    • Your favorite crackers, corn chips or pita chips.

    Other Ways to Use

    As a creamy dipping sauce:

    • Make avocado toast for breakfast or a snack.
    • Use avocado dip instead of cocktail sauce with cooked shrimp, chicken skewers, pork or beef kabobs.
    • A dollop on top of grilled, baked or sauteed fish, like salmon, halibut, cod or flounder is delicious.
    • Use to garnish deviled eggs, or skip the egg filling and use this, then garnish with bacon crumbles.
    • Use in burgers, as a sandwich spread, or with quesadillas and turkey wraps.
    • Thin with milk and use as a creamy salad dressing for romaine or study lettuces.
    • Top Mexican dishes like enchiladas with this avocado crema.
    Close up of creamy basil and avocado dip in white bowl.

    How to Store

    Avocado dip is best enjoyed the same day. Leftover dip keeps a day or two refrigerated in an airtight container. To reduce browning (oxidation), squeeze lemon juice over the top.

    Some avocado fans recommend placing a piece of plastic wrap smoothed over the top to reduce oxidation, but it still happens. If it gets brown on top, scrape off the brown and stir. It still tastes good. A little fresh lime juice is good too.

    The market is filled with gadgets to help keep avocados, guacamole and avocado dip fresh, like this one and this one. I am currently testing both. If you try something that works, please leave me a comment.

    Recipe FAQ's

    What's the difference between guacamole and avocado dip?

    Both start with avocado but vary in ingredients and texture. Guacamole is usually chunky and adds lime, onion or shallot, garlic, and maybe tomato and cilantro. Avocado dip adds yogurt, sour cream, or mayonnaise to give it a creamy smooth consistency.

    How healthy is avocado dip?

    Very! Avocados are full of healthy monounsaturated fat and many important vitamins and minerals, and believe it or not, fiber. Here's a great article on avocado nutrition. Greek yogurt is high in protein and healthy as long as you are not dairy-sensitive. It's also a fermented food which is great for your gut. For an alternative to yogurt see the substitution section.

    More Recipes to Try

    Here's another nice appetizer for parties and gatherings, Endive leaves with herbed cream cheese. And for another veggie appetizer, make some rainbow vegetable spring rolls.

    • creamy salmon dip
      Creamy Easy Smoked Salmon Dip
    • Green Goddess Dressing and Dip (Dairy Free)
    • lemon hummus
      Easy Lemon Hummus
    • basil artichoke dip
      Easy Make Ahead Basil Artichoke Dip

    ⭐️Did you Make This?

    If you make this recipe, please comment and let me know. If you loved it, please give it a 5 star rating! They really help other readers. Questions, comment and I will answer.

    📖 Recipe

    Avocado basil dip

    Easy Creamy Avocado Dip

    Sally Cameron
    A beautiful green creamy, healthy, avocado dip. Serve with fresh raw veggies or crackers. It works not just as a dip but a sauce too. Ideas in notes at the end. If your avocados are small, get 3.
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 10 minutes mins
    Cook Time 0 minutes mins
    Total Time 10 minutes mins
    Course Appetizer, Dip, Sauce, Snack
    Cuisine American
    Servings 6 Yield 2 cups
    Calories 109 kcal

    Equipment

    • Food Processor or make by hand, notes below.

    Ingredients
      

    One Step Dip

    • 2 large ripe avocados peeled and seeded
    • 1 5 ounce container plain unsweetened Greek yogurt or Vegenaise for DF
    • 1 cup fresh basil leaves, loosely packed see swaps below
    • ¼ teaspoon garlic powder or 2 cloves fresh, chopped fine and smeared smooth
    • ¼ teaspoon sea salt
    • ⅛ teaspoon ground white pepper substitute black pepper
    • 1 half lime, juiced or half a lemon

    Instructions
     

    Food processor directions

    • For the dip, place all ingredients in a food processor and puree until smooth, about 1 minute. Adjust the creaminess with more yogurt or a little more citrus, either lemon, lime or both. Adjust seasoning to your preferred taste.

    By hand directions

    • If you don't have a food processor, make it by hand. Mash the avocados as smoothly as possible in a large bowl and use a whisk to make it creamy. Chop the basil leaves fine then add the rest of the ingredients and continue whisking until smooth as possible. Adjust seasoning to your preferred taste.
      Depending on how ripe your avocados are, it could be creamy or a little more chunky.

    Notes

    For a dairy-free option, Use organic Vegenaise or Sir Kensington's mayonnaise instead of yogurt. Start with a few tablespoons, puree and add more until it's as creamy as you want. 
    Herb swaps: No basil or not enough? Combine or swap with cilantro, fresh flat leaf (Italian parsley) or dill. Even mild mint makes a nice dip. 
    Serving options: Colorful bell peppers, zucchini strips or slices, carrots, cucumber slices, sugar snap peas, broccoli florets, endive leaves, radishes, crackers, or corn chips.
    How else to use: Use in tacos, to top grilled fish or chicken, with skewers of grilled or sauteed shrimp. Think of it as a sauce, not just a dip. 

    Nutrition

    Calories: 109kcalCarbohydrates: 6gProtein: 2gFat: 10gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 0.01mgSodium: 102mgPotassium: 339mgFiber: 5gSugar: 0.5gVitamin A: 309IUVitamin C: 7mgCalcium: 16mgIron: 1mg
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Tricia says

      September 04, 2017 at 9:00 am

      I made this for a Labor Day pool party appetizer. It was a hit! Very quick and easy to prepare.

      Reply
      • Sally Cameron says

        September 05, 2017 at 12:29 pm

        Thanks for reporting back Tricia! Glad it was a hit!

        Reply
    2. Kelly says

      December 23, 2015 at 6:34 am

      What a beautiful presentation! I'm making this for a Christmas Day healthy appetizer.

      Reply

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    chef sally cameron | afoodcentriclifecom.bigscoots-staging.com

    Welcome! I'm Sally, a classically trained chef (but you don't have to be!). My passion is cooking fresh healthy food and sharing it with others.

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