This homemade sour cream and chive dip is so easy and delicious you’ll want to keep it all for yourself. But the recipe makes enough creamy dip to share, and since it requires only a handful of simple ingredients, you can whip it up quickly when company stops by unexpectedly!
This staple of the dip world is perfect for game day, holiday parties, movie night with the kids or any other fun occasion. It tastes best if it sits overnight in the refrigerator, but it’s also perfectly delicious to eat right away. Simply stir together the ingredients and get dipping!
Ingredients That Matter
This is a flexible recipe with a handful of ingredients, but let’s dig into each to see why they matter:
- Sour Cream. It’s sour cream and chive dip, so we have to start with sour cream! We prefer full fat sour cream for its thick body, creamy texture and tangy flavor. But, you can certainly swap in light or low-fat sour cream if you are concerned about fat and calories. In addition, you could use crème fraiche instead of sour cream, though it will be creamier and less tangy compared to regular sour cream. Ever wonder if it’s okay to eat sour cream that has separated? Of course! It’s natural for some of the liquid to sperate from the milk solids over time and once the surface has been broken (like when you take a spoonful out after first opening it). Simply stir it together to incorporate the liquid back into the solids, or drain and discard.
- Chives. This delicate herb is part of the allium family and is related to onions, leeks, scallions and garlic. It’s a flowering perennial (meaning it grows back every year) with a mild yet distinct oniony flavor. Chives are super delicate and difficult to store in the refrigerator for a long time. Try wrapping them in plastic wrap or in a damp paper towel placed in an air-tight container or bag. When buying them at the grocery store, don’t be surprised if you have to pick through a few containers to find bright green and firm chives.
- Mayonnaise. Simply stirring chives into sour cream would be quite tasty, but it won’t taste and feel much like a dip. That’s where mayonnaise comes in! We need to give the dip some body, and since mayonnaise is thicker than sour cream yet equally creamy and tangy, it’s the prefect ingredient for this dip. As with the sour cream, we call for full-fat mayonnaise, but you can certainly use low-fat or light mayonnaise to save on calories and fat.
- Garlic Powder. We use garlic powder in our dip strictly out of preference. But we think we have a good case to make! First, garlic powder has a garlicky flavor without much of the heat or sharpness that comes from a clove of fresh garlic. Some people love that assertive garlic flavor, but for this application, we prefer a more muted, tamer garlic flavor. And second, minced or even grated fresh garlic will still make the dip less creamy and you’ll get pockets of raw garlic flavor. No thanks. Garlic powder mixes in easily and essentially dissolves into the dip. But, again, if you love raw garlic, simply substitute one grated clove of fresh garlic.
- Lemon. A little acidity helps cut through the richness of the sour cream and mayonnaise, and we love a squeeze of fresh lemon juice. If you’d like, try grating in some fresh lemon zest (though go easy on the zest or it’ll be too overpowering).
How to make sour cream and chive dip
All you need to do is stir the ingredients together. Simple enough right? Well, first you’ll need to finely chop the chives. That can be challenging because chives are so delicate. Simply line up the chives together and thinly slice with a sharp (SHARP) knife. You can also use scissors to cut chives, but again, they need to be sharp.
You can make the dip a few days ahead of time and store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator.
What to serve with the dip
It’s dip, you know what to eat with dip, right? Right?? RIGHT??? Crispy potato chips, fresh vegetables, etc.??? Okay, some extra ideas:
- Baked Potatoes
- Steamed Potatoes
- Pita Chips
- Veggie Wraps
- Air-Fryer Steak Fries
- Turkey Burgers
- Cole Slaw
- Salad Dressing (thinned with a touch of buttermilk)
Try this sour cream and chive dip with our Air Fryer Smashed Parmesan Potatoes.
Recipe
Easy Sour Cream and Chive Dip
- Total Time: 5 min
- Yield: 1 ¼ cup 1x
Description
This homemade sour cream and chive dip is so easy and delicious you’ll want to keep it all for yourself. But the recipe makes enough creamy dip to share, and since it requires only a handful of simple ingredients, you can whip it up quickly when company stops by unexpectedly!
Ingredients
- ¾ cup sour cream
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup finely chopped fresh chives, plus more for serving
- 2 tsp. lemon juice
- 1 tsp. garlic powder
- ¼ tsp. table salt
- ¼ tsp. black pepper, plus more for serving
Instructions
- Stir together sour cream, mayonnaise, chives, lemon juice, garlic powder, salt and pepper in a medium mixing bowl. Transfer to a serving dish if serving immediately. Or transfer to an air-tight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days (see note). Serve topped with more chives and black pepper, if desired.
Notes
- For best flavor, refrigerate overnight before serving.
- Prep Time: 5 min
- Category: cip
- Method: stirring
- Cuisine: American
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