My fabulously fresh, spectacularly speedy 3-Ingredient Chive and Sour Cream Dip recipe is the easiest appetizer you’ll ever make. This simple, lemony dip is the upgrade your game day spread has been missing!
If you have 5 minutes to spare, you have enough time to make my easy sour cream dip. It’s even easier to make than my favorite tahini sauce, plus it’s safe for my friends with nut and seed allergies. Whether you use it for chips, crudites, or buffalo chicken wings, its cool, creamy brightness is always welcome.
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Sour Cream – Make sure to use full-fat sour cream for the best flavor. You can also swap in Middle Eastern labna, French crème fraîche, or even plain Greek yogurt if needed.
- Lemon Juice & Zest – Using both fresh citrus juice and zest ensures a fantastically light and bright flavor profile. Remember to only zest the bright yellow parts of the fruit, since the white pith is bitter.
- Chives – These dainty little alliums add a gentle oniony flavor and a nice pop of color. Can’t do onions? Swap in chopped fresh dill!
- Salt & Black Pepper – Okay, these are *technically* two extra ingredients in our 3-ingredient sour cream dip, but they’re kitchen staples that are only added to taste, so I figured you’d forgive me. 😉 Use fine sea salt or kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper for the best results.
This is just a short review of the ingredients; for the complete recipe, including quantities, scroll down to the recipe card 👇
Sour Cream Varieties From Around The Globe
While sour cream is the classic choice for creamy dips, several other cultured dairy products work beautifully, or sometimes even better depending on the flavor and texture you want!
- Sour cream is tangy, light, and slightly thick, making it the most familiar base for cold dips. It has a mild acidity and a creamy texture that blends easily with herbs, spices, and mix-ins. Because it’s relatively soft, it’s best for dips that you want to feel smooth and scoopable.
- Crème fraîche is richer and silkier than sour cream, with a higher fat content and a milder, less tangy flavor. It has a higher fat content, which means it doesn’t curdle over heat and holds its shape beautifully. If you want a more luxurious dip, crème fraîche is an excellent upgrade. You can substitute it for sour cream at a 1:1 ratio. Just expect a slightly milder tang and a richer mouthfeel.
- Labneh (strained Middle Eastern yogurt) is thick, tangy, and almost spreadable, like a cross between Greek yogurt and soft cheese. It makes an exceptionally creamy, bright dip on its own or mixed with citrus, herbs and spices. Feel free to use it as a 1:1 sour cream substitute.
- Greek yogurt is tangy, thick, relatively low-fat and high in protein, making it a healthier alternative to sour cream. It’s slightly more acidic and not quite as rich, so dips made with Greek yogurt will taste brighter and slightly less indulgent. You can use it 1:1 in place of sour cream; if you want a richer flavor, blend it with a spoonful of mayonnaise or a splash of cream.
- Mexican crema sits somewhere between sour cream and crème fraîche on the flavor spectrum, but is thin enough to be pourable. It’s mildly tangy and lightly salted, with a clean dairy flavor. Because of its looser consistency, it’s best used to help thin out thicker dips, or for turning dip recipes into salad dressings or sauces.
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