Perfect for a crunchy potato chip, a soft pretzel or even a pile of celery sticks, dips don’t often get the credit they’re due, particularly in restaurants. But dips aren’t just for, well, dipping—they can be easily used across the menu. Many restaurants are menuing them as a base for pizzas, a topping for nachos, a stuffing for mushrooms and more.
Some dips, like cheese dips, vegetable dips and guacamole, have seen significant growth—for instance, appetizer cheese dips have grown 15% over the past five years, while vegetable dips have grown 13% and guacamole is up 9%, according to Technomic’s MenuMonitor.
Here are four ways to use popular dips as more than just a condiment.