This Chips and Dip recipe does not offer just one delicious dip for your Friday/Saturday night gathering, but three appetizing, delectable ones! Salsa Verde Dip, Guacamole Dip and Pico de Gallo Dip. Make one or all three!
So you’re having a few friends over Friday night and wonder what to serve with those cocktails?
Hmm?! Well I have an idea! As a matter of fact, I have a great idea!!
How about a delicious concoction of dips served with some homemade tortilla chips? Chips and Dip anyone?
And not one dip or two but how about three? Diversification anyone! So yes three delicious dips! And instead of serving these dips with store bought chips (which of course you can do!), show off that you know how to make homemade tortilla chips! These chips are so easily prepared, it’s almost embarrassing to boost to your friends that they are homemade!
Dip Recipes for Tortilla Chips
Ok so let’s talk about the first dip, Pico de Gallo (pronounced as peek-o day-guy-o) or sometimes called Salsa Fresca (fresh or raw sauce). It is also known as “Salsa Mexicana” (Mexican Sauce) or “Salsa Bandera” (Flag Sauce) because the colors of the ingredients resembles the Mexican flag. It is a fresh salad/sauce/dip made with uncooked tomatoes, onions, jalapeño, garlic, cilantro and lime. There are other varieties of pico de gallo that may include serrano peppers, habanero peppers, mango, avocado, scallions etc.
Pico de Gallo can be used in a variety of other ways as well. You can use it as a dip for tortilla chips, as a topping for tacos, as a topping for molletes, fajitas, steaks, chicken sopes, nachos supreme, to name a few.
However, this dip is so good, you will even enjoy it on scrambled eggs!
Pico de Gallo translates to Beak of a Rooster. This is said to be because eating it with a tortilla chip and using your thumb and forefinger to retrieve the pico de gallo, resembles a pecking rooster. Although, it is uncertain if this is truly the reason.
Whatever the reason for its name, you will not be disappointed with this dip!
Salsa Verde or Green Sauce is a combination of a few ingredients that transforms into a magical dip. I promise you your taste buds and soul will thank you for making this dip!
First you start off with a fruit that resembles green tomatoes but are totally different in flavor.
Tomatillos!
Tomatillos were first cultivated in Mexico. They have a husk that surrounds the fruit and must be removed before use. Mexicans love their tomatillos and is considered a staple in Mexican cooking, used in an array of dishes.
Note: Take a look at the steps of my Chilaquiles Verdes with Chicken to see how to remove husks from tomatillos.
Another ingredient added to salsa verde is serrano peppers , which have some heat. Serrano peppers measure anywhere from 10,000 to 20,000 Scoville units on the Scoville heat scale or SHU. In case you aren’t familiar with the Scoville Heat Unit, it is the measurement used to measure heat and pungency of chili peppers.
Salsa Verde is a true keeper and is absolutely one of my most favorite dips! A must add to your recipe index! Add salsa verde to steaks, chicken, seafood, empanadas. The list is endless really!
Last but not least, is the guacamole recipe! Oh my gosh is this a bona fide favorite of mine! Then again all three dips are!! 🙂
Guacamole originated from the Aztecs in Mexico. It is an avocado base dip that we use not only as a dip, but as a topping for burgers, chicken, steak, rice and much more.
The aztecs referred to this dish as ahuaca-mulli, which translates to avocado sauce or avocado mixture. We can say, thank you to them for sharing this fabulous dip with us!!
I hope you love all these dips as much as I do for your next Chips and Dip!
For another delicious Mexican appetizer with guacamole, please see this post, Tilapia Ceviche with Guacamole and Tortilla Chips.
📖 Recipe
Chips and Dip
Ingredients
Homemade Tortillas
- 1 package corn tortillas or buy store bought (cut in quarters and fried)
- vegetable oil for frying
Pico de Gallo
- ½ red onion peeled and finely chopped
- 2 tomatoes rinsed and finely chopped
- 1 jalapeño rinsed and finely chopped
- 1 lime more to taste if you like
- 2 garlic cloves peeled and finely chopped
- ⅓ cup fresh cilantro chopped
- salt and pepper to taste
Salsa Verde
- 1 Pound tomatillos (about 5 tomatillos) husks removed and tomatillos rinsed
- 1 medium onion quartered
- ¼ cup white onion finely chopped and added as topping
- 1-2 serrano peppers rinsed, stems removed (seeded and deveined if you don’t want to much heat)
- 3 garlic cloves peeled
- ¼ cup water the water the tomatillos were cooked in
- ⅓ cup cilantro chopped
- salt and pepper to taste
Guacamole
- 1 large avocado or 2 small ones cut in half and pit removed
- 1 tomato chopped
- ⅓ cup red or white onion chopped
- 1 serrano pepper or jalapeño stem removed, seeded and deveined
- ⅓ cup cilantro chopped
- 1 lime
- 1-2 garlic clove peeled and finely chopped
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Pico de Gallo
- Place all ingredients in a bowl.
- Add lime juice.
- Stir and mix pico de gallo mixture well and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Guacamole
- Cut avocado in half and remove pit by hitting it lightly with a knife. Remove avocado flesh and place in a bowl.
- With a fork, mash avocado slightly (leave it kind of chunky).
- Cut lime in half and squeeze half of lime juice to avocado. Set aside.
- Add tomato, onion, serrano, garlic and cilantro to avocado and mix together. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir again.
Salsa Verde
- Remove husks from tomatillos and rinse them well.Note: once husks are remove, tomatillos are sticky, this is normal.
- Remove stems from serrano peppers and peel garlic cloves.
- Add about 3 cups of water to a saucepan. Heat over medium heat and add tomatillos, garlic and serrano peppers.
- Cook for 15 to 20 minutes until tomatillos are soft. Transfer all to a blender and add some of the water tomatillos were cooked in (exclude if you want dip to be chunkier).
- Blend well together and season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to a bowl and top with chopped onion.
- Refrigerate and let cool.
Homemade Tortillas
- Cut tortillas in quarters and fry in a few tablespoons of oil until golden brown (flipping chips as one side gets golden to fry other side)
- Drain chips on paper towels.
Serving
- Serve sauces in separate bowls with tortilla chips. Enjoy!
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