Zesty Boat Dip

Boat dip is a viral sensation on TikTok, but unlike so many other TikTok recipes, this one is something you will actually WANT to eat. 

The name apparently comes from the idea that you eat boat dip on a boat, and I can see how it would be great with a Paloma Cocktail while you’re spending a lazy afternoon floating on a lake in a pontoon boat, but this is also the quintessential game day dip for serving alongside snacks like Bacon Wrapped Smokies and Meatball Sliders.

What Is Boat Dip?

Boat dip is a variation on taco dip. Like taco dip, it has a cream cheese and sour cream base flavored with taco seasoning—but boat dip kicks things up a notch by adding ranch, too. Then instead of layering on toppings, this recipe mixes things like cheese, tomatoes, and black beans right into the dip. This allows the flavors to really meld!

Ingredients for Boat Dip

Here’s a rundown of what you’ll need to make your own boat dip.

• Cream Cheese – Of course, full-fat cream cheese is going to be your best bet, but reduced-fat will work too. Just avoid fat-free cream cheese, which is disappointing all around.
• Sour Cream – You could use plain Greek yogurt. Sometimes, I actually prefer it to sour cream.
• Ranch Seasoning and Taco Seasoning – You could use homemade, or keep it simple with store-bought packets. Here’s my Taco Seasoning Mix recipe and Easy Homemade Ranch Seasoning.
• Diced Tomatoes and Chiles – Also known as ROTEL, canned diced tomatoes and chiles add a lot of flavor without having to add a ton of ingredients.
• Shredded Cheddar Cheese – A Mexican blend would work too.
• Lime – You’ll need the lime juice and the lime zest. Zest the lime before juicing.
• Black Beans – Optional; if you use them, be sure to rinse them and drain them well.
• Chopped Cilantro – If you’re not a cilantro fan, you can leave it out or use thinly sliced green onions.

How to Make Boat Dip

It’s dip—and that means it’s EASY. Here’s what you’ll need to do.

1. Make the Base. Beat the cream cheese, sour cream, ranch seasoning, taco seasoning with a hand mixer until smooth.
2. Add the Mix-Ins. Fold in the tomatoes, cheddar cheese, lime zest and juice, and black beans with a spatula.
3. Chill. Cover and refrigerate until serving.

What to Serve With Boat Dip

The world is your oyster when it comes to dippers! A sturdy tortilla chip is always a good bet, but you really can’t go wrong with any of these.

• Tortilla Chips  – I love my Homemade Tortilla Chips.
• Veggies – Those bags of mini sweet peppers would be perfect.
• Crackers – Try these Everything Sourdough Crackers without the everything bagel seasoning.
• Bread – Serve the dip with a spreader for slathering onto slices of baguette.
• Pretzels – Soft pretzels would be good too, as would Easy Baked Sourdough Pretzels.
• Pita Chips – Make sure to buy hearty pita chips and not thin pita chips.
• Naan – A tender bread, it is amazing with this dip.

Boat Dip Variations

As with most dip recipes, this is one that’s easy to tweak and make your own. Here are a few of my favorite variations on the original.

• Add jalapeños. For some extra heat, chop up some pickled jalapeños and add them to the dip.
• Swap out the cheese. Try using pepper jack or even cotija.
• Make it bacon-y. Add bacon bits or crumbled cooked bacon to the dip. (Here’s how to cook bacon in the oven.)
• Add in corn. Fold in some sweet corn to your boat dip for an extra pop of flavor.

More Crowd-Pleasing Dip Recipes

• Best Cold Crab Dip Recipe
• Easy Dirty Martini Dip
• Whipped Cottage Cheese Dip
• Easy Pizza Dip
• Whipped Feta Dip
• French Onion Dip
• Million Dollar Dip