5 Easy 3-Ingredient Condiments to Upgrade Your Cookout

Dip and dunk your way through grilling season.

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Published on 05/23/23

five dips in bowls — The Spruce Eats / Photographer: Fred Hardy, Food Stylist: Margaret Monroe Dickey, Prop Stylist: Shell Royster

Temperatures rising can only mean one thing: it’s BBQ season, baby. Breaking out the grill ushers in a parade of burgers, hot dogs, grilled chicken, corn on the cob, and kebabs, not to mention picnic sides like potato salad.

While what we put on the grill is important, this year we’re particularly excited about how to make easy upgrades to whatever you’ve got grilling. From yogurt to ketchup, chili crisp to curry powder, we’re giving kitchen staples some three-ingredient makeovers. These are the 5 3-ingredient condiments we’ll be making all summer long.

Chili Crisp Yogurt Dip

It seems that every store is carrying at least a few variations of chili crisp these days, and for good reason. This spicy, savory condiment adds a hint of heat and crunch to anything. While great on its own, it’s also fantastic mixed with yogurt for a creamy dip or spread. Serve alongside grilled BBQ chicken, use it in place of mayo in potato salad, or as a dip with potato chips.

Recipe

Makes 1 cup
INGREDIENTS
1 cup full fat Greek yogurt

1 tablespoon chili crisp

1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar

PREPARATION

In a small bowl, add the yogurt, chili crisp, and vinegar, and stir to combine.
Dip can be served immediately or stored in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to one week.

Curry Ketchup

The trifecta of condiments—ketchup, mayo, and mustard—is crucial to any BBQ. From hot dogs and burgers, to baked French fries and even steak, ketchup adds a welcome sweetness and acidity. Here, ketchup gets spiked with curry powder and minced garlic which adds depth of flavor to this summer cook-out staple.

Recipe

Makes ¾ cup
INGREDIENTS
3/4 cup ketchup

1 tablespoon curry powder

2 medium cloves garlic, minced

PREPARATION

In a small bowl, add the ketchup, curry powder, and garlic, and stir to combine.
Curry ketchup can be served immediately or stored in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to one week.

Pesto Yogurt Dip

Yogurt is a blank slate in terms of flavor combinations. Adding a generous amount of pesto to it transforms plain yogurt into a savory dip full of flavor. It’s a great dip for the usual BBQ snack classics like crackers and crudité, but this herby spread is also a worthy companion for the main meal. We love it paired with shrimp or grilled fish kebabs, mixed into coleslaw, and stirred into corn salad.

Recipe

Makes 1 1/4 cups
INGREDIENTS
3/4 cup full fat Greek yogurt

1/2 cup pesto

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

PREPARATION

In a small bowl, add the yogurt, pesto, and salt, and stir to combine.
Dip can be served immediately or stored in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to one week.

Pesto Rosso

Most everyone is familiar with pesto genovese packed with basil and pine nuts. While we love the classic sauce, pesto rosso is its lesser-known cousin, who still deserves its time in the spotlight. This red pesto is made with sundried tomatoes, almonds, olive oil, and herbs. In keeping this to three ingredients, we used all the olive oil in the sundried tomato jar which already packs a ton of flavor. Pesto rosso is wonderful swirled into pasta salad but it’s also great smeared on a burger bun, or spooned over grilled chicken.

Recipe

Makes 2 cups
INGREDIENTS
1 8-ounce can sundried tomatoes, packed in oil

1/4 cup raw slivered almonds

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

PREPARATION

Add the sundried tomatoes and their oil, almonds, and salt to the bowl of a food processor and pulse to combine.
Pesto rosso can be served immediately or stored in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to five days

Caramelized Onion Dip

You’d be hard-pressed to find someone who isn’t a fan of caramelized onion dip—it’s a popular party staple for good reason. This version builds off the sweetness of caramelized onions with ranch powder, which adds an intense umami flavor to the dip. While potato chips are an easy pairing, caramelized onion dip is also great with a roughly torn baguette, pretzel bites, sliced veggies, or even topped on a burger.

Recipe

Makes 1 1/2 cups
INGREDIENTS
1 cup sour cream

1/2 cup caramelized onions

2 teaspoons ranch powder

PREPARATION

In a small bowl, add the sour cream, caramelized onions, and ranch powder, and stir to combine.
Dip can be served immediately or stored in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to five days.

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