Hatch Red Chile Sour Cream Dip

This Hatch red chile sour cream dip is the easiest crowd-pleaser you'll ever make — a smoky, savory chile sour cream dip with just three ingredients and five minutes between you and a bowl everyone fights over. Prefer a green version? It works just as well as a green chile sour cream dip; simply swap in Hatch green chile powder.

You know those recipes that are almost too simple to share, but too good to keep to yourself? This is one of them. We took the classic French onion dip everybody loves and gave it a little New Mexico attitude with our Hatch red chile powder. The result is smoky, savory, and just the right amount of kick — the kind of thing that disappears fast at family gatherings. Keep a bag of your favorite chips nearby, because this one goes quick.

Red chile or green chile

The recipe is built around Hatch red chile powder, which brings a deep, earthy, slightly sweet smokiness that's gorgeous against the cool sour cream. But the same three-ingredient formula makes a fantastic green chile sour cream dip too — just use Hatch green chile powder for a brighter, grassier heat, or stir in a few spoonfuls of chopped roasted green chile for texture. Either way you get a dip with real New Mexico character that beats anything from a tub. Our family has farmed the Hatch Valley for five generations, and chile powder is how we get that flavor into a dip in seconds.

Adjusting heat & consistency

Start with a tablespoon of chile powder and taste — the heat blooms as the dip rests, so it'll be a touch spicier after 30 minutes in the fridge. Add more powder for a bolder, redder dip, or a pinch of sugar to round it off. For a looser, more scoopable texture, thin it with a splash of milk; for a thicker dip that clings to a chip, swap part of the sour cream for cream cheese or Greek yogurt. A squeeze of lime brightens the whole bowl.

Serving & storage

Let the dip rest at least 30 minutes before serving so the onion soup mix hydrates and the chile flavor melds. Serve it cold with ridged potato chips, fritos, pretzels, or a platter of raw vegetables — it's also a killer spread for burgers and baked potatoes, or a sauce for our green chile hash brown patties. It keeps, covered, in the fridge for up to four days, and the flavor only deepens overnight, so it's an ideal make-ahead for any party.