Dirty Martini Dip
This dirty martini dip has all the bold, briny flavors of the classic cocktail stirred into a creamy spread. Perfect for dipping pretzels, crackers or fresh veggies; it’s the ultimate party appetizer.
You just never know where you’ll find inspiration for a new appetizer recipe. This past fall, my husband and I spent a couple of weeks in Siesta Key (Florida). One evening we decided to venture off the island and do a sort of restaurant crawl in downtown Sarasota. One of the establishments we stumbled into was a cute place called 1592 Wood Fired Kitchen & Cocktails. The vibe was modern mediterranean and the food was eclectic and creative. One of the featured appetizers that immediately caught our eye was a dirty martini spread with grilled flatbread. Modeled after the classic cocktail, the flavor of this rich, cream cheese and sour cream based dip was salty, briny, and a bit boozy. After trying it, I couldn’t wait to start testing ideas for a lightened version.
In an effort to reduce the calorie load of creamy dips like this one without sacrificing the amazing flavor and velvety texture, I zeroed in on a few ingredient tweaks. Two reduced-fat ingredients I used in today’s recipe were cream cheese and sour cream. I realize that reduced-fat, low-fat, and fat-free foods have gotten a bad reputation over the years and with good reason – most don’t taste very good. However, I think reduced-fat cream cheese and reduced-fat sour cream are two exceptions. When it comes to taste and texture, I find that the Philadelphia brand of reduced-fat cream cheese (also called Neufchatel) is indistinguishable from full-fat cream cheese. Two brands of reduced-fat sour cream that I really like are Daisy and Breakstone. Both have the creamy texture and hint of tartness you’d find in full-fat sour cream. Beyond their great taste, both reduced-fat cream cheese and reduced-fat sour cream contain a third fewer calories than their full-fat counterparts.
I trimmed additional calories by replacing some of the sour cream in this dip with plain, low-fat (2% milkfat) Greek yogurt. Thicker and creamier than regular yogurt, Greek yogurt has a consistency similar sour cream. Greek yogurt without thickeners like pectin, gelatin, or gums (guar or locust bean) work best in dips like this one. My absolute favorite brand of Greek yogurt is FAGE Total 2%. The texture is super creamy, and the ingredient list is simple – skimmed milk, cream, and live active cultures.
If you’re scrambling for a last-minute appetizer idea for New Year’s Eve, this dirty martini dip is a fun one. To bring home that “dirty martini” flavor, I used olives marinated in vermouth. You’ll see them sold as “martini olives.” This dip pairs well with a variety of fresh vegetables – carrots, cucumbers, bell peppers, snap peas, or broccoli florets are just a few ideas. Whole grain crackers, pretzel crisps, or pita bread wedges are great accompaniments as well.
Cheers to 2026! I hope this new year is filled with good friends, good food, and of course, good health.
Happy New Year!
Darlene
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Just a side note: If you’re ever in downtown Sarasota, don’t miss seeing the Unconditional Surrender Statue.
Full disclosure – I did not receive payment or free product from any company mentioned in this post.
DIRTY MARTINI DIP
Yield: 10 servings
Serving Size: about 2 tablespoons dip
Prep: 15 minutes
Ready: 1 hour 15 minutes
INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons (5 ounces) reduced-fat cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream
1/2 cup plain low-fat Greek yogurt (such as FAGE Total 2%)
2 tablespoons brine from olive jar
2 teaspoons finely minced onion
1 clove finely minced garlic
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 cup large pitted green olives, diced (preferably martini olives marinated with vermouth), divided
1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese, divided
1 tablespoon fresh minced chives
DIRECTIONS
In a large bowl blend together cream cheese, sour cream, yogurt, olive brine, onion, garlic, and salt until smooth. Stir in a 1/2 cup diced olives and 2 tablespoons blue cheese. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving.
When ready to serve, place dip in a bowl and sprinkle top with remaining olives, blue cheese, and chives. Serve with fresh vegetables, whole grain crackers, pretzel crisps, or pita bread wedges.
Nutrition Information per Serving
95 Calories, 7.5 g Total fat, 4 g Saturated fat, 0 g Trans fat, 23 mg Cholesterol, 238 mg Sodium, 3 g Total carbohydrate, 0.5 g Dietary fiber, 2 g Total sugars, 0 g Added sugars, 3 g Protein, 0 mcg (0%) Vitamin D, 80 mg (6%) Calcium, 0 mg (0%) Iron, 55 mg (2%) Potassium
© 2025 RECIPES MADE HEALTHY BY DARLENE ZIMMERMAN, MS, RD LLC
