Dips that scale easily for a crowd and can be made well in advance

[OMGitsnotgood]

Dips are to be my contribution to a buffet where everyone has been asked to take something. There will be 20 -25 people. (Dips will be served in bowls with spoons for people to spoon onto their ownplate, I know MN tends to frown on dips for groups).
I prefer to make my own than buy. I will need to make them a good few hours in advance, probably in the morning, which will affect the choice.
I usually make guacamole but even adding lemon juice and leaving the stone in, it does tend to turn brown after a while, so I’d rather not risk that.
I don’t want to be fiddling with skinning red peppers for my usual red pepper dip, and the jars are quite pricey.
Not sure I’ll have time to roast aubergines for babaganoush.
Tsatsiki is another favourite but even salting and draining the cucumber it can become watery after a couple of hours.
I’d like them all to be vegetarian, they don’t need to be vegan.

I’ve got as far as:
a flavoured humus (curried maybe) as the ingredients are just chucked in the blender and job done.
Sour cream with garlic and chives (or maybe Greek yoghurt would work?) as that is just a ‘mix everything together) and I think it goes well with other usual buffet items.
ive made a tasty butter or cannelini bean dip before, again just whack everything in the blender, but that is a bit similar to humus. Could make instead maybe.
So these are the sorts of things I mean but am sure you clever people can come up with more interesting ideas!
Summary of requirements:
quick to make in large quantity
keeos well when made ahead
vegetarian, but not vegan.

Thank you

Feta dip - Greek yogurt, lemon, black pepper and feta (I’m assuming you can get a vegetarian feta)

Pea and mint

Salsa

I'd go with caramelised onion hummus. You can caramelise the onions a day or even two in advance and then make the hummus when it suits you! I find making it the day before really brings out the flavour, so saving you even more time on the day.

Also salsa can easily be made a day or even two in advance as the flavours melt into each other when left a little while.

The easiest is to empty a block of Philadelphia onto a plate and pour some sweet chilli sauce over it. Delicious

Here's some ideas.
https://rainbowplantlife.com/vegan-dips/

I love the sound of this. I have a friend who always puts out a tub of Philadelphia with a bowl of crisps to dig into the cheese with - ridiculously simple but surprisingly gorgeous. Emptying it onto a plate and drizzling with sweet chilli sauce is such a good idea, it elevates it and is more crowd friendly. Said friend will be at the buffet so that will gi down well, thank you.

Hope you enjoy it!
We also dip in with crisps or savoury biscuits.

Yep, as has been already mentioned a good spicy homemade salsa is hard to beat!

Definitely salsa, maybe make two a hot one and a milder one?

This may be just me personally, but a lot of my friends (me included!) absolutely love hummus but can't bear the caramalised onion variety of it.

There is a Greek dip which is roasted peppers, feta and few other bits. In my opinion better than hummus, I only discovered it last year. One example link below https://cookingwithayeh.com/tirokafteri-greek-spicy-feta-dip/

Blitz cream cheese, salt, pepper, grated garlic, and a few bunches of whatever soft herbs you fancy. Top with a few of the herbs, roughly torn.

Not sure why I hadn’t thought of salsa! I like that it provides colour too. Does anyone have a favourite recipe they could link to please? I can google and will have lots of recipes in books but am always keen to hear other people’s tried and tested.

Thank you to everyone for great ideas, I knew I could rely on MN!

The River Cottage Beetroot and Walnut hoummus is bloody gorgeous and the bowl always comes back empty.
A lime and coriander hoummus made with the obvious plus chickpeas, taking and garlic is also a crowd pleaser.

This is the salsa recipe I use. My chef friend raves about it! I don’t bother with the vinegar.

https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/ultimate-tomato-salsa

I know you said no guacamole but if you press cling film completely on to it to so that there is no air, then you can easily make it in the morning and it will keep until the party. I do this with mine and it's still green the next day. This was a game changer for me!

I like mushroom ‘paté’ dip which is fried mushrooms blitzed up with seasoning, warm/hot spices and herbs - basil, coriander, flat parsley, etc.

Also a chimi churri on its own or on top of soft cheese.

And this is oddball but honestly bloody lovely: blue cheese like Stilton mixed into a good quality raspberry yogurt or strawberry yogurt.

To add to the Philadelphia dips, try my Nan’s old ‘recipe’ (She found it in a Women’s Own magazine at some point in the late 70s)
Always a big hit here.

Philadelphia
Salad Cream
tomato sauce
chopped celery.

Ridiculousy tasty and moorish. Great with salted crisps (particularly Pringles)

Mexican 5 layer dip
Quick, easy and great for a crowd

That’s a great tip thank you.

Oh I love that dip, but I’d prefer to make that when I know everyone’s likes and dislikes (I just know that no-one has any allergies and we have a few vegetarians). But I haven’t made it for a while and will make it next time there’s a suitable occasion for a smaller group.

@AutumnyCrowI am going to have to try that yoghurt and Stilton recipe! Will try it myself before braving it for a buffet.

Thanks for all the additional suggestions everyone.

These all sound so lovely!

One suggestion is smoked salmon and poached flaked fresh salmon mixed with natural Yoghurt and mayonnaise with chopped dill.

I also love smoked Mackrell dip made with natural Yoghurt, lemon juice and chopped parsley.

I do this! It’s amazing.

Blue cheese dip - meant to go with buffalo wings really, but it's great just as a stand alone dip.

For the blue cheese dip:

1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese - I use Danish Blue, needs something more tangy than Stilton

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1 tablespoon white wine vinegar or white vinegar

1 clove garlic, minced

To serve:

Celery sticks (optional)

You just zap it in a blender until smooth. It will keep in the fridge for several days.

I’ve only discovered recently that you can freeze hummus if that helps with your advance prep.

Also those aubergine and Mediterranean veg dips taste a lot better if made a few days in advance.

I recently stirred harissa paste into a ready made sour cream and chive dip - was delicious and looked very fancy and pretty with the red oil swirls.