Caramelized Onion Dip
CARAMELIZED ONION DIP
If onion dip and French onion soup had a baby, it would be this dip. This life changing caramelized onion dip. Hold onto your hats friends because I’m telling you, it’s going to blow you away. It’s also going to make you weep for a solid 30 minutes (minor detail) because you’ll be chopping a mountain of onions a la Julia in Julie & Julia. But it’s all worth it in the name of the creamiest, dreamiest, most decadent onion dip, right?!
HOW TO MAKE CARAMELIZED ONION DIP
STEP 1: Cut a whole lot of onions. You’ll know it’s enough when you’re crying like you just watched the end of The Notebook 10 times in a row.
STEP 2: Caramelize them into golden buttery goodness.
STEP 3: Fold in a small dairy farm aka cream cheese, sour cream and mayonnaise (Yes, all three. TRUST ME.). Then scoop onto any and everything and enjoy your life!
BUT FIRST…LET’S MAKE CARAMELIZED ONIONS
Because before you can run yo’ve got to walk. Or, in this case, before you make your caramelized onion dip you’ve got to, well, ya know, caramelize those onions.
Now, here’s the thing about caramelized onions. They don’t just happen in a snap. The name of the game here is low and slow. In fact, waiting for the onions to caramelize is honestly the hardest part of this whole recipe. Once the onions are done, the dip comes together in mere minutes. Those onions, though…
So, let’s talk through caramelized onions and how exactly we get them made. First, let’s talk about the pan. Any large skillet will work, just make sure it’s big enough so that the onions aren’t too crowded. The more crowded they are, the harder it is for them to caramelize and cook properly and evenly. And, while any type of pan will work, I tend to prefer a cast iron skillet. I feel like it helps make the onions extra caramelized and full of extra delicious flavor. For sautéing, I like to use a mix of olive oil and butter to achieve the perfect golden brown color and delicious decadent rich flavor. Personally, I feel like using one or the other just doesn’t achieve the same flavor profile. For the cooking, keep the heat on low, and, at the beginning, I try not to stir the onions too much to allow for ultimate caramelization. Once the onions have cooked down, about 20-30 minutes in, I then hit the pan with a bit of liquid (wine, beer, broth, you do you), to de-glaze. And keep cooking some more (You didn’t think we were done yet, did you?!). And some more. And just a little bit more. I find somewhere in the 45-60 minute range to be the sweet spot. But honestly, the lower, the slower, the better.
You’ll know your onions have reached peak caramelization when they are, of course, golden brown and soft, but also when they’ve almost melted down a bit into a jammy like consistency.
What To Serve with Caramelized Onion Dip
The easier question to answer would be what NOT to eat with this dip. Because let me tell you, I have yet to find anything that doesn’t taste good with this. Potato chips, pita chips, pretzels, bagel crisps, bagels, crostini, tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, on burgers (add some bacon and sautéd mushrooms for a combo that will really knock your socks off), as a spread for sandwiches, with steak, on chicken, mixed into pasta as a sauce (add a little cheese, as well, and you’ve got a french onion soup pasta kinda of vibe)…suffice it to say, if you can dip it, you should dip it into this. And good news, this lasts a few days (4-5ish) so if you manage to control yourself and not eat it all at once, you can get several meals out of it. Although, as a heads up, this definitely makes a party size amount, so for smaller groups I’d recommend cutting the recipe in half.
TIPS + substitutions FOR THE BEST CARAMELIZED ONION DIP
My #1 tip
Don’t skip on caramelizing the onions fully. Just don’t do it. I know it’s tempting, I know it’s hard to be patient, I know you just want to eat this delicious dip ASAP (Trust me, I get it!), but the caramelized onions are kind of the main character here so without them the show just can’t go on.
For the garlic
For the roasted garlic, you can roast yours however you prefer and even make it in advance. Usually when I’m making it for this recipe, I like to prep it and throw it in the oven just as I’m starting to caramelize my onions. That way both finish cooking at around the same time.
Here’s a rough recipe on how I make roasted garlic- slice a head of garlic in half. Place on a foil lined baking sheet, cut side facing up. Drizzle the cloves generously with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Loosely wrap the foil around the garlic, then place in an oven preheated to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Bake for 35-45 minutes, or until the garlic is a deep golden brown and the cloves are starting to pop out of the their shells.
For mixing it into the dip, I simply add the cloves into the pan then use the back of my spoon/spatula to gently mash them down, then give a good stir to combine with the onion mixture.
Types of onions to use
I like to use a mix of sweet onions and shallots, however, if you’ve only got red onions or yellow onions, go with that. Truly any kind of onions will work for this dip. As long as they’re caramelized, that’s all that matters.
What kind of pan to make the dip in
Any large skillet will work, just make sure it’s big enough so that the onions aren’t too crowded. The more crowded they are, the harder it is for them to caramelize and cook properly and evenly. And, while any type of pan will work, I tend to prefer a cast iron skillet. I feel like it helps make the onions extra caramelized and full of extra delicious flavor.
Can the dip be made ahead of time?
Absolutely! While I think it’s super delicious as soon as it’s made, while it’s still nice and warm, it’s also equally as delicious served at room temp or cold, after the flavors have had some time to meld together. All that to say, you can definitely make it a day or two in advance.
How long will the dip last?
Store in an airtight container, in the fridge, this should last for 4-5 days, so you can make a batch and use it over several days, or snack on the leftovers after serving it at a party (if you’re lucky enough to have leftovers, that is)>
Are there any shortcuts for caramelizing the onions?
The truth? Not really. I mean, I’m sure there are with the instant pot, but for me, personally, this is one of those things that just can’t be shortcut. It’s gotta be the real thing, ya know what I mean?
Substitutions
This dip is super flexible and there’s lots of ways you can riff on this recipe to really make it your own and make it work with what you’ve got. Here are a few of note-
In place of the sour cream use crème freche or greek yogurt.
For a slighter lighter dip, you can also use greek yogurt in place of the mayonnaise.
In place of the Worcestershire sauce, try balsamic vinegar or soy sauce.
For deglazing, you can use wine (red or white, but preferably something on the drier side), beer or broth. Each will give a slightly different flavor to the finished dip but all are delicious options.
Try mincing some anchovies and adding that in along with the onions.
For a little extra kick, mix in either some Calabrian chilis or red pepper flakes or a dash of hot sauce or sriracha.
For topping options, there are so many to choose from. You can do a drizzle of EVOO, some fresh herbs and chili flakes. You can also do a drizzle of chili crunch oil, Calabrian chili oil, you can do chopped fresh herbs (parsley, dill, chives and thyme are all great). You can do chopped green onions or even charred green onions. You can also do some crispy garlic or sautéed shallots. Or, you can simply serve it as is.
CARAMELIZED ONION DIP
yields about 3.5-4 cups
CARAMELIZED ONION DIP
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 medium-sized onions, thinly sliced
- 4 medium-sized shallots, minced
- Several sprigs fresh thyme
- 1/2-1 teaspoon salt
- 4 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1/4 cup wine (red or white), beer or broth (red wine or beef broth are my favorite options to use)
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
- Half a head of roasted garlic cloves
- 8 ounces cream cheese (low-fat or regular)
- 1 cup sour cream (or crème freche or greek yogurt)
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- Garnish with your choice of: olive oil, red pepper flakes, ground pepper, chili crunch oil, Calabrian chili oil, chopped fresh herbs (parsley, dill, chives and thyme are all great), chopped green onions, charred green onions, crispy garlic or sautéed shallots
- Serve with your choice of: potato chips, pita chips, pretzels, bagel crisps, bagels, crostini, fresh vegetables
Instructions
- In a large skillet set over medium-low heat, add the olive and butter. Once the butter is melted, add the onions. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes. Then add in the shallots, sprigs of thyme and sprinkle with salt. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally for another 15-20 minutes. If the onions start to brown too much, simply turn the heat to low.
- Once the onions are golden brown, mix in the Worcestershire sauce. Then deglaze with the liquid of your choice. Continue cooking for another 10-15, or as long as needed until the mixture has turned into a bit of a jammy consistency.
- Remove the sprigs of thyme. Then stir in the dijon mustard and pepper. Add in the garlic cloves. Since roasted garlic is so soft, I like to use the back of the spoon to gently sort of mash them into the mixture. Then give a good stir to combine everything.
- Add in the cream cheese and mix until well combined. Then remove from the heat and stir in the sour cream amd mayonnaise. You can enjoy it right from the skillet or transfer to a serving dish before adding your choice of garnishes.
Notes
A ROUGH RECIPE FOR THE ROASTED GARLIC
Slice a head of garlic in half. Place on a foil lined baking sheet, cut side facing up. Drizzle the cloves generously with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Loosely wrap the foil around the garlic, then place in an oven preheated to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Bake for 35-45 minutes, or until the garlic is a deep golden brown and the cloves are starting to pop out of the their shells.
SUBSTITUTIONS + RIFFS
- For the cream cheese, I prefer to use a low-fat option since I am using a few other rich ingredients in this recipe, but any cream cheese will work. Similarly with the mayonnaise, I prefer to use vegan as it’s a bit lighter, but again, any mayonnaise of your choice will work.
- In place of the sour cream, use crème freche or greek yogurt.
- For a slighter lighter dip, you can also use greek yogurt in place of the mayonnaise.
- In place of the Worcestershire sauce, try balsamic vinegar or soy sauce.
- For deglazing, you can use wine (red or white, but preferably something on the drier side), beer or broth. Each will give a slightly different flavor to the finished dip but all are delicious options. My favorite options to use are a dry red wine or beef broth.
- Try mincing some anchovies and adding that in along with the onions.
- Add 1/4-1/2 cup diced green onions or charred green onions into the onion mixture.
- For a little extra kick, mix in either some Calabrian chilis or red pepper flakes or a dash of hot sauce or sriracha.
Nutrition Facts
Calories
712Fat
67 gSat. Fat
25 gCarbs
23 gFiber
3 gNet carbs
21 gSugar
9 gProtein
8 gSodium
881 mgCholesterol
118 mgInformation is calculated per 1 cup of dip. This information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. Although we attempt to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures are only estimates and come from online calculators. Variations may occur due to substitutions used, food preparation, freshness of ingredients and product availability, among other factors.You are solely responsible for ensuring that any nutritional information obtained is accurate.
