Caramelized Onion Dip – a homemade French onion dip that is so much better than any store bought alternative!
Whether it is a cooking during the peak of summer or watching football during the the dead of winter French Onion Dip is a must. Well, any dip is a must. It can be something like Easy Homemade Salsa or a homemade caramelized onion dip. But dips are required.
This homemade French onion dip will beat the store bought one every day of the week! And it is actually pretty easy to make.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- This is a great dip to make the day before a party. So you can have it in the fridge and just get it out when guests arrive.
- It is served cold! So there is no timing when you want it done, or trying to have enough crockpots or warming devices to make sure it stays hot during a party.
- You can caramelize the onions in the crockpot and make it even easier! See the notes below for other ways to caramelize onions, so you don’t have to stand over the stovetop and keep a super close eye on them.
What You’ll Need
- Onions
- Butter
- Olive Oil
- Salt & Pepper
- Sour Cream
- Cream Cheese
- Mayo
Super simple ingredients that you have on hand pretty much all of the time! You want to use sweet onions for this recipe, as they caramelize the best and will give you the best flavor for the dip.
How To Make Caramelized Onion Dip
- Slice all of the onions very thin. Heat the butter and oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the onions, salt and pepper. Sauté for about 10 minutes, until the onions start to soften and start to change color. Be careful, you do not want them to actually start browning.
- Reduce the heat to medium low, and continue cooking for about 30-40 minutes, stirring frequently. You want the onions to get soft and caramel in color. You don’t want them browned from too high of a temp. Once they are cooked, allow the to cool. If the onions are not getting browned, you can add 1 teaspoon of sugar after 25 minutes, this should speed up the browning process and bring out the sweetness in the onions.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer combine cream cheese, sour cream and mayo. Beat until nice and smooth.
- Add in the cooled onions and stir until everything is well combined.
- Store in the fridge until ready to serve
Recipe Tips
- Use the crockpot for your onions! If you don’t want to stand over the stove and monitor the onions, make them a day ahead of time. Toss the onions in the olive oil and place in the crockpot. Cut the butter into cubes and arrange over the top. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and cook on high for 5 hours. After 5 hours, stir the onions, put the lid on slightly ajar so moisture can escape and cook for an additional 90 minutes – 2 hours. Once the liquid is absorbed and the onions are nice and caramel color. Then remove and let them cool.
- Make sure to really cream the cream cheese, sour cream, and mayo together. You can use a hand mixer for this if you have one as well. This will give you the creamiest and best consistency for your tip.
- You can easily make this dip the day before. Just cover and place in the fridge overnight. Then when you guests arrive or it is game day, you can bring it out and serve with chips.
- Want the onions smaller? It can be hard to eat if you have long pieces of onions, so once they are caramelized and cool chop them into smaller pieces before adding to the dip.
Storage
You can store the dip in an airtight container for 4-5 days in the fridge. The onions may continue to release moisture as they sit, so just stir it well before serving.
What Goes With Caramelized Onion Dip
My favorite thing to eat with this dip is potato chips, but really anything goes with caramelized onions! You could even make your own Fat Free Potato Chips for a delicious dipper.
- Fritos
- Cubes of Bread
- Tortilla Chips
- Pita Chips
- Carrots/Celery/Bell Peppers
More Must Make Appetizer Recipes
- Taco Cups
- Baked Goat Cheese Dip
- Cheesy Sausage Wonton Cups
- Crab Rangoon Dip
- Avocado Bruschetta
- Corn Dip
- Smoked Queso
- Refried Bean Dip
Caramelized Onion Dip
Caramelized Onion Dip - skip the store bought dip and make this homemade onion dip instead. So much better!
Ingredients
- 3 large sweet onions, (yellow or white)
- 3 Tablespoons butter
- 3 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 cup mayo
Instructions
- Slice all of the onions very thin. Heat the butter and oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the onions, salt and pepper. Saute for 10 minutes, until the onions start to soften.
- Reduce heat to medium low, and continue cooking for about 30-40 minutes, stirring frequently. You want the onions to get soft and caramel in color. You don't want them browned from too high of a temp. Once cooked, allow to cool slightly. If the onions are not getting browned, you can add 1 teaspoon of sugar after 25 minutes.
- In bowl of an electric mixer combine cream cheese, sour cream and mayo. Beat until smooth.
- Add in the onions and mix until well combined.
- Serve immediately or chill to serve later.
Notes
Adapted from The Barefoot Contessa
Nutrition Information
Yield
8Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 466Total Fat 45gSaturated Fat 15gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 27gCholesterol 69mgSodium 608mgCarbohydrates 13gFiber 1gSugar 8gProtein 4g
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RavieNomNoms says
I am obsessed with dips!! This looks awesome.
Erin @ The Spiffy Cookie says
One of the best dips I’ve ever made was a caramelized onion dip. Caramelized onion in all things!
Stephanie @ Macaroni and Cheesecake says
This looks incredible!! I love french onion dip but I’ve never made my own, totally going to have to try this!
VICTORIA SIMPKINS says
COULD YOU ADAPT THIS RECIPE FOR A PRESSURE COOKER VERSION?? IF NOT, COULD YOU LET ME KNOW HOW TO MAKE THE CROCKPOT VERSION? THANK YOU 🙂
Erin S says
I have not tried caramelizing onions in the pressure cooker. But to do it in the crock pot, just add the onions, olive oil, butter, and salt to the crock pot and cook on low for 8-10 hours. Stir them a couple times if possible throughout the day.