Need an easy app to bring to a dinner or party? How about one that might get you a reputation for being The One Who Makes That Amazing Dip? Homemade Caramelized Onion Dip is your answer.
Parties and social functions abound this time of year, and it’s really nice to have a quick app or two in your back pocket. This one is really special, with buttery caramelized onions, fresh chives, tangy sour cream, and velvety mayo. People always go NUTS for it.
Full disclosure: onions take a while to fully caramelize – up to 45 minutes or so. Those recipes that say they’ll be done in 20 minutes? Lies! The key is to cook them low and slow, slow enough that they don’t fry in the butter and oil. We don’t want crispy bits here, but rather a deep, burnished, melting texture.
Here’s the beauty if you know you’ll have limited time: caramelized onions keep well in the fridge (and you actually want them fully cooled for this recipe). So making them in advance is not only an option, but recommended.
Actually, I recommend making the entire recipe in advance. As the onions steep in the creamy base, the flavors meld into an absolutely intoxicating concoction that I dare you to stop eating once you start.
Potato chips and onion dip are a classic pairing, but I like to serve it as well with baby carrots, celery, or bitter endive leaves, which work nicely with the dip’s sweet-savory freshness.
We’ve dubbed this delight Caramelized Onion Dip, but with all these complex flavors, it could easily (and deliciously) double as a sandwich spread or condiment for any number of dishes. Can you imagine a dollop on a freshly-grilled burger? Or as a topping for baked potatoes?
I’m making a double batch RIGHT NOW.
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Caramelized Onion Dip
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 3 1/2 cups of dip 1x
- Category: appetizers
Description
Rich, tangy, and immensely crave-able, this homemade Caramelized Onion Dip is the ultimate appetizer, game-day snack, or sandwich spread.
Ingredients
1 TB butter
2 TB olive oil
2 1/2 cups diced yellow onion (about 12 oz)
1 tsp kosher salt
2 cups sour cream
1 cup good-quality mayonnaise (“light” varieties not recommended)
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1/2 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
2 TB fresh chopped chives
Instructions
Caramelize the onions: melt butter and oil a medium skillet over low heat; add diced onions and salt. Cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until onions are first transparent, then begin to turn a deep mahogany brown (this can take up to 45 minutes). Set aside to cool.
In a medium bowl, combine the sour cream, mayo, garlic salt, and pepper. Mix well to combine. Fold in the caramelized onions and chives. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Serve with potato chips and cut vegetables, or as a condiment for sandwiches, burgers, or baked potatoes.
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