Caramelized Onion Dip
Growing up, Lipton’s french onion soup mix combined with sour cream (IYKYK) was my absolute favorite dip–until my homemade version! This caramelized onion dip is all the savory notes and nostalgia without the weird preservatives and mounds of sodium.
I love caramelized onions so much! They add so much to everything with their blend of sweet and savory. Caramelizing the onion doesn’t take too long and the finished result is so worth it. With the 4th of July just around the corner, caramelized onion dip will definitely be part of my spread!
Ingredients in caramelized onion dip
- onions. This is an obvious one! For optimal caramelization, you want to select yellow or sweet onions.
- shallot. I love shallots because they pack a punch of flavor and caramelize beautifully.
- sour cream. Sour cream is the base of the recipe–don’t opt for a low-fat version, go all in!
- mayonnaise. Sorry mayo haters, you can’t skip this one. Mayonnaise adds a bit of fat and tang that the dip absolutely needs.
- umami seasoning. This ingredient is optional but totally makes the dip. Dip mix always has some kind of powdered beef broth and umami seasoning helps make up for the absence of that. Found mine at Trader Joe’s!
- Worcestershire sauce. This is a must and packs such a savory punch. If you want to make the dip vegetarian, just swap in a vegetarian Worcestershire sauce.
How to Caramelize Onions
If you want to make great caramelized onions, you simply need TIME. Cooking onions low and slow allows them to slowly release their sugars, which caramelizes and gives you the perfect sweet and savory punch. Unfortunately, you can’t rush the process.
Add your onions with some olive oil and butter to a skillet over medium/low heat and cook them, stirring occasionally, until they’re deeply golden brown. The whole process takes about 35 minutes or so, but it’s passive time so use the opportunity to work on something else. Just make sure to check them every so often and lower the heat if they start to burn.
Can I make caramelized onion dip ahead of time?
Absolutely! I actually think caramelized onion dip is best made 24 hours before you plan to serve it so that the flavors can really meld. Just keep it in an airtight container in the fridge until you’re ready to serve.
More Recipes to Try
-
caramelized onion and bacon mashed potatoes
-
soft pretzel knots with beer cheese
-
5-ingredient guacamole
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Caramelized Onion Dip
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon salted butter
- 2 large yellow onions thinly sliced
- 2 large shallots thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 1/2 cups sour cream
- 2 tablespoons minced dehydrated onion
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 2 teaspoons minced dehydrated garlic
- 1 teaspoon umami seasoning optional
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
- 3 tablespoons minced fresh chives
- salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Instructions
- Add butter and olive oil to a skillet over medium-low heat. Add the onion and shallot and season with a little salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally. Once the onions are soft and translucent, add the soy sauce. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are deeply golden brown (about 30 minutes). Allow the onions to cool to room temperature.
- Roughly chop the onions and then mix with the remaining ingredients in a mixing bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Best made 24 hours before serving.
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