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Definitely a crowd favorite! Made with sweet caramelized onions, cream cheese, and sour cream. So creamy and so delicious!!
why i like this recipe
A crowd favorite. Caramel Onion Dip is a sure-fire crowd favorite, whether it’s at work on the weekend, on game day (think college football, Super Bowl, March Madness), or on major holidays like Thanksgiving, Christmas, or NYE. It really is the perfect party dip. Leftovers taste even better. Similar to lasagna, caramelized onion dip is even better the next day because the flavors really meld and come together if you let it sit overnight. Great make-ahead recipes. This makes a great make-ahead recipe and will keep in the fridge for up to 3 days, making it perfect for party entertaining or easy holiday planning.
How to make a crowd-pleasing caramelized onion dip
Caramelize the onions in butter (not oil) with a little brown sugar (the brown sugar adds to the overall sweetness and gives the onions a more intense, deep golden color) Mix in the garlic, wine (scraping up all the lovely brown bits), vinegar and Worcestershire Reserve some of the caramelized onions for garnish and let cool (in the fridge if you’re in a hurry) Stir to combine, mix with cream cheese, sour cream, mayonnaise, cooled caramelized onions and season generously with salt and pepper. Serve in your favorite dip container or refrigerate until ready to eat.
Which onion is best for caramelized onions?
yellow onion
Yellow onions are a popular choice due to their balanced flavor and low water content.
sweet onions
Sweet onions, such as Vidalia, take longer to cook, but they contain more sugar, resulting in a sweeter result.
white onion
White onions provide a mild, tangy flavor.
red onion
Red onions have a high sugar content, so they burn easily and are less sweet.
Tips and tricks for success
Cut into uniform sizes. Slice the onion thinly and evenly so that it cooks evenly and has a consistent bite. Use a light colored pot. This is a great way to visualize the onion changing color from light brown to deep golden brown. If you use a black-bottomed pot, you may infer the color change and potentially burn the onions. Please choose the wine you would like to drink. A dry white wine (Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc) is best here. It doesn’t have to be fancy or expensive. Since there is an open bottle, you can drink it little by little. Uses “Brick” cream cheese. Brick cream cheese is ideal here, rather than whipped. It adds all that nice rich creamy texture here. Please keep it light. For a lighter dip, replace some or all of the sour cream with plain, unsweetened Greek yogurt for more protein (and fewer calories) and a slightly tangy flavor.
pro tips
Slow and slow is the name of the game here.
Caramelized onions are a labor of love. Do not rush or heat up the process to get faster results. If the onions brown too quickly or the bottom of the pan gets too dark, reduce the heat and add a little water to deglaze the pan.
What to serve with caramelized onion dip
bread
Baguette slices (crostini)
chips
potato chips, pita chips, or bagel chips
cracker
Assorted crackers (buttery, salted, seeded or whole wheat)
pretzels
Salted pretzels, pretzel sticks, or pretzel chips
vegetables
carrots, celery sticks, peppers or cucumbers
More Favorite Dip Recipes
Mexican Corn Dip Crab Rangoon Dip Korean Cheese Corn Creamy Chorizo Queso Dip Hot Spinach and Artichoke Dip
Tools used for this recipe
large frying pan
Caramelized Onion Dip: Frequently Asked Questions
French Onion Dip and Caramelized Onion Dip are both creamy onion dips, but whereas French Onion Dip typically uses a dried onion soup mix, Caramelized Onion Dip incorporates slowly caramelized onions to bring out the natural flavor and sweetness of the dip.
Vegetable or chicken stock can be used as a non-alcoholic alternative to white wine.
Bread, potato chips, crackers, pretzels, and vegetables are all great options. Leftovers can also be reused for sandwiches, burgers, sliders, and more. It’s delicious.
yes! Caramelized onion dip tastes better the longer it sits and is perfect for preparing, assembling, and making ahead of time.
Any leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days.
caramelized onion dip
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