Classic and loved onion dip gets an even bigger flavor boost from caramelized onions. Serve this Caramelized Onion Dip at your next get together and watch everyone fight over it!
Caramelized Onion Dip Recipe
Is a party really a party without a cheese ball, cake, or onion dip? Savory, rich, perfectly creamy, caramelized onion dip is near impossible to resist.
While this definitely takes longer to make than our popular French Onion Dip, your time and patience will be rewarded! Since the deep flavor comes from the onions cooking low and slow for quite a while, don’t rush the process or cut the sautéing time short. You will taste it.
So, let’s make the best onion dip!
Ingredients Needed
Here’s what you’ll need to make this onion dip recipe.
(Scroll below to the printable recipe card for details and measurements.)
- Olive oil – Used to sauté the onions, which provides richness and moisture.
- Onions – I use yellow onions for this onion dip recipe, but you can use any variety of onions. Feel free to experiment and use your favorite type of onion to customize the flavor to your liking.
- Salt – To season the onions.
- Garlic – For aromatics and flavor. You can omit, if preferred.
- Cream cheese – Softened to room temperature so it blends easily with the other ingredients.
- Sour cream – Adds to the creaminess of the dip and loosens it a bit with a touch of tanginess.
- Mayonnaise – Blended with the cream cheese and sour cream to make the dip thicker and ultra creamy.
- Black pepper – For flavor.
- Worcestershire sauce – For added depth of flavor.
- Scallions – Provides a nice pop of color for garnish.
How to Make Caramelized Onion Dip
Making this cold onion dip takes a bit of time, but is so worth it!
(Scroll below to the printable recipe card for details and measurements.)
- Sauté the onions. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add thinly sliced onions and stir to coat with oil for about 2 minutes. Sprinkle with salt and reduce heat to medium-low. Continue cooking for 30-40 minutes, stirring frequently, until the onions turn golden brown. Add in the minced garlic and cook until fragrant.
- Let onions cool completely. Transfer the caramelized onions to a wide bowl and let them cool completely.
- Blend the other ingredients. With a handheld mixer, blend together the cream cheese, sour cream, mayonnaise, ground black pepper, and Worcestershire sauce until it’s smooth and free of lumps.
- Add the caramelized onions. Add the cooled caramelized onions to the cream cheese mixture, reserving a tablespoon for garnish. Mix until the onions are well incorporated.
- Chill. Cover the mixture and refrigerate for 1-2 hours, or until ready to be served. Give it a quick stir before serving.
- Serve. Transfer the dip to a serving bowl and garnish with the reserved caramelized onions and diced green onions. Serve with potato chips on the side.
Making Perfect Caramelized Onions
- Slice the onions very thin. Aiming for slices that are around 1/4-inch or even thinner. This ensures that the onions cook evenly throughout the caramelization process. Thick slices of onions can result in mushy caramelized onions.
- Use a mandolin for even thickness. For consistent thickness, it is recommended to use a mandolin slicer. However, if you don’t have one, you can still achieve good results by slicing with a knife.
- Cook low and slow. Slowly cooking the onions over a lower heat for a longer period of time brings out the deep, rich, sweet flavor as the natural sugars in the onions caramelize. Don’t rush this process or take shortcuts.
Variations & Tips
- Worcestershire sauce substitute. If you don’t have Worcestershire sauce on hand, you can use soy sauce as a flavorful alternative.
- Healthier option. To make a healthier version of this dip, you can replace mayonnaise with Greek yogurt. This substitution adds a tangy and creamy element while reducing the overall fat content.
- Enhancing the flavors. For an extra depth of flavor, consider cooking the onions in a cast iron pan or stainless steel pan. These types of cookware can impart rich flavors to the caramelized onions, elevating the overall taste of the dip.
- Cool the caramelized onions completely. Ensure that the caramelized onions are completely cooled before mixing them with the cream cheese mixture. Mixing while hot can cause the dip to become runny.
Serving Suggestions
For optimal flavor, refrigerate the dip before serving. It’s even better when made ahead of time.
We think wavy potato chips are perfect for scooping this dip because they’re sturdy. Instead of potato chips, you can offer thin crackers or vegetable sticks such as carrots and celery as dippers. These options provide a crunchy and refreshing twist to enjoy with the dip.
Proper Storage
To store this caramelized onion dip, place it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It will stay fresh for approximately 3 days. Give it a good stir to reincorporate the mixture before serving again. I don’t recommend freezing this dip – once thawed, the sour cream separates and becomes grainy and unappetizing.
More Dip Recipes:
I hope you love this delicious and easy recipe – be sure to give it a review below! Also don’t forget to follow Belly Full on TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube!
Caramelized Onion Dip
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 large yellow onions , thinly sliced
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 clove garlic , minced
- 4 ounces cream cheese , softened to room temperature
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 scallions , diced
- wavy potato chips , for serving
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add thinly sliced onions and stir to coat for about 2 minutes. Sprinkle with salt and reduce heat to medium-low. Continue cooking for 30-40 minutes, stirring frequently, until the onions turn golden brown.
- Transfer the caramelized onions to a wide bowl and let them cool completely.
- In a medium bowl, using a handheld mixer, blend together the cream cheese, sour cream, mayonnaise, ground black pepper, and Worcestershire sauce until smooth and free of lumps.
- Add the cooled caramelized onions to the cream cheese mixture, reserving a tablespoon for garnish. Mix until the onions are well incorporated.
- Cover the mixture and refrigerate for 1-2 hours, or until ready to be served. Give it a quick stir before serving.
- Transfer the dip to a serving bowl and garnish with the reserved caramelized onions and sliced green onions. Enjoy with potato chips as dippers.
