Caramelized Onion Dip
by Chungah
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The creamiest, dreamiest caramelized onion dip! With sweet, jammy caramelized onions, cream cheese and sour cream. Guaranteed crowd-pleaser!
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Why you’ll love this caramelized onion dip
- Crowd-favorite. Caramelized onion dip is a guaranteed crowd-favorite, whether it’s for weekend company, game day (think college football, the Super Bowl or March Madness), or even big-time holidays like Thanksgiving, Christmas and NYE. It is truly the best kind of party dip.
- Leftovers taste even better. Similar to lasagna, caramelized onion dip tastes even better the very next day as it sits overnight, really letting the flavors meld and come together.
- Great make ahead recipe. This makes for a great make-ahead recipe, setting aside in the fridge for up to 3 days, perfect for party entertaining and easy holiday planning.
which onions are best for caramelized onions?
- Yellow onions: a popular choice due to their balanced flavors and lower water content
- Sweet onions: takes longer to cook but have a higher sugar content, yielding a sweeter end result
- White onions: yields milder, tangier flavors
- Red onions: prone to burning more easily due to their high sugar content, and will yield much less sweetness
how to make caramelized onion dip
- Prep the onions. First, slice the sweet onions into thin, even slices, about 1/4-inch thick.
- Caramelize the onions. Then caramelize the onions in unsalted butter (not oil) with 1/4 teaspoon brown sugar. The secret is patience – expect the process to take 45-55 minutes.
- Deglaze the pan. Stir in the garlic and wine, deglazing the skillet and lifting up all the caramelized brown bits (fond) stuck to the bottom of the pan.
- Remove from heat. Stir in the vinegar and Worcestershire to create a rich, jammy glaze.
- Let cool. Let the onions cool (in the fridge if you’re in a rush), saving some of the caramelized onions for garnishing later.
- Mix. Once cooled, stir in the cream cheese, sour cream and mayonnaise, seasoning liberally with salt and pepper.
- Serve. Serve with all the favorited dipping vessels or set aside in the fridge until you are ready to serve.
pro tip
Low and slow is the name of the game here.
Caramelized onions is a labor of love. Do not try to rush the process and increase the heat for faster results. If the onions are browning too quickly or the bottom of the skillet is getting too dark, reduce the heat and add a splash of water to deglaze the pan.
what to serve with caramelized onion dip
- Bread: baguette slices (crostini)
- Chips: potato chips, pita chips or bagel crisps
- Crackers: assortment of crackers (buttery, salty, seeded or whole wheat)
- Pretzels: salted pretzels, pretzel sticks or pretzel crisps
- Vegetables: carrots, celery sticks, bell peppers or cucumbers
more favorited dip recipes
Tools For This Recipe
Large skillet
Caramelized Onion Dip: Frequently Asked Questions
French onion dip and caramelized onion dip are both creamy, onion dips, but French onion dip typically uses a dry onion soup mix whereas caramelized onion dip incorporates slowly caramelized onions, bringing out their natural flavors and sweetness to the dip.
The brown sugar will enhance the overall sweetness and yield a more intense, deeper, golden-brown color to the onions.
Not at all! Vegetable or chicken stock can be used for white wine as a non-alcoholic substitute.
Bread, chips, crackers, pretzels and vegetables are all great options. Leftovers can also be repurposed to serve with sandwiches, burgers and sliders.
Yes! Caramelized onion dip tastes better the longer it sits, making it perfect to prep, assemble and make ahead of time.
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
Caramelized Onion Dip
Video
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 pounds sweet onions, halved and sliced
- ¼ teaspoon brown sugar
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ⅓ cup dry white wine
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
- ½ cup sour cream
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 tablespoon chopped fresh chives
Instructions
- Melt butter in a large skillet over low to medium low heat. Add onions and brown sugar, and cook, stirring often, until deep golden brown, about 45-55 minutes.
- Stir in garlic until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Stir in wine, scraping any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet; remove from heat.
- Stir in vinegar and Worcestershire.
- Let cool completely, setting aside 2 tablespoons caramelized onions for garnishing, if desired.
- In a medium bowl, combine cream cheese, sour cream and mayonnaise.
- Stir in caramelized onions; season with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Serve, garnished with reserved caramelized onions and chives, if desired, or cover and chill for up to 3 days.
Equipment
Notes
- Cut in uniform size. Slice the onions into thin, even pieces for even cooking and a consistent bite.
- Use a light-colored pan. This is best to visualize the onions changing colors from light to deep golden brown. When using a black bottom pan, sometimes you are left guessing the color change, and possibly burning the onions.
- Avoid burning. If the onions brown too quickly or start to burn, lower the heat immediately and add a splash of water to deglaze the pan. And always stir every few minutes to prevent burning, ensure even cooking, and to lift up the fond (caramelized brown bits stuck to the bottom of the pan).
- Choose a wine you will drink. A dry white wine (pinot grigio or sauvignon blanc) is great here – it does not have to be anything fancy or overpriced. Just something you don’t mind sipping on since you will have an open bottle.
- Use “brick” cream cheese. Brick cream cheese is ideal here, not whipped. It will add all the lovely rich and creamy textures here.
- Make it lighter. For a lighter dip, replace some or all of the sour cream with plain, unsweetened Greek yogurt, adding a little bit of tanginess with more protein (and fewer calories).
- Make ahead of time. It is actually recommended to make this dip ahead of time (about 24-48 hours), really letting the flavors meld and deepen as it sits in the fridge.
Did you make this recipe?
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Made this one and it was an instant classic to be made again and again. Yummy! It was gone the same day I made it!
Hi, I’m confused about adding the wine. Is this before you start cooking the onions? Or do you add once the onions have been cooking for 45 minutes? Do you raise the heat to cook the wine down? Thanks.
Due to fish allergy can the Worcestershire be left out?
Tammy, soy sauce can be subbed for Worcestershire sauce.
Wow! I love the smell of onions caramelizing and how this is an easy prep with such a tasty payoff. I used a favorite pinot grigio for the wine and appreciated sipping a little wine while snacking. Great with pretzels!