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Caramelized Onon Dip served with ridged potato chips

Creamy Caramelized Onion Dip

Print Recipe
This thick and creamy Caramelized Onion Dip is rich and bursting with flavor, with chunks of freshly caramelized onion for an elevated version of classic French Onion Dip.
Course Appetizers
Cuisine American
Diet Vegetarian
Keyword 30 Minutes or Less, Caramelized Onion Dip, Caramelized Onions, Dip For Bread, French Onion Dip
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 12 servings
Author Marley Goldin

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 large yellow onion
  • 3 tablespoons water
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • ½ teaspoon onion powder
  • 4 ounces cream cheese at room temperature 4 oz = ½ block cream cheese
  • ½ cup sour cream ½ cup sour cream = 4 oz
US - Metric

Instructions

  • Peel and cut your onion around the core. Then, slice your onion into thin strips. If you want your dip to have smaller pieces of onion, you can opt to dice the onion instead.
    1 large yellow onion
    Yellow onion sliced thin
  • Add the onions and butter to a large frying pan over medium-high heat, stirring to coat the onions as the butter melts. Then, spread the onions out in a single layer on the pan and allow them to cook in the butter for 5-7 minutes without touching, so that there is some browning on the onions and the pan.
    2 tablespoons unsalted butter
    Onion sliced thin frying in heavy bottomed pan
  • Then, add the water and stir with a wooden spoon, scraping any browned butter on the bottom of the pan and stirring to distribute the browning color.
    3 tablespoons water
    Adding water to onions while caramelizing
  • Continue to heat, stirring occasionally until the water cooks off. Add more water if needed, continuing to stir and cook until the onions are tender and a deep caramel color. Remove from heat and set aside.
    Thinly sliced caramelized onions still in the pan
  • In a mixing bowl or serving bowl, whisk together the cream cheese, sour cream, salt, onion powder, and black pepper until smooth.
    ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper, ½ teaspoon onion powder, 4 ounces cream cheese at room temperature
    Cream cheese, sour cream, salt, onion powder, and black pepper mixed together
  • Fold in the caramelized onions and serve at room temperature with chips. Enjoy!
    Freshly made Caramelized Onion Dip in a bowl

Notes

  • If you want smaller chunks of onion in your dip, you can opt to dice the onion instead of leaving them in 1-inch slices. 
  • You can save your onion cores and peels in a freezer bag with other veggie scraps to make your own vegetable broth or you can compost them!
  • For another crowd-pleasing dip, check out this 5-Minute Hummus.