Caramelized Onion Dip

This Caramelized Onion Dip features slow cooked onions caramelized to perfection then folded into a creamy umami rich dip. It’s a sweet, savoury, salty, upgrade to classic onion dip that is undeniably addictive. Serve it with ripple potato chips at your next game day gathering, tailgate party, Netflix binge, or backyard barbecue.

During football or awards season, one can never have too many dip recipes. Whether you like it warm and cheesy like this Baked Shrimp Scampi Dip or a cool and classic Ranch Dip, you’ll find the recipe here on the blog.

Caramelized Onion Dip

This Homemade Caramelized Onion Dip recipe will make you (and your guests) forget about plastic tubs of store-bought onion dip forever! It’s made with REAL ingredients, whose names you can pronounce, and packed with delicious sweet, salty, umami flavour.

The “magic” of this recipe isn’t a secret ingredient—it’s patience. To get that deep, jammy sweetness, you must slowly cook the onions until the sugars break down. This process, known as the Maillard reaction, transforms sharp, crunchy onions into golden, melt-in-your-mouth goodness.

Caramelizing onions takes some time (don’t ever let anyone tell you it takes 10 minutes!) but the result is a deep golden brown color and incredible sweet flavour. This sweet, slightly savoury flavour goes well with anything creamy, such as Greek yogurt, sour cream, or cream cheese.

I often buy a large bag of onions, make a large batch of caramelized sweet onions, and freeze them for later use. They are great in everything from baked brie cheese topping to classic French Onion Soup.

Ingredients for Caramelized Onion Dip

The ingredients for this appetizer dip are easily found at any grocery store. Since the onions are the main event, I recommend finding the sweetest onion variety available. Besides the recipe ingredients, you’ll need a dipping vehicle such as lightly salted ripple potato chips.

• Olive Oil
• Onions
• Granulated Sugar
• Salt
• Baking Soda
• Cream Cheese
• Sour Cream
• Mayonnaise
• Soy Sauce
• Garlic

Vidalia, Walla Walla, or Maui onions are the sweetest onion varieties. However, you can use white onions, cipollini onions, or even yellow onions for this recipe. Feel free to use butter or a combination of butter and olive oil to cook the onions.

The addition of granulated sugar and baking soda facilitate caramelization but are not necessary. If you omit these two ingredients, the cooking time will be slightly longer.

Full fat cream cheese provides the best texture, though low fat cream cheese works if needed. Always use room temperature or softened cream cheese for easy mixing.

Feel free to use Greek yogurt instead of sour cream, it makes for a tangier, slightly lighter dip. Furthermore, if you want to skip the mayonnaise, add extra sour cream, though the dip will be lighter and not as rich.

Feel free to use Worcestershire Sauce in place of the Soy Sauce. Both add salinity and extra umami, but Worcestershire sauce will add slightly different savoury notes.

Use grated garlic instead of minced garlic to avoid any garlic chunks. The garlic flavor will be strong at first, but it will mellow out while it chills. If you’re worried about the garlic, you can soak your garlic in hot water for 5 minutes before adding it to the mix.

Pro tip: Use roasted garlic in this dip recipe for a softer, sweeter flavour or a teaspoon of balsamic vinegar for a little more tang. If you want to add a little bit of heat, add a pinch of red pepper flakes. 

How to Make Caramelized Onion Dip

Good things come to those who wait, and this dip recipe is no exception. It should take at least 40 minutes for the onions to turn a deep golden-brown colour. Once that step is done and the onions have cooled to room temperature, the dip mixes up easily.

I highly recommend you make this recipe a day ahead of time to allow the flavours to meld into the creamy dip.

Caramelize the Onions

In a large heavy bottomed or cast iron skillet over medium heat, heat the olive oil then add the sliced onions, sugar, salt, and baking soda.

While cooking the onions, stir occasionally for about 30-40 minutes or until the onions are deeply caramelized. Remove onions from heat and allow them to cool to room temperature.

Mix the Dip

In a medium sized bowl or stand mixer bowl, beat 4 ounces cream cheese until smooth. Mix in the sour cream, mayonnaise, soy sauce, and grated garlic until smooth. Stir in the caramelized onions until fully distributed.

Refrigerate Caramelized Onion Dip for at least 1 hour (and ideally overnight) before serving to allow flavours to develop.

Recipe Tips and Tricks

1. Take your time with the onions. True caramelization happens slowly. Cook the onions over medium to medium low heat rather than high heat to avoid burning. Stir occasionally, not constantly. Stir every 8 to 10 minutes at first to allow browning, then more frequently once the onions begin to darken. Add a very small amount of water if the onions are sticking to the pan, just to help get the onion off the bottom.
2. Use baking soda carefully. A very small amount raises the pH and speeds browning, but too much can affect flavor. It is optional, not required.
3. Scrape the pan. The brown bits on the bottom of the skillet add deep flavour. Scrape them up as you stir.
4. Let onions cool for 10-15 minutes before mixing. Warm onions can thin the dip and affect texture.
5. Adjust soy sauce slowly. Start with 1 tablespoon and add more to taste. It adds salt and umami quickly.
6. Chill before serving. Resting time allows the flavors to meld and the dip to thicken properly.

Storage Instructions

Store the dip covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Stir before serving. This dip is best served chilled but can sit at room temperature for up to 1 hour when serving.

Hi! I’m Bernice Hill, the heart and soul behind Dish ‘n’ the Kitchen. It is my pleasure to share easy to follow recipes that are delicious, nutritious, and approachable for the whole family.

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