My 100% from-scratch French onion dip is made with real caramelized onions for amazing flavor. It tastes best when made in advance–perfect for parties or game day! Recipe includes a how-to video!
Homemade French Onion Dip
French onion dip is often overshadowed by buffalo chicken dip or spinach artichoke dip at parties and potlucks, but it deserves some serious recognition. It tastes amazing on pretty much any dipping vehicle (we like kettle chips, sourdough crackers, or fresh veggies), and is absolutely packed with flavor!
My recipe has a gourmet, classic taste without any fancy ingredients or soup mixes. To make it, we’ll cook down fresh, finely diced onions until they are jammy, golden, and a little sweet, then fold them into a sour cream mixture. The end result is simultaneously rich, creamy, and refreshing. I seriously can’t wait for you to try it!
What to Know About This Recipe
- It takes a bit of time to make because the onions must be properly caramelized. To save time, I’ll sometimes make giant batches of caramelized onions and freeze them to have on hand. It’s not at all hard to do, but it does take some patience.
- The flavor is so incredible, it’s almost impossible to stop eating it. Subtly sweet from the caramelized onions with the perfect amount of zest from the sour cream.
- NOT inspired by any store-bought premade dips (like Helluvagood). I haven’t had those in years, so I can’t say for sure how similar the flavor is. But I wasn’t trying to emulate those!
- Comes together so easily! While it does take time, the actual effort is light and simple, and the dip and is sure to be a hit. We could NOT stop eating it!
Ingredients
My recipe keeps the ingredients as simple as possible to let the onion flavor shine. Here’s what you need!
- Onions. I prefer yellow or sweet onions, but white can work in a pinch. I don’t recommend using red onions for this recipe. Make sure to dice your onions pretty small so they caramelize quickly and easily blend into the dip.
- Sugar. Just a small amount encourages the onions to caramelize faster and brings out their natural sweetness.
- Water or broth. We will use this to deglaze the pan, as the onions have a tendency to stick while they caramelize. A dry white wine would also work!
- Mayo. Use whatever kind you prefer. Olive oil mayo will work here; I typically use this in my broccoli salad for a lighter option.
- Sour cream. This adds a pleasant depth of flavor and is the perfect creamy base for many dips (including my dill dip). I recommend using a full-fat sour cream.
- Chives. These are optional, but they look so pretty on top and add a fresh onion flavor as well. You can use fresh or dried chives.
What you won’t see is add-ins like garlic, garlic powder, and Worcestershire sauce. While I tried them all, they just did not work here; keeping it simple and letting the onion flavor shine was best!
SAM’S TIP: Just like when making my cheesecake, I suspect greek yogurt could work here instead of sour cream. I haven’t tried it myself to be sure though, so if you do try it, I’d love to know how it turns out for you!
Remember, this is just an overview of the ingredients I used and why. For the full recipe please scroll down to the bottom of the post!
How to Make French Onion Dip
- Caramelize the onions: cook the onions, sugar, and salt in melted butter until they soften and become a deep golden brown color. Add water/broth as needed as you cook to keep the onions from sticking to the pan. Once caramelized, transfer the onions to a heat-proof bowl and let them cool completely before proceeding.
- Make the dip: combine the sour cream, mayo, onion powder, and salt in a large bowl. Stir in the onions until evenly incorporated, then cover and place in the fridge to chill for at least an hour before enjoying.
SAM’S TIP: The flavor of this dip gets even better as it has time to sit, so it’s great for making in advance! If you plan to serve it for a party or game day, definitely add it to your list of things to make night before for the best flavor!
Frequently Asked Questions
I tried other variations of this recipe using onion powder and minced dried onion (like I use in my dill dip), but the flavor fell short. Unfortunately, the reality is that best flavor comes from taking the time to caramelize the onions, just like when making French onion soup or French onion chicken.
This dip lasts for 3 days in the fridge. You may notice it gets a bit watery as it sits; just give it a good stir before serving.
I don’t recommend it. The sour cream will separate as it thaws, and the texture just won’t be appetizing.
If you’re looking for more great party dips, I have lots of sweet and savory options over on my dips page!
Enjoy!
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French Onion Dip
Ingredients
For the caramelized onions
- 2 Tablespoons (28 g) butter salted or unsalted
- 1 ½ lbs (680 g) yellow onions diced very small (see note)
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon table salt
- Water or broth any kind, as needed (see note)
For the dip
- 2 cups (454 g) sour cream
- ½ cup (118 g) mayonnaise
- ¾ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon table salt
- Chopped chives for topping, optional
- Potato chips for dipping
Recommended Equipment
Instructions
Caramelize the onions.
- Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Once melted, add onions, sugar, and salt and cook, stirring occasionally (every few minutes) until onions have begun to reduce in volume.2 Tablespoons (28 g) butter, 1 ½ lbs (680 g) yellow onions, 1 teaspoon granulated sugar, ½ teaspoon table salt
- Once onions are softened and turning translucent continue to cook, stirring occasionally/as needed (keep from burning) until onions are caramelized and deep golden brown in color. If the onions begin to stick, add a splash of water or broth to deglaze the pan.Water or broth
- Once caramelized, remove onions from pan and allow to cool completely before proceeding with the recipe (you may cover them and refrigerate to speed up the cooling process).
Make the dip
- In a large mixing bowl, stir together sour cream, mayo, onion powder, and salt until well-combined. Add (cooled) onions and stir well.2 cups (454 g) sour cream, ½ cup (118 g) mayonnaise, ¾ teaspoon onion powder, ½ teaspoon table salt
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving. Flavor develops as dip sits.Chopped chives, Potato chips for dipping
Notes
Onions
Weigh onions before cutting. Dice your onions nice and tiny (about ⅛-¼”), this will help them caramelize faster and will give you the perfect tiny size for incorporating into your dip. Yellow onions are my preference but sweet or white onions also work well here. Once cooked down, you should have about 1 cup/190g after caramelizing.Water/broth
This is just for deglazing the pan in the event that the onions begin to stick (likely). You won’t need much and water works just fine, but for added flavor you could use any kind of broth or even a dry white wine.Storing
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Stir well before serving. I do not recommend freezing.Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered an estimate only. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods, cooking method, portion sizes, and more.
Elle
Do you have any suggestions for substituting the mayo?
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Unfortunately we do not have a good substitute 🙁
Joanna
Made the dip this weekend. It was so delicious and worth the extra effort to make without using a packet. Everyone enjoyed it so much!
Sam
This is so nice to hear, Joanna! Thank you so much for trying my recipe and for letting me know how it turned out, I really appreciate it!
Amy Dupree
This dip is amazing! I will never buy store bought dip again. Thanks, Sam!
Sam
I’m so glad you enjoyed it so much, Amy! 🙂