French Onion Dip made from scratch will knock your socks off. It’s worth making because you will never, ever get this flavour in store bought dip! Not from the most expensive gourmet store in town, and certainly not in those tubs at the grocery store. It’s seriously incredible!
Homemade French Onion Dip
Confession time: I’ve made shortcut French Onion Dip using a packet of French Onion Soup mix many, many times…. and in fact, here’s the recipe!
BUT a REAL Homemade French Onion Dip, made from scratch by making your own caramelised onion trumps the shortcut soup mix version 10 times over.
Thank you Ina Garten!
I will never give up the packet soup mix French Onion Dip. It’s an 80’s thing, it’s an Aussie thing, and it’s a nostalgic thing.
But if you want a French Onion Dip that’s elevated to incredible status, make this Homemade French Onion Dip from scratch!
The BEST chips to serve with French Onion Dip are plain crinkle cut potato chips. It’s the classic way it’s served in the US – try it once and you’ll be converted for life!
French Onion Dip gets its name from French Onion Soup, with the flavour base of both being caramelised onion.
What French Onion Dip is made of
Here’s what you need for this recipe. Just a note on a few of the items:
The dip base is cream cheese (tang + richness), mayonnaise (flavour + fat) and sour cream (tang + reduces richness a bit);
Less butter – as much as I love Ina Garten, I often find myself cutting down the fat she uses in her recipes quite substantially. This is one such example. The original recipe called for 4 tablespoons of butter AND 1/4 cup of oil. I swear, this does NOT need that much – way too rich! I made it with 3 tablespoons of butter, no oil, which is plenty; and
Hint of spice – adds a touch of extra flavour and warmth to the dip!
How to make it
And here’s how to make it. The key flavour base is the caramelised onions. It will take a good 20 to 25 minutes and it can’t be hurried otherwise the onions just burn instead of turning golden and sweet!
What homemade French Onion Dip tastes like
It’s a creamy dip, a gorgeous soft creamy texture rather than the rock-hard dips you get from the grocery store where your chips break every time you try to scoop some up.
The caramelised onion infuses it with beautiful flavour that’s savoury with natural sweetness – there’s no sugar in this recipe, it’s all from the natural caramelisation of the onion!
It’s great on the day it’s made, but it’s even better the next day once the flavours have had time to meld together even more!
How long can you keep homemade French Onion Dip?
I’ve kept it for 4 to 5 days and it was 100% perfect, no flavour loss at all.
How to serve French Onion Dip
Hands down, the BEST thing to dip in Onion Dip is plain crinkle cut potato crisps. This is an American thing that hasn’t yet made it across the waters.
And it might sound strange to some people, dunking potato crisps in dip.
But trust me. For French Onion Dip, plain potato crisps are the BEST. Better than corn chips, better than crackers, better than bread. It beats ’em all! – Nagi x
Watch how to make it
Note: typo in video! Says “paprika” instead of “cayenne pepper”. Though actually, you could totally use paprika instead!
More dip recipes
This Snack Monster has shared plenty of dip recipes!!!
Guacamole (done right!) or Avocado Hummus Dip
Retro Soup Mix 2 Minute French Onion Dip
Hot Corn Dip – you’ll love the flavour in this creamy, bubbly dip!
Smoked Salmon Dip (flavour you can’t buy in tubs!)
See all Dip Recipes
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Homemade French Onion Dip
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp butter
- 2 1/2 cups diced onions (2 to 3 onions) (brown, yellow or white)
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
- 4 oz / 120 g cream cheese (cold), cut into cubes
- 1/4 cup whole egg mayonnaise
- 1/2 cup sour cream (full fat is best, but you can use low fat or even yoghurt)
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a fry pan over medium heat.
- Add the onions, salt, pepper, onion powder and cayenne pepper. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring. Then reduce the heat to medium low and cook for 20 to 25 minutes, stirring occasionally. The onions should be sweet and golden. Remove from stove and allow to cool.
- Place the cream cheese, sour cream and mayo in a bowl, mix until smooth (use microwave in 10 sec bursts if needed to assist)
- Add the caramelised onions. Mix until just combined. Refrigerate at least 2 hours to allow flavours to develope, overnight is better!
- Serve at room temperature, garnished with chopped chives if desired. Best served with crinkle cut plain potato chips!
Recipe Notes:
a) Original recipe called for 4 tbsp butter + 1/4 cup oil. I reduced it to just 3 tbsp of butter. This is very rich as it is – you don’t need any more!
b) Original recipe also called for 1/2 cup of mayonnaise. I found this too rich so I reduced it to 1/4 cup.
c) Original recipe said to beat the cream cheese (at room temperature) with the mayonnaise and sour cream using a stand mixer. I tried this once and it is a bit fluffy at first but then it becomes denser after refrigerating it. So I make this by softening the cream cheese or even heating the cream cheese very gently in the microwave if necessary then simply stirring it with the other ingredients. Works perfectly, it’s creamy and lump free (other than the onions of course!)
d) I added onion powder as an optional extra because I like the extra kick of onion flavour.
e) Original recipe called for 1 tsp of salt. I find this slightly too salty so I reduced it to 3/4 tsp. 3. Nutrition per serving assuming 8 servings.
Nutrition Information:
Originally published July 2015. Updated with new photos, brand new video, process step photos and of course the most important thing – new Life of Dozer section added!
Life of Dozer
No onion dip for Dozer – onion is bad for dogs! How about some carrot instead?? 😂 (He looks so keen, he hasn’t gotten a sniff of what it is yet!!)
And from the first time I published this recipe:
Dozer assuming his usual position while I shot the dip. Patiently waiting for a big dollop to land on the ground. Didn’t happen. Never will – onion is bad for dogs!!
I usually use Alton Brown’s recipe, but I will try yours. I’ve tried a few of your recipes saved a lot more and have NOT had a bad one. 🙂
Love to know who wins this battle Wes!!! N x
I’m from Norway, and we ALWAYS dip chips – That’s our thing 😄
Delicious! I didn’t have enough cream cheese so I added extra sour cream, and it still turned out great. Thank you!
I made this today. Of course I had to have a wee taste before putting in the fridge. The onions are so sweet! The seasonings so perfect!
I can’t wait to dip my crinkle cut chips in it! I’ve always chipped my dips….i thought everyone did?
This is so delicious! I was a bit doubtful because I don’t usually like mayonnaise- but it works so well! I should have known Nagi’s recipes never ever fail! Made for Xmas day but I keep sneaking tastes from the fridge so might not be much left…
First picnic at the beach in months here in Melbourne. This dip went down such a treat. So divine and with the plain potato chips, who knew 🙂
Yum! I’ve just made this for a party tomorrow and it’s delicious. The onion chopping wasn’t much fun, (my eyes are super sensitive) but it was so worth it. I used yoghurt instead of sour cream because I had some left over from another recipe of yours I just made. (The yoghurt sauce for lamb koftas). Can’t wait for the party tomorrow!!!
Belle, after years of trying onion cutting hacks, I swear by this. Saw it a few times on different FB groups & it works for me. I cut onions for half of my weekly meals. I grab a cereal bowl & fill it with tap water, place near to my cutting board, then start cutting. Good luck 🙂
Belle, If you put your onions in the freezer for about 15 minutes before cutting, they won’t bother you as much.
I have tried many ot your recipes that I love but I did not like this one. Too rich.
This was so simple and so yummy! Had it with your smashed potatoes as a side and it was amazzzzzing… Your recipes are so easy to do! Love from India
I haven’t cooked it yet, but I wanted to thank you SO MUCH for included what you changed from Ina’s recipe. I really like the changes you made and will make it your way, but it’s nice to know what the original said. 🙂
I love love love all of your recipes they are amazing and tasty. Onion dip one is my favorite recipe. Could you do one on a French dip sandwich.
YUM!!! Love this idea! N x
Very very yummy and we just kept wanting more! Had to tell my man to ease off or he wouldn’t fit in dinner!! A lovely recipe thank you Nagi (on behalf of Ita).
Super tasty, as all of your recipes are. Added a little bit of garlic powder too. My family couldn’t get enough of it. Will never buy store bought variety again. Thank you!
WOOT! Great Lauren! N x
I thought I didn’t like French onion dip. That’s because I’d only tried the store-bought variety. Then I made your recipe (first time caramelizing onions, too). OMG. This. Is. Amazing. And it’s amazing after only 2 hours in the fridge. I can only imagine how great it will taste tomorrow (if it lasts that long).
You’re converted!!! Homemade is far superior to store bought Claudia!! N x
hello I was wondering if you would be able to use paprika instead of the cayenne pepper and greek yogurt instead of the sour cream? would it make it taste any different? thanks
Hi! Do you think whipped cream cheese would work for this? If so, still 4oz or 8oz?
Hi Mandi, sorry whipped cream wont work in this recipe – N x
Can I chill or freeze this and up to how many days?
Whipped cream cheese
Hello! Would creme fraiche work instead of sour cream?
Yes definitely Lynz! N x
Hi I like all your recipes can you send me a book with the recipe please I love to make it
Hi Anthony, unfortunately I don’t have any physical cookbooks just yet – only the e-books available. N x
Great dip. Tastes great and real. It was such an emotional experience I couldn’t stop crying cutting those onions!! 😭😆
Made this for my Christmas party and it came out amazing!! Thanks so much.. I used it as a dip with peeled prawns!!