Caramelized Onion Dip

Name: Caramelized Onion Dip From Scratch
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 1 h
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 4 yellow onions, diced; 1/3 cup + 1 tbsp water, divided; 4 tbsp unsalted butter; 2 tbsp olive oil; 1/2 tsp salt; 2 tbsp sugar; 1/4 tsp baking soda; 8 oz sour cream; 8 oz cream cheese, softened; 1/3 cup mayonnaise; 3 scallions, sliced; 1/2 tsp onion powder; 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce; salt, to taste; black pepper, to taste; fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish; potato chips, for serving

This caramelized onion dip combines slow-cooked, deeply browned onions with a creamy base of sour cream, cream cheese, and mayonnaise. The standout trait is the use of baking soda to accelerate caramelization, cutting cooking time while developing rich, complex flavor.

🌍American 🏷️Caramelized onion dip 🏷️Onion dip 🏷️Dip 🏷️Appetizer Party food

🏷️

🏷️Game-day

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TikTok

Total

1h

Servings

6

Difficulty

Medium

Est. Cost

$31–$51

Recipe Source

View original recipe

From TikTok

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TikTok

Ingredients

4 yellow onions, diced
1/3 cup + 1 tbsp water, divided
4 tbsp unsalted butter
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsp sugar
1/4 tsp baking soda
8 oz sour cream
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup mayonnaise
3 scallions, sliced
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
salt, to taste
black pepper, to taste
fresh parsley, chopped, for garnishoptional
potato chips, for servingoptional

17 Ingredients

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Instructions

1
In a large pan or Dutch oven over high heat, add the diced onions, olive oil, 1/3 cup of water, unsalted butter, and 1/2 tsp of salt.
2
Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 15 minutes until the water has mostly evaporated.
3
Stir in the sugar.
4
Reduce the heat to medium and cook for 30 minutes, stirring for 30 seconds and then letting it rest for 30 seconds, until the onions are deeply caramelized.
5
In a small bowl, mix together the remaining 1 tbsp of water and the baking soda.
6
Pour the baking soda mixture into the pan with the onions and cook, stirring, for another 5 minutes.
7
Transfer the caramelized onions to a large bowl and let them cool completely.
8
Once cooled, add the sour cream, softened cream cheese, mayonnaise, sliced scallions, onion powder, Worcestershire sauce, and salt and pepper to taste.
9
Stir until everything is well combined.
10
Transfer to a serving bowl, garnish with chopped fresh parsley, and serve with potato chips.

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Tips & Notes

Pro tips

Don't skip the baking soda—it accelerates browning and deepens flavor without affecting taste. Add it once onions soften and begin to release liquid.
Stir frequently in the final 10-15 minutes to prevent burning. Onions should be mahogany-brown, not black.
Fold caramelized onions into the creamy base gently to preserve texture; don't overmix or the dip becomes dense.
Chill the dip for at least 1 hour before serving to let flavors meld and texture set.

Substitutions

Sour cream → Greek yogurt or crème fraîche (yogurt yields tangier dip; crème fraîche adds richness)
Mayonnaise → Greek yogurt (reduces fat; dip will be slightly thinner)
Unsalted butter + olive oil → ghee or clarified butter (use 5 tbsp total ghee; adds nuttiness)