Caramelized Onion Dip
This is my version of the classic French onion dip! Caramelized onions blended with cottage cheese and spices create a creamy, flavourful dip to serve with veggies or ripple potato chips at your next party.
My mother wrote a cookbook in the ‘80s. One of her recipes, “California Slim Dip” consisted of cottage cheese and onion soup mix. It was her homemade version of French onion chip dip. I love it, but I wanted to try making it from scratch.
I love caramelized onions, and they are perfect in my version. I have made the onions the low and slow way; cooked over medium low heat for about an hour until softened, brown, and sweet. I recently tried the quick method and it is just as good! Feel free to use either method depending on your time requirements.
How long does Caramelized Onion Dip take to make?
Low & Slow: By cooking the sliced onions over medium-low heat, after about an hour of occasional stirring and a tablespoon or two of water, you’ll have gorgeous, glossy browned onions; soft and sweet. Total time for the slow method: 1 – 1.5 hours.
The Quick Method: By cooking the sliced onions over medium-high heat and constantly stirring, you’ll have caramelized onions after 10-15 minutes. Mine took 17 minutes but I think if I sliced the onions thinner, it would be faster. Total time for the quick method: 30 minutes.
Let’s talk about the ingredients for Caramelized Onion Dip
Onions – I find sweet onions make the BEST caramelized onions! I used 2 large Videlia onions.
Cottage Cheese – Since the dip is blended, it’s best to use the driest curd cottage cheese you can find. I just used regular cottage cheese.
Cream Cheese – Allowing the cream cheese to come to room temperature will speed up the blending.
Spices – The amounts for all the spices in the recipe and a good starting point, but feel free to increase or omit any of the spices.
Can Caramelized Onion Dip be Gluten-free?
Yes, this dip is gluten-free.
The Caramelized Onion Dip Method
First, caramelize your onions using either of the cooking methods described above.
Then, blend everything together in a food processor or high speed blender.
Depending on how chunky you like your dip, you can blend everything except the onions and then add them at the end and pulse lightly until you get the desired chunkiness.
The dip can be served immediately, but it really benefits from a couple of hours in the refrigerator; the flavours deepen and the dip thickens.
Serve with vegetable crudités or ripple potato chips.
Caramelized Onion Dip
Equipment
- 1 Large heavy sauté pan
- 1 food processor or high speed blender
Ingredients
Caramelized Onions
- 2 large sweet onions sliced
- 2 tablespoons neutral oil such as grapeseed oil
- 1/8 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 cup water optional
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Dip
- 2 cups cottage cheese
- 1/4 cup cream cheese room temperature
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
- 1/4 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1/4 teaspoon celery salt
- 1/4 teaspoon paprika
- 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
Caramelized Onions
- In a heavy sauté pan over medium-high heat, add oil.
- Add onions and sprinkle with baking soda. Cook, stirring constantly for 10-20 minutes or until desired caramelization is reached. If pan looks too dry, add water a tablespoon at a time and stir, scraping the browned bits off the bottom of the pan.
- When onions are done, stir in salt and set aside.
Dip
- In a food processor or high speed blender, add cottage cheese, cream cheese, spices, and caramelized onions.
- Blend until smooth. If a chunkier dip is desired, blend all ingredients except onions, and then add the onions and pulse until chunky.
- You can serve the dip immediately, but refrigerating the dip for a couple of hours will improve and deepen the flavours. Serve with vegetable crudités or ripple potato chips.
Notes
Need more party ideas? Try Whipped Brie with Fig & Walnuts or this Citrusy Smoked Salmon Appetizer.
