Name: French Onion Dip (Better Than Store Bought)
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 55 min
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons butter or olive oil; 2 medium yellow onions (sliced); 3 garlic cloves ( minced); 2 cups sour cream; ¼ cup mayonnaise; 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives; 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley; kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper (to taste); Optional: a splash of worcestershire sauce for richer flavor.

This French onion dip is the classic party appetizer that always gets devoured within minutes! It’s ultra-creamy, layered with fresh herbs, and mixed with sweet caramelized onions.

Why You’ll Love This French Onion Dip

I never, ever get tired of making this French onion dip. Mainly because there’s always nothing left by the end of the night, which feels so rewarding, doesn’t it? So if you’re looking for your next signature appetizer, consider this party dip a highly rated option, alongside guacamole and hummus. Serve it with potato chips for the Super Bowl or veggie sticks for Thanksgiving and Christmas. It truly works for all occasions. Here’s what else you’ll love about this recipe:

Better than packaged. It’s exponentially more flavorful than store-bought options and doesn’t contain questionable fillers.
So easy to make. All you need are 5 simple ingredients!
Best make-ahead appetizer. This gets better as it sits, so make it early and let it chill in the fridge. Think of it as a great way to reduce cooking stress before a party!

French Onion Dip Ingredients

Sour Cream: I always choose organic for the best flavor and creaminess, but use whatever you like.
Mayonnaise: My mom always added a little mayo to her French onion dip, so naturally, I do the same. And you can’t beat my homemade mayonnaise for the freshest flavor!
Caramelized Onions: Sweet, golden, and packed with flavor. Pro tip: Make these caramelized onions ahead of time to save yourself some work.
Fresh Chives and Parsley: Finely chopped herbs add little pops of fresh green. I also don’t recommend using dried herbs. They just won’t have the same strength of flavor as freshly chopped herbs.
Salt and Pepper: Season to taste with kosher salt and ground black pepper.

Find the complete recipe with measurements below

How to Make French Onion Dip

Step one of French onion dip: caramelize onions.

First, caramelize the onions. Caramelizing onions is easy, but it takes a little time, so plan ahead! I’ve got a separate recipe that walks you through how to caramelize onions, but you’ll start by adding butter and/or oil to a large sauté pan over medium heat. Stir in the onions, let them sit for 2 to 3 minutes, then reduce the heat to low. This helps one side brown beautifully.

Step two of French onion dip: Continue caramelizing.

Second, continue cooking until caramelized. Stir every couple of minutes for the first 30 minutes. If they start sticking or getting too dark, splash in a few tablespoons of water or broth to rehydrate, scrape up the fond, and mix it back into the onions. Keep cooking for about 45 minutes, or until the onions reach your desired sweetness and color. Then, add the minced garlic and saute for another minute.

Step three of French onion dip: cool and chop the onions.

Third, chill and chop the onions. Once your onions are done, transfer them to a small bowl and chill them in the fridge. Once cooled, roughly chop them into smaller, bite-sized pieces.

Step four of French onion dip: mix it all together.

Lastly, mix it all together. Add the chopped caramelized onions to a bowl with sour cream, mayonnaise, chives, parsley, salt, and pepper. Stir until creamy. Serve right away with potato chips, veggie sticks, or refrigerate for later.

Storage and Make-Ahead Tips

This dip only gets better with time. Make it a day ahead for a party, potluck, or casual gathering, and the flavors will meld beautifully. If you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week. Though honestly, I doubt it’ll last that long!

Recipe Variations

While most of the ingredients are fairly standard, I understand not everyone’s a mayonnaise lover. You can always leave out the mayonnaise or substitute it with:

Greek Yogurt: Keeps the dip creamy with a tangy punch and bonus probiotics.
Cream Cheese: Makes it thicker, richer, and cheesier.

More Appetizer Recipes

Jalapeno Poppers: A true party favorite!
Deviled Eggs: The number one appetizer that never disappoints.
Stuffed Mushrooms: A must make for the holidays.
Smoked Salmon Cheese Ball: This is my mom’s tried-and-true recipe.
White Bean Dip: This herby, garlicky, creamy dip is so good.
Or browse my list of Super Bowl food, Thanksgiving appetizers, or Christmas appetizers for upcoming parties!

If you try this French onion dip recipe, let me know how it turns out in the comments below! Your review will help other readers in the community. And if you’re hungry for more healthy food inspiration and exclusive content, join my free newsletter here.

French Onion Dip (Better Than Store Bought)

Author: Lisa Bryan

4.98 from 37 votes

Read 88 Comments

Serves 8 servings

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 45

Total Time 55

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Description

Homemade French onion dip is creamy, flavorful and fresh. Just a handful of ingredients are mixed together for a crowd-pleasing dip! Watch the video below to see how I make it.

Video

Equipment

Ingredients

▢ 2 tablespoons butter or olive oil
▢ 2 medium yellow onions, sliced
▢ 3 garlic cloves, minced
▢ 2 cups sour cream
▢ ¼ cup mayonnaise
▢ 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives
▢ 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley
▢ kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
▢ Optional: a splash of worcestershire sauce for richer flavor.

Instructions

Caramelize the onions. Heat the butter or oil in a large sauté pan on medium heat and add the onions. Stir the onions for 2 minutes, then reduce the heat to low.
Continue caramelizing. Continue stirring the onions every 2 to 3 minutes, allowing them to caramelize on the bottom before stirring again. If they start to stick or brown, add a few tablespoons of water to rehydrate them and deglaze the pan.
Finish caramelizing. Continue cooking the onions for approximately 45 minutes or until they're cooked to your liking. Add the minced garlic and sauté for another minute. For more help with the onions, you can watch exactly how to make caramelized onions step-by-step on my separate recipe post.
Chill and chop. Once the onions have caramelized, transfer them to a small bowl and place them in the fridge to cool. Once cooled, roughly chop them for smaller, bite-sized pieces. Note: don't add warm caramelized onions to the dip or you'll risk it melting.
Stir together. Add the caramelized onions to a mixing bowl with the sour cream, mayonnaise, chives, parsley, salt and pepper. Stir everything together until creamy and garnish with additional herbs.

Lisa’s Tips

This recipe makes approximately 3 cups of dip. The perfect amount for a party!
Storage tips: Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to one week. You can also make ahead for parties. The flavors get even better after sitting for a few hours. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

Nutrition

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Recipe originally posted June 2019, but updated to include new photos and information for your benefit!

About the author

Lisa Bryan

Lisa is a bestselling cookbook author, recipe developer, and YouTuber (with over 2.5 million subscribers) living in sunny Southern California. She started Downshiftology in 2014, and is passionate about making healthy food with fresh, simple and seasonal ingredients.

88 Comments