Hot caramelized onion dip comin’ attacha! Open wide! This is undoubtedly my most requested dip recipe from family and friends. And it’s easy to see why. Golden caramelized onions that I left hanging around on the stove until they were just tender and golden brown. Then comes all the creamy elements of the dip that we literally stir together in our slow cooker and pop a lid on. That’s it. Crunchy bread, hot dip, sweet onions, and all the creaminess. It’s perfection. It’s pretty safe to say I have a borderline inappropriate relationship with party foods. Not in the sense that I want to eat all of them at once by myself in a closet somewhere. But in the way that I want to make them every time someone comes over. And not just make them, make them the main meal. Forget dinner; let’s pig out on hot caramelized onion dip, firecracker meatballs, pastry swirls, and hot honey cheese balls instead. That’s totally normal, right? I digress, but this dip would undoubtedly be the star of the show if you served it at a Christmas party or for New Years Eve or even a housewarming or for book club! Trust me, it was the first thing to disappear at our last housewarming party! My task for you — Make this dip.Serve this dip.Make everyone happy. It’s that simple.
Ingredients for hot caramelized onion dip:
Onions: I like to use yellowonions for this recipe that I slice very thinly and saute. You can also use sweet onions and cut back on the sugar if you want them to melt right into the dip. I like the little laces of onion strings, so I opt for yellowonions for this recipe.Butter and Oil: A small knob of butter and a glug of oil help caramelize and sweat down the onions in a cast iron skillet.Seasonings and Herbs: You’ll need some fresh thyme, onion powder, black pepper, and red pepper flakes for this recipe. All of these ingredients are added to enhance the other recipes in this dip.Granulated Sugar: Helps develop a little more color on the onions and makes the sweetness of the onions more promenient.Balsamic Vinegar: Is my secret ingredient to caramelized onions. The acid from the vinegar helps balance the sweetness and it just cuts through some of the richness from the creamier onion dip ingredients.Garlic: no explanation needed here! Adds just a hint of garlicky flavor.Cheeses: You’ll need cream cheese, parmesan cheese, diced brie, and shredded gruyere cheese. I’ve made this dip a ton over the years, so if you aren’t a fan of brie or want to make the dip a little lighter, feel free to swap the brie for another 4 ounces of cream cheese.Sour Cream: Adds creaminess to the dip. I don’t suggest swapping this with greek yogurt!Mayonnaise: Just like my hot spinach and artichoke dip, the sour cream and mayo are the creamy elements that make the base of this dip.Milk: Helps thin out all the other ingredients a little bit!Serving suggestions: Use chips, a slice dup baguette to make crostini, bagel chips would be a fine choice too!
How to make golden bubbly caramelized onion dip
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Original Recipe shared Dec 2015. Updated with new image, post, and updated recipe instructions Dec 2022.
- The recipe can easily be doubled in a 3-quart slow cooker or tripled in a large-sized crockpot. Cooking time may vary for larger batches.* caramelized onions: can be done up to 48 hours in advance.* gruyere: can be replaced with shredded white cheddar or provolone cheese for a more economical option!* brie: can be replaced with another 4 ounces of cream cheese.* make ahead: cook the dip without the gruyere in the slow cooker. Transfer to a baking dish, cover it, and refrigerate for up to 48 hours before serving. Remove from the refrigerator 1 hour before baking. Top with gruyere and bake at 350ºF covered for30-40 minutes or until everything heats through and the cheese on top melts.
