Isn’t it fun when something new becomes a regular in your life? Whether a movie that weasels its way into your fixed rotation, a song that you will never stop playing, or in my case, a recipe I come back to time and time again, it’s usually an unexpected surprise. I made this caramelized French onion dip for the first time a few summers ago and find myself coming back to it season after season.

This caramelized french onion dip uncovers that feeling of nostalgia of the French’s onion powder mix I grew up on. I thought recreating that dip would be a fun experiment, a recipe I try once happily but wouldn’t need to return to. I was wrong. This recipe has grown into a staple of mine, a regular character my life and there’s no turning back.

Onions shallots and garlic in oil and butter

The flavors give a warm feeling to this chilled dish. The brandy-sherry combination, the bay leaves and nutmeg, all give those subtle undertones that the powder stuff just… lacks. Now, I’m a garlic girl through and through so I obviously included a few cloves. Not too many – we want an onion dip after all.

Serve the caramelized French onion dip with chips, a baguette, or on top of a potato pancake. Or, eat it straight with a spoon. No judgin’.

Okay now before this turns into a full blown love letter, let’s get to the recipe and please do yourself a favor and try this out.

Caramelized French Onion Dip

This is truly the BEST French onion dip out there and I don't say that lightly. I've made it time and time again with endless compliments. You'll taste the nostalgia of the powdered stuff we all grew up on, with warm undertones from the brandy, sherry, bay leaves, and nutmeg. A winning combination.

5 from 1 vote

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Prep Time 10

Cook Time 50

Total Time 1 20

Course Appetizer, Snack

Cuisine American

Ingredients

¼ cup olive oil
3 large sweet onions
2 shallots peeled then sliced
5 cloves garlic roughly chopped
2 tablespoons butter
2 bay leaves
¼ cup dry sherry (can sub dry white wine or beef stock)
¼ cup brandy (optional)
water (can sub sherry, dry white wine, or beef stock)
¼ teaspoon grated nutmeg
½ teaspoon thyme
salt and pepper to taste
16 oz sour cream
2 tablespoons fresh chives chopped
Kettle chips for serving

Instructions

Use a heavy bottom pan with a lid. Heat it on medium and then coat the bottom with olive oil. Add onions, shallots, garlic, and a few shakes of salt. Gently stir, then top with butter and cover. Stir every 5-8 minutes, using a wooden spatula.
When you notice the first signs of caramelization (brown bits forming at the bottom), add sherry, brandy, bay leaves, nutmeg, and thyme. Add a few shakes of salt and pepper. Stir, change the heat to medium low, then leave uncovered from here on out.
The onions will cook for another 30 minutes and will need stirring every 5. Stirring too frequently won’t allow the onions to caramelize, but keep an eye on them to not burn. If you notice some browning sticking to the pan, deglaze with a couple tablespoons of water (can use dry white wine or beef stock if preferred). If you need to step away for a longer time, move to the heat to low. Once caramelized to your liking, take off the heat and let cool.
To make the dip, mix the onions, sour cream, and chives if using. I like to remove 1-2 teaspoons of onion before mixing and set it aside to be able to garnish on top. Once the dip is all mixed, do a taste test with the chips you plan to serve with to make sure the dip is salted enough. You may need another 1-2 teaspoons here. When satisfied with seasoning, add the remaining onion pieces and any additional chives or pepper flakes to garnish.
You can prepare the onions days in advance, and you can prepare the entire dip a day in advance of serving. This recipe can be easily doubled (or tripled) in which case a pot will be easier than a pan.
You can make this up to 3 days in advance. If the same day, let the onion mix cool in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before mixing with sour cream