Homemade French Onion Dip

In my house growing up, foods like potato chips were never stocked in the pantry, but rather reserved for special occasions like birthdays or New Year’s Eve parties. So it wasn’t until I was older – high school or college – that I discovered the pure awesomeness that is a potato chip swimming in French onion dip. A couple of years ago, I went through a phase where I was buying potato chips and French onion dip on the regular and using any sporting event on TV as an excuse to dig in.

We’ve been laying off the snack foods here, but with the Super Bowl coming up, I wanted to finally try my hand at a homemade French onion dip. Turns out, it’s even better than I thought it would be and so easy to make!

The base of this dip is comprised of caramelized onions – they are cooked over low heat for a total of 30 minutes until they are a wonderful deep golden brown. A little bit of balsamic vinegar, salt, pepper and a pinch of cayenne, and the whole mixture is stirred into sour cream and mayonnaise (but not as much as you’d think!).

Since the onions are diced small, it’s incredibly easy to plunge a potato chip into the dip and pile it high. However, if you have any texture aversions and prefer a smoother dip, I think you could give everything a few quick pulses in the food processor to smooth it out.

Whether you’re having a Super Bowl party or just love collecting awesome appetizer recipes (this would be me), this is one you’ll definitely want to add to your stash for any and all future parties!

One year ago: Cap’n Crunch Milkshake
Four years ago: Stovetop Macaroni and Cheese
Five years ago: Caramelized Onion, Mushroom & Gruyere Tartlets
Six years ago: English Muffins

Homemade French Onion Dip

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

This homemade French onion dip features deeply caramelized onions, balsamic vinegar, sour cream and mayonnaise. Easy and SO delicious!

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 pounds yellow onions (about 3 medium), finely chopped
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
4 tablespoons water, divided
2½ teaspoons balsamic vinegar
1 cup sour cream
½ cup mayonnaise

Directions:

1. Melt the butter in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Add onions, salt, pepper, and cayenne and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are translucent, about 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low and continue cooking until the onions are golden, about 10 more minutes.

2. Add 2 tablespoons of the water to the skillet and cook, scraping up any browned bits, until the water is evaporated, about 5 minutes. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons water and cook until onions are caramelized and water is evaporated, about 5 minutes longer. Remove from heat and stir in the vinegar. Transfer the onions to a medium bowl and allow to cool for at least 10 minutes.

3. Add the sour cream and mayonnaise to the onions and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes (and up to 24 hours) to allow flavors to blend. Serve with your favorite potato chips.

(Recipe from Cook's Country)