Caramelized Onion Dip Sour Cream (Printable)

Creamy blend of caramelized onions, sour cream, and fresh chives ideal for chips or sandwiches.

# What You Need:

→ Onions

01 - 2 large yellow onions, finely diced
02 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
03 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
04 - ½ teaspoon kosher salt
05 - ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
06 - ½ teaspoon sugar

→ Dip Base

07 - 1½ cups sour cream, full-fat
08 - ½ cup mayonnaise
09 - 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
10 - 1 teaspoon garlic powder
11 - ½ teaspoon onion powder

→ Fresh Herbs

12 - ¼ cup fresh chives, finely chopped
13 - 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, finely chopped

# Directions:

01 - In a large skillet over medium-low heat, melt butter with olive oil. Add diced onions, salt, pepper, and sugar. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are deeply golden and caramelized, approximately 30-35 minutes. Reduce heat if onions brown too quickly. Allow to cool to room temperature.
02 - In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together sour cream, mayonnaise, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, and onion powder until smooth.
03 - Fold cooled caramelized onions, chives, and parsley into the dip base. Mix well to combine.
04 - Taste the dip and adjust seasoning as needed with salt and pepper.
05 - Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to allow flavors to meld.
06 - Serve chilled, garnished with extra chives, alongside chips, crackers, or fresh vegetables.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Those caramelized onions taste like pure comfort—sweet, savory, almost jammy—and they transform a simple sour cream base into something guests will ask for the recipe for.
  • It actually gets better after sitting overnight, so you can make it ahead and show up to parties relaxed instead of rushed.
  • Works with whatever you have on hand, whether that's potato chips, crackers, vegetable sticks, or toasted bread.
02 -
  • Medium-low heat is not optional—I learned this the hard way when I cranked mine to medium to speed things up and ended up with burnt onions that tasted bitter and acrid, impossible to salvage.
  • Letting the onions cool completely before mixing into the sour cream prevents the cream from separating and getting grainy; I thought this was unnecessary once and ended up with something that looked curdled.
03 -
  • Stir the caramelized onions into the sour cream base while they're completely cool, and use a rubber spatula for folding rather than a whisk—this keeps air out and prevents the cream from breaking.
  • If you want it lighter, swap half the sour cream for Greek yogurt, which adds tang and reduces richness without sacrificing creaminess.
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