Caramelized Onion Dip Sour Cream (Printable)

Creamy blend of slow-cooked onions, tangy sour cream, and fresh chives, ideal for chips and spreads.

# What Goes In:

→ 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 recommended)
08 - ½ cup mayonnaise
09 - 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
10 - 1 teaspoon garlic powder
11 - ½ teaspoon onion powder

→ Fresh Herbs

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

# How to Make It:

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, about 30 to 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 in the cooled caramelized onions, chives, and parsley. Mix thoroughly to combine all components.
04 - Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
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 -
  • The deep, almost caramel-like sweetness of slow-cooked onions transforms a simple sour cream base into something that tastes genuinely special.
  • It comes together in under an hour, making it perfect for last-minute gatherings without the stress of complicated techniques.
  • This dip actually improves overnight, so you can make it ahead and let the flavors deepen while you focus on everything else.
02 -
  • The biggest mistake is cooking onions too fast over medium or medium-high heat; you'll get brown onions, not caramelized ones, and the flavor suffers completely.
  • Cooling the onions fully before folding them in prevents the sour cream from breaking and separating, which looks sad and tastes grainy.
  • This dip genuinely tastes better the next day, so if you're making it for a gathering, do it the evening before and let time work its magic.
03 -
  • Keep a small bowl of the dip at room temperature during gatherings so people can eat comfortably without dipping cold fingers into cold dip every time.
  • If you make this dip and taste it right after assembly, it will taste good but not great; the magic happens when flavors meld in the cold overnight, so trust the process and resist judging it too early.
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