French Onion Dip
America's most beloved party dip — this from-scratch version trades the packet for properly caramelized onions and earns every bit of the depth that dehydrated flakes can only hint at. Creamy, savory, and made for a bowl of chips.
- 2 largeyellow onions(about 1 lb)
- 2 tbspunsalted butter
- 1 tbspolive oil
- 1 tspkosher salt(divided)
- 1 cupsour cream
- 1/2 cupmayonnaise
- 1 tspWorcestershire sauce
- 1/4 tspgarlic powder
- 1/4 tspblack pepper
- 2 tbspfresh chives(minced)
Improves significantly after chilling overnight. Keeps refrigerated up to 5 days.
- 1Slice onions into thin half-moons
- 2Heat butter and oil in a large skillet over medium heat
- 3Add onions and 1/2 tsp salt, cook stirring occasionally for 35-45 minutes until deeply golden and caramelized
- 4Let onions cool completely, then finely chop
- 5Mix sour cream, mayonnaise, Worcestershire, garlic powder, remaining salt, and pepper
- 6Fold in cooled onions and chives
- 7Refrigerate at least 2 hours, preferably overnight
- 8Taste and adjust seasoning before serving
Low and slow is the secret to caramelized onions - don't rush the process. A touch of Worcestershire adds depth without being identifiable.
French onion dip is entirely American — its "French" name has nothing to do with France and everything to do with the dehydrated French onion soup mix that forms the base of the original recipe. The dip was created in 1954 by an unknown home cook in Los Angeles, California, who stirred a packet of Lipton's dehydrated onion soup mix into a container of sour cream. Lipton's soup mix had only been on the market for two years when this two-ingredient combination was born. The recipe spread rapidly through Los Angeles by word of mouth and was soon printed in local newspapers. Lipton executives, watching sales of their soup mix spike dramatically in California, took notice and began promoting the recipe nationally. In 1955, the company showcased it on the television show Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts under the name "Lipton California Dip." Lipton has consistently stated they did not invent the recipe — the company's own public relations director confirmed in 1996: "We did not actually invent the California dip but we provided the product without which it could not exist." By 1958, the recipe appeared on the back of every Lipton onion soup package. The name "French onion dip" came into use during the 1960s, linked to the French onion soup flavour profile of the mix, and by the 1990s it had fully replaced "California Dip" in everyday usage. The from-scratch version served here replaces the packet with slow-caramelized fresh onions, producing a richer, more complex dip that captures everything the original promised.