Food and Recipes Recipes Caramelized Onion Dip A flavorful companion for any old-fashioned potato chip. By Micah A Leal Micah A Leal Micah Leal is a chef and recipe developer with 5 years of professional experience in restaurants and bakeries such as Husk Restaurant and Harken Cafe & Bakery in Charleston, South Carolina. He has also developed nearly 200 recipes for SouthernLiving.com and Southern Living Magazine. Southern Living's editorial guidelines Updated on January 21, 2021 Print Share Share Tweet Pin Email Active Time: 35 mins Total Time: 35 mins Whether it's an appetizer for a casual gathering or a part of the spread for a special event, our Caramelized Onion Dip is always a welcome hit. Made by slowly caramelizing several yellow onions before mixing them into a handful of other ingredients, this dip is as delicious as it is simple. The key is to cook the onions over medium heat until they're translucent before reducing the heat to until they're brown. This is different than the browning that takes place when onions come in contact with a very hot surface. Rather than sizzling and creating a crusty brown exterior to the onions, this slow browning happens as the sugars in the onion caramelize, becoming richer and sweeter. The result is a pot of onions that are very soft and almost liquid. After the onions are finished, the hard work is done. All that's left is to create a smooth, tangy base from cream cheese, sour cream, mayonnaise and Worcestershire sauce. Fold in the onions, and the dip is ready to serve. The most classic companion for this dip is an old-fashioned potato chip, but any starchy snack proves a suitable vessel for such a decadent and flavorful appetizer. Ingredients 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 3 yellow onions, sliced 1 (8 oz.) pckg. cream cheese, room temperature 1 cup sour cream 1/2 cup mayonnaise 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce 1 teaspoon kosher salt Directions Place oil in a Dutch oven or large pot over medium heat. Add onions and cook, stirring occasionally until onions are soft and translucent, about 7 minutes. Continue cooking over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the translucent onions become brown, 10-15 minutes. (Note: The onions should not be crispy or have dark brown spots from contact with the pan, but instead the onions should be soft, semi-translucent, and brown.) With a mixer, beat together cream cheese, sour cream, and mayonnaise on medium-high until smooth. Add Worcestershire sauce and salt and stir to combine. Add caramelized onion and incorporate with a spatula until evenly distributed. Caramelized Onion Dip. Getty Images / 7886565 Print