Real Sour Cream & Onion Dip
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The unfortunate consequence of being deprived of chips and dip as a child is that I am the girl at parties hovering over the crock pot filled with queso dip, piling more than a manageable amount of hot crab spread into my Tostitos scoops, and destroying the poor bowl filled with spinach-artichoke dip.
In addition to childhood deprivation, part of my love for these sorts of dips, I suspect, stems from the fact that I never make them.
As many of you know, so many of these most-adored party dip recipes call for opening a pack of soup mix filled mostly with dehydrated ingredients, two days worth of the recommended salt intake, MSG and a host of nitrates and preservatives. While this knowledge never seemed to prevent me from eating these dips — all willpower dissolves when confronted face to face — for many years it prevented me from making them.
With the recent success of a homemade sour cream-and-onion dip, however, I am hoping homemade queso dip along with a few other classics might be in my future, with any luck before the Super Bowl. Who knew that real sour cream-and-onion dip is astonishingly easy to prepare and far more delicious than its dried-soup variation?
While caramelizing onions takes time — time, not work — throwing together this dip couldn’t be much more difficult than opening a box of instant soup. One bite of this sweet-and-tangy dip atop a salty Ruffles potato chip allayed my fears that my Super Bowl guests, upon observing the spread — my mother’s olivata, my aunt’s whipped feta with roasted red peppers, and not a crock pot in sight — might run out the door.
If you feel like going this homemade-sour-cream-and-onion-dip route, rest assured that your guests will feel right at home watching the game. Just don’t forget the Ruffles… for some things there are no substitutes.
PS: Another favorite, easy crowd-pleasing party spread: Black Olive Tapenade
PrintReal Sour Cream & Onion Dip
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 1.25 cups
Description
Inspired by a recipe in Sally Schneider’s The Improvisational Cook
Notes: When researching recipes for this dip, I came across a ton of variations, many of which called for additional ingredients such as goat cheese, mayonnaise, dried onion powder, etc. While I thought for sure the goat cheese variation would win me over, none of the variations I tried was as good as this simple combination of equal parts caramelized onions and sour cream, some sort of member of the green onion family — scallions, chives, etc — and a little freshly squeezed lemon juice. I know how hard it is to resist trying out those flashy recipes, but I highly recommend giving this simple recipe a go first.
Ingredients
for the caramelized onions:
- 4 cups diced onion (from about 3 to 4 small to medium onions)
- 2 tablespoons butter
- kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vinegar, anything you have on hand
- freshly ground black pepper to taste
for the dip:
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- salt and pepper to taste
- 4 scallions* or a bunch of chives, thinly sliced (to yield about 1/4 cup)
- 1/2 teaspoon (or more) freshly squeezed lemon juice
Instructions
- In a large sauté pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onions, season with a pinch of salt and cover the pan. Cook covered for about 15 minutes.
- Remove the cover, and increase the heat slightly. Continue to cook for another 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to make sure the onions are not sticking. Sprinkle the sugar overtop and cook for an additional 10 to 15 minutes, stirring more frequently now, until the onions have turned a nice deep brown. Pour in the vinegar, turn off the heat, and scrape the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon or spatula to remove any browned bits. Take pan off the heat and transfer onions to a large bowl to cool.
- This mixture should yield about 1 heaping cup of onions. When the onions have cooled, stir 1/2 cup of them into the sour cream. Taste. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Fold in scallions or chives. Add the lemon juice. Taste and adjust seasoning with more salt, pepper, lemon juice or more caramelized onions if desired. Save any remaining caramelized onions to add to omelets or pasta or more sour cream-and-onion dip.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Dip
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
178 Comments on “Real Sour Cream & Onion Dip”
Crispy brussel sprouts with garlic aioli . . . did I mention I’m not exactly a football fan? Can we make this a cocktail party, or maybe just like an Oscar’s thing, you know? But seriously, I want that cheese set (I generally have equal parts cheese and produce in my grocery bag, which, come to think of it, might be why I enjoy your blog so much – Hello baked fontina!).
I like to make grilled cheese sandwiches. Many of my friends have been cutting calories for so long, they’ve forgotten how wonderful real full fat cheese, bread and actual butter taste.
Hmmmm… Hummus or white bean dip if some kind, roasted peppers, roasted chicken wings with Asian sticky sauce, Goat cheese crostini s… I’ll have to think about this some more, but cheese of all kinds are beloved in this house!
there is a great cream cheese, bacon, and apricot dip that i love – sometimes i eat it for dinner.
Lime and chile cashews. I admit to hoarding the bowl.
Can’t watch football without buffalo chicken dip. Loaded onto a tostitos scoop, it’s heavenly.
Not a football fan but no reason not to have a party! Chips and guacamole, wings, and why not some queso? And we have to have a touch of dessert…..
WINGS! Every year I insist that I’m going to bake them, and at half-time, pop them in the fryer- OOPS!
It’s not one I make, but my bf’s grandma makes the best clam dip. I’m pretty sure it’s a heart attack in a bowl, but that doesn’t stop me from consuming large quantities!
This dip looks great – I have a big ol’ weak spot for carmelized onions!
Definitely Spinach Artichoke dip, shrimp dip, and of course cheese and sausage platter 🙂
YUM!
Chicken Wings & Queso Dip+Chips
My new appetizer go-to is a log of goat cheese, with warmed thyme-and-lemon-infused olive oil and pitted green and kalamata olives (recipe via Leite’s Culinaria) – so yummy warm or cold, with thinly sliced baguette! But I’m a glutton for good ol’ artichoke dip 🙂
I make a very simple vegetable dip that is absolutely addicting. Combine 1 c. mayo, 1 c. sour cream, and 1 package of dry Good Seasons Italian dressing. There ya go! And if there is dip left over, I use it to coat chicken tenders and then roll in seasoned bread crumbs. Double delicious!
Raised in WI, but currently living in TN, I am always a hit at parties when I bring a tray of WI cheddar, swiss, and mozarella.
I really love bruschetta, but for game day, you have to go with wings or chili for apps!
One of my favorites is a wheel of brie with sliced almonds wrapped in puff pastry, baked and served with fresh Granny Smith apple slices and crackers.
I like to make really little pizzas with a host of different toppings and cheeses!
Besides blatantly having plenty of cheese and sausage on hand, bacon-wrapped jalapeno poppers is just about one of the best appetizers one can offer anyone, regardless of whether there’s a game on.
My family always puts out a bowl of crackers with a creamy egg dip. It’s such a simple concoction of hard boiled eggs, green onion, cream cheese, mayo, cottage cheese, and s & p. It’s great for any party.
I use cream of mushroom soup as a dip with scoopables.
Taco dip! And I was born and raised in Wisconsin; currently living in California and missing Wisconsin cheese!
Seven layer dip for the obligatory chips. My favorite is fresh chevre mixed with dried cranberries and crushed almonds. Scoop that mixture onto Raincoast Crisp crackers. Yum!
we love crackers with hamand wisconson gouda also we love old fashioned deviled eggs excellent taste great appatizer we cant get enough wiscon cheese we have all types of cheese everyday healthy taste love chedder in macn cheese
I’ll probably dig up my mom’s Stuffed Mushroom recipe for Super Bowl Sunday – really tasty and easy. I could eat a whole platter myself! But Fried Cheese Curds hit the spot too. Oh decisions, decisions…
Cheesy Bacon Ranch Dip and Cheddar Cheese Spread with assorted Crackers
Love stuffed mushrooms, although for Super Bowl sunday I’d have to go with Buffalo Wings. Perfect match with football!
We were only allowed dip and chips for our New Year celebration and no other time. It is still my favorite.
I love any type of chicken wing & also stuffed fried wonton.
This will HAVE to be on my list of Superbowl dishes!!! Going to impress the inlaws 😉