A tasty base of cream cheese, cottage cheese and caramelized onions makes this homemade onion dip simply irresistible! Forget store-bought and make this easy onion dip at home, serve with your favourite chips and watch it disappear!
Remember those caramelized onions I shared a little while back?
Today I’m sharing them in a homemade onion dip!
With it being the holiday season, it means lots of parties, getting together with friends, and impromptu visits. It’s always good to have an easy dip recipe in your back pocket, and this one always goes over so well!
Though this is an indulgent dip, it is lightened up somewhat with light cream cheese and cottage cheese instead of sour cream or mayo.
It has all the delicious flavours you love in an onion dip recipe. It’s creamy, flavourful and totally perfect with chips without being too heavy; feel me?
So ditch those store-bought packets of onion powder and make a delicious onion dip from scratch! Let’s make it!
How To Make Onion Dip
Full details are in the recipe card below, but here are the basics:
- Caramelize those onions! This is the longest part. After that, there’s not much to it!
- In a food processor, combine cream cheese, cottage cheese, Worcestershire sauce, red wine vinegar, crushed red pepper flakes, salt and pepper.
- Process until smooth and combined.
- Add caramelized onions and fresh parsley.
- Pulse until incorporated. Tip: The reason why we pulse here is that we don’t want the onions totally blended up. You want some texture left.
- Transfer the deliciously creamy caramelized onion dip to a serving dish and garnish with caramelized onions and parsley.
Can I Caramelize Onions Ahead of Time?
Absolutely! Prep your onions a day (or two) ahead of time, properly store in an airtight container in the fridge and make the dip when ready.
Are Fried Onions the Same Thing?
No.
The thing about caramelized onions is that that are cooked low and slow.
What does that mean?
Tender onions.
Depth of flavour.
A lovely caramel colour.
A touch of sweetness.
Don’t get me wrong, fried onions are great! But caramelized onions work best in this dip.
Can I Serve as a Hot Onion Dip?
Absolutely!
Pour onion dip into an oven-safe dish (reserve any onion garnish and parsley for after) and heat in a 350 degree Fahrenheit oven for about 20 minutes or so until heated through.
Garnish as desired.
Can I Make Without a Food Processor?
Yes!
If you don’t have a food processor, use a hand mixer along with a mixing bowl to blend everything together.
When it’s time to add the onions, chop them before mixing in.
Tips and Variations
- Cottage cheese was used here to lighten things up a bit (versus using sour cream or mayo). Having said that, if you want to treat yourself, go ahead and use either of the latter.
- You want your cream cheese softened so it blends up nice and creamy.
- Crushed red pepper flakes were used for a touch of spice, but you can or replace with ground cayenne pepper to taste.
- Caramelized onions were reserved for garnish. You can skip this if you like and just put them in the actual dip.
- Use a vegan worcestershire sauce if you want to keep this onion dip vegetarian. Alternatively, you can purchase a store-bought vegan or vegetarian variety.
More Easy Dip Recipes
If you make this caramelized onion dip, be sure to leave a comment below!
Homemade Onion Dip
Ingredients
- 8 ounces light cream cheese, softened and cut into cubes (a 250 gram block)
- 1 to 1.25 cup cottage cheese, I used 1% milk fat
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, regular, vegan or vegetarian version
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- ¾ teaspoon salt, or to taste
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, optional
- ¾ cup to 1 cup cup caramelized onions, depending on how much onion flavour you want (plus 1 to 2 tablespoons for garnish)
- ¼ cup fresh parsley or baby arugula, roughly chopped (plus more to taste for garnish)
Instructions
- In a food processor combine cream cheese, cottage cheese, Worcestershire sauce, red wine vinegar, salt, black pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes (if using). Process until smooth and combined.Note: Start with 1 cup of cottage cheese and blend in an additional ¼ cup if you want things looser. Also, stir your cottage cheese before measuring.
- Add caramelized onions (¾ to 1 cup, depending on how much onion flavour you want) and parsley (or baby arugula). Pulse until just combined. Don't overmix.
- Transfer the dip to a serving dish and garnish with additional parsley and extra chopped caramelized onions. Serve with chips, crackers or veggie sticks! Serves 8 to 10. Note: Enjoy immediately or properly store in an airtight container in the refrigerator and enjoy within 3 to 4 days.
Notes
- Time includes caramelizing onions.
- Cottage cheese was used here to lighten things up a bit (versus using sour cream or mayo). Having said that, if you want to treat yourself, go ahead and use either of the latter.
- You want your cream cheese softened so it blends up nice and creamy.
- Crushed red pepper flakes were used for a touch of spice, but you can omit if you like or replace with cayenne pepper to taste.
- Caramelized onions were reserved for garnish. You can skip this if you like and just put them in the actual dip.
- Want to keep things vegetarian? Use a vegan or vegetarian Worcestershire sauce.
A note on times provided: appliances vary, any prep and/or cook times provided are estimates only.
Tried this recipe?
If you do make this recipe, thank you!! It would mean so much if you could leave a comment below. Love to know how you enjoyed it, and it helps other readers too!
Laura
I remember being a kid, and Onion dip was the first dip I ever tried! I loved it so much, and couldn’t figure out how onion flavor could be so delicious! Now, of course, I always cook with onions and totally appreciate them. This is an awesome recipe, Dawn! I love the “lightened up:” version!
Dawn - Girl Heart Food
Same here! We always have on hand! Thank you Laura 🙂
Haylie / Our Balanced Bowl
Oh my gosh, YUM!!! Pass me the chips (a whole bag please) and give me a glass of wine and I’m set!
Dawn - Girl Heart Food
You got it, girlfriend! I like the way you think. 😉 Thank you!
Karen (Back Road Journal)
During the holidays, any recipe that can be lightened up and still be delicious, is always appreciated.
Dawn - Girl Heart Food
I think so too 😉 Thanks Karen!
Kelsie | the itsy-bitsy kitchen
I don’t even need anything to dip in this, just give me a spoon and the bowl! This looks SO GOOD, Dawn! And I love that you lightened it up a bit–that way I really can eat the whole bowl :). Have a great weekend, my dear!
Dawn - Girl Heart Food
Lol! Good idea. 😉 Thank you Kelsie!!
Leanne
We love onion dip, and snacking on Christmas Eve is a must for us, so I can see adding this to the snack menu for sure! Another great use for those caramelized onions Dawn! Merry Christmas to you and your family!
Dawn - Girl Heart Food
Same!! Thank you Leanne! Merry Christmas to you and yours too 🙂
Kathy @ Beyond the Chicken Coop
This is such a great idea! I love how you’ve lightened this up by mixing in some cottage cheese. Onion dip is a regular on our snacking menu and I will need to give your version a try!
Dawn - Girl Heart Food
Thank you Kathy!! Enjoy!
Valentina
Oh how delicious. And the addition of those caramelized onions is brilliant! I love having those at the ready at all times. YUM! 🙂 ~Valentina
Dawn - Girl Heart Food
Right??! So much flavour! Thanks Valentina 🙂
Katherine | Love In My Oven
I remember I always thought it was so weird how much I loved onion dip as a kid when I was the pickiest eater there is!! That was the kind from the jar….so this homemade version is absolutely calling my name. I would love to demolish this one night with a bag of plain, salted chips! Have a great weekend! XO
Dawn - Girl Heart Food
Lol! Sounds like a plan. 😉 Thanks Katherine! XO
Marissa
Keith and I are both crazy about onion dip with potato chips. But I hate using dip mixes with all the weird ingredients so I’m so excited to try your recipe!!
Dawn - Girl Heart Food
Yay! Hope you guys enjoy. 🙂 Thanks Marissa!
David @ Spiced
I love onion dip! That’s totally another guilty pleasure that we let ourselves enjoy during the holidays. A container of onion dip and a bag of ridged potato chips. Yum! Now I want to try your lightened-up version. Plus, we all know that homemade is better! 🙂
Dawn - Girl Heart Food
Same here!! Thanks David! So true 🙂
Mary Ann | The Beach House Kitchen
Great idea to lighten it up with some cottage cheese Dawn! I can never pass up a caramelized onion dip! So perfect for game day and holiday entertaining!
Dawn - Girl Heart Food
For sure! Thanks so much 🙂