Swap the store-bought spice packets in place of this fast and oh-so-fresh recipe for Homemade Sour Cream and Onion Dip made with just six ingredients. Elevate your snack game with real caramelized onions for an irresistible dip that’s a crowd-pleaser every time!
Table of Contents
Few things are more satisfying to me in the kitchen than recreating a store-bought classic from scratch. While some things are inevitably just better when bought versus made, sour cream and onion dip (a.k.a. French onion dip or caramelized onion dip) belongs on the other side of the spectrum. Homemade is absolutely, undeniably, totally worth the (minimal) effort.
I’ve recreated the classic soup mix-turned-dip with just six simple ingredients, and it all begins with slowly caramelized onions that make up the majority of the fresh flavor of this recipe.
Best of all, this homemade sour cream and onion dip can be whipped up a day in advance and stashed in the fridge to give the flavors even more time to mingle before you commence your dipping and dunking with chips (homemade barbecue potato chips are an insane indulgence), crudité or perhaps just a spoon!
An ingredient in the list below might surprise you…
- Caramelized onions: Onions are the star of the show, bringing a sweet and savory depth to the dip through caramelization. Use white or yellow onions. Time-saving tip: Make them in advance! Caramelized onions can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.
- Sour cream: This provides the creamy base of our dip.
- Soy sauce: My secret ingredient! It adds the perfect amount of salty, rich flavor to balance out the sweetness of the onions. Opt for low-sodium soy sauce so it isn’t too salty.
- Garlic powder: Adds a subtle but essential hint of savory garlic flavor that enhances the overall taste.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
There are just two steps to making this homemade French onion dip: caramelizing the onions and mixing together the sour cream base. It’s that easy! But, to achieve sweet, caramelized onion perfection, you’ll need a little bit of time and patience. You want the onions to reach a deep golden brown color, a process that takes at least 30 minutes to achieve.
All that’s left to do is add the cooled caramelized onions to a bowl with the sour cream, soy sauce, garlic powder and a dash of pepper. Mix it all together and serve immediately or stash it in the fridge for up to 3 days. The flavors of this dip only get better the longer it has a chance to chill out in the fridge!
Kelly’s Note: You risk the sour cream curdling if you don’t allow the onions to cool. So don’t skip this step!
- Caramelization is Key: Take your time caramelizing the onions; this is the foundation of a rich, flavorful dip.
- Chill for Intensified Flavors: If time allows, I highly recommend letting the dip chill in the refrigerator for at least an hour before serving to intensify the flavors.
- Taste and Adjust: Taste along the way and adjust the soy sauce, garlic powder or any other seasonings to match your taste buds. It’s your dip, so make it just how you like it!
- Make Extra Caramelized Onions: Whenever I make this recipe, I double the amount of onions I’m caramelizing. Then, I stash the extras in the freezer. They’ll last for several months and can be used in a variety of dishes, from French onion mac and cheese to pizza and even this cheesy tomato tart.
- Storage Tip: Keep any leftover dip in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It stays fresh and flavorful for up to a 3 days, but with its irresistible taste, chances are it won’t last that long!
How to Caramelize Onions Like a Pro
Before you dive into making this French onion dip, let me share a few pro tips for caramelizing onions:
- Stir Occasionally: Stir the onions occasionally to prevent sticking and ensure even browning.
- Deglaze the Pan if Necessary: If the pan becomes too dry or if the onions start to stick, you can deglaze the pan by adding a tablespoon of water, broth or wine. Scrape up those flavorful brown bits from the bottom of the pan for extra deliciousness.
- Watch for Color Change: As the onions continue to cook, you’ll notice them gradually turning golden brown. This is a sign that the natural sugars are caramelizing.
- Go for Deep Golden Brown: Patience is key! Keep cooking until the onions reach a deep golden brown color. The longer you cook, the sweeter and richer the caramelized flavor will be.
FAQs
The classic pairing is crinkle-cut potato chips (my personal fave!) but any classic potato chip, tortilla chip or even pita chip works, too.
Sure! Greek yogurt can be used as a healthier alternative to sour cream, but keep in mind that the flavor will be slightly different.
Try fresh veggies, pita bread, pretzel bites, or even as a spread on sandwiches and burgers.
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And for even more inspiration, don’t miss my roundup of more than 50 easy appetizers!
Craving more? Subscribe to Just a Taste to get new recipes, meal plans and a newsletter delivered straight to your inbox! And stay in touch on Facebook, TikTok, Pinterest and Instagram for all of the latest updates.Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 cups minced onions (white or yellow)
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar
- 1 1/2 cups sour cream
- 2 1/2 teaspoons low sodium soy sauce
- 3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
Instructions
- Add the oil to a large nonstick sauté pan set over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add the onions, sugar, and a pinch of salt and cook, stirring, until the onions are caramelized, about 30 minutes.
- Set the caramelized onions aside to cool.
- In a medium bowl, stir together the sour cream, soy sauce, garlic powder, ½ teaspoon pepper and the cooled caramelized onions.
- Cover the dip with plastic wrap and refrigerate it until ready to serve.
Kelly’s Notes
- Take your time caramelizing the onions; this is the foundation of a rich, flavorful dip.
- For the best flavor, prepare the dip one day in advance and keep it refrigerated, covered with plastic wrap.
- Storage: Keep any leftover dip in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It stays fresh and flavorful for up to a 3 days, but with its irresistible taste, chances are it won’t last that long!
- ★ Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below!
Nutrition
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Recipe by Kelly Senyei of Just a Taste. Please do not reprint this recipe without my permission. If you'd like to feature this recipe on your site, please rewrite the method of preparation and link to this post as the original source.
I’ve made this recipe a few times, my whole family loves it. I like to add a bit of onion powder too. We have it with tater tots, absolutely delicious
So glad you are all enjoying it, Emma!
This onion dip was wonderful. It is easy to make and I had people ask me for the recipe. This is always a plus in my book. I did add some onion powder to taste at the end…
Thrilled you enjoyed the recipe!
This was spectacular!!!! Love the addition of the soy sauce and love that I know all of the ingredients I’m enjoying. No more of that packaged, store-bought stuff. This is so yummy!
So glad you enjoyed the recipe, Rhonda!
Dean’s or Purity French Onion dip from Kroger or Walmart is so much better than this recipe. (Easier as well) Threw out the stuff from the recipe. No one would eat it.
I’m sorry you didn’t enjoy it, Richard.
Hello,
I just wanted you to know that when you go to print the recipe, you can’t print it in different sizes. Hopefully, you can get this fixed.
Thank you!
Hi Connie! What size were you looking for?
I found the onions too sweet. If you prefer sweet over savory, add less sugar or none. It Will be Great!
I have made this twice. It is great! The second time I made it with light sour cream, which I di not recommend. Any way, I served it over a salad on waffles along with roe and smoked salmon. Delicious!
I’m so glad you’re enjoying the recipe, Stacy!
Thanks for the recipe, Kelly! An elevated version of a favorite: onion dip and potato chips. Growing up my Mom would let us have whatever we wanted for Christmas breakfast, it was onion dip from Lipton Onion Soup Mix and Ruffles for me. This recipe gets to that flavor in an authentic way which was probably what Lipton was/is trying to achieve. This recipe is super easy, just give those onions time, and tastes fantastic! Wouldn’t change a thing about recipe(note, I use LF sour cream) and will never use the mix again.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Hi Kel,
I’m about to make your recipe and I noticed that the instructions are to add 1/2t of pepper, but I don’t see pepper on the ingredients list.
Hi Isaac! We don’t include salt and pepper in the ingredient list.
This was the best homemade recipe ever!!!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Michelle!
I used to use onion soup mix and sour cream. This will be so much better. My favorite is onions and minced or chopped clams. Can’t wait to add clams to this recipe.
Let me know how you like the recipe when you try it, Ronald!
I’ve made this on several occasions now and really enjoy the flavours and texture. I agree that properly caramelized onions will take much longer than 10 mins. I cook mine in med-low for 30-45 mins but your updated timing now shows 130 mins. I’m not sure you’ll have much left if you let it go that long!
Thanks so much for catching this, Ashley! Updating the recipe now :) It should be “about 30 minutes.”
Very happy with this recipe; however, it take 30 minutes to an hour to caramelize onions, not 10 minutes.
Thanks for your note, Morgan! Thrilled you enjoyed the recipe!
This is very good! And even better the next day like you said.
I’m thrilled you enjoyed the recipe, Scott!
Easy Peasy! I am a low-effort cook. We’ve got some elderly vegetables around the house, so I decided easiest way to get rid of them was crudité with a dip. Normally (in line with my low effort cook status), I mix a pint of sour cream with a package of instant french onions soup mix for the fastest french onion dip in the west – however I am all out of soup mix! Whipped this up, and it is pretty darn good – however I have grown accustomed to the turbo high sodium soup mix, so I threw a bit more soy sauce in to taste – which is still probably healthier than what I’d been making before. I may also add some onion powder for some added stank once it’s had a sit for a while, depending on how the flavour is post-rest.
I’m so glad you enjoyed the ease of this recipe, Scott!
I halved the recipe. (Only because I would eat it all and can’t have that!) I will remember the next time that “medium” heat differs on stovetops and will cook on a bit lower of a flame but I will definitely make it again for guests. It’s so much better than the package mix and the pre-made. Thank you!
You are so welcome, Debbie! I’m thrilled you enjoyed the recipe!
Simple to make but tasty with wow! everytime…thanks for making all easy receipy!
You are so welcome! I’m thrilled you enjoyed the recipe!
Very impressed. I didn’t have any onion dip and was craving it, so I decided to look up a recipe and stumbled upon this one. So glad I did! This is so much better than store bought and everyone I’ve shared it with has agreed. Thank you for sharing!
You are so welcome, Ash! I’m thrilled you’ve been enjoying (and sharing!) the recipe. :)
Delicious! I love making cleaner versions of old favorites. The flavors are spot on.
Woohoo! I’m so thrilled you enjoyed the recipe, Lynn!
Hi, Can you use olive oil in place of vegetable oil?
Absolutely, Gary!
Great recipe. My store was out of the onion dip mix I normally buy so decided to Google a recipe. I used Kite Hill dairy free sour cream and added about 1 tbspn onion powder. I should have used the full amount of diced onion, but only used a half of one. Came out great!
I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe, Becky!
Best sour cream onion dip I have ever had.
Thanks so much, Sandy!
Can’t wait to try this recipe!!
It sounds delish!!
I hope you enjoy it, Toni!
It’s great! You can do it with things you already own and so fast
Yessss! I’m thrilled you enjoyed the recipe!
Awesome dip and super easy to make! I always make this when I have some leftover sour cream. I’ve also shared this recipe with any of my friends/family members who will listen. Thanks for recipe!
Love reading this! I’m so glad you’ve been enjoying (and sharing!) the recipe. :)
This turned out fantastic! And no weird ingredients needed!
Yesssss! I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe, Amy!
This dip is wonderful! Thank you!
You are so welcome, Justine! I’m thrilled you enjoyed it!
This is one of the best onion dip recipes I’ve ever tried! I carmalized scallions instead of white onions, and used monk fruit/allulose sweetener as an alternative to sugar. I’m happy I came across this recipe. Thank you!
You are so welcome, K! I’m thrilled you enjoyed the recipe!
My picky-eater husband loves it. No other explanations needed, LOL… Thanks a lot for this recipe!
You are so welcome, Astrid! I’m thrilled your husband enjoyed the recipe!
Wonderful recipe. Great taste and so easy.
I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe, Donna!
I know this recipe was posted a few years ago but hope you see this comment. I have been looking for a recipe without the package soup and came across this today. It is a-m-a-z-i-n-g! I just tasted a bit right after I mixed it together and I can only imagine what it will taste like after being in the fridge. Simply delish. Thank you!
You are so welcome, Kathleen! I’m thrilled you enjoyed the recipe! And thank you for rating it :)
Fantastic! I used sour cream and créme fraîche. A shot of lemon juice, too. My first time using soy sauce. Came out perfect.
I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe, Douglas!
Wow, thank you so much for the recipe. The family loved the freshness of this dip. I was worried at first, but once the onions were added!!! Yummy city!!
Woohoo!
Easy to make and way better than the package onion mix
I’m so thrilled you enjoyed the recipe, Donna!
Sounds really good! I think it would be excellent with chopped or minced green onion!!!!! What would be the right proportion?
Absolutely! You could stir in some sliced scallions right before serving. I’d start with 1 tablespoon then go up from there. Enjoy!
Maggi onion soup dip and reduced cream is life! I always make a recipe twice before sharing to check its not a fluke and this is 100% legitimate! Half the price for triple the flavour! Thank you so much! I love this SO much!
Woohoo! I’m so thrilled you enjoyed the recipe, Julia!
So, for decades I’ve made onion dip using soup mix. It was good, always a staple at events. Now I’ve entered into a new onion dip world!! This recipe is so delicious and so easy. Only variation I used was coconut amino instead of soy sauce. This will be my go to from now on.
I’m so thrilled you enjoyed the recipe, Jackie!
Great easy alt. to the package variety.
Added the sugar (brown was all I had) later in the caramelizing so didn’t need to be so careful about burning and 2 cloves real garlic minced. Dash of Montreal instead of the salt. Had no soy so added season salt instead and 1/3 cup of minced green olives with pimentos. I tasted it before the olives and it was delicious but wanted some color and more saltiness. Thanks for sharing!!
You are so welcome, Clark! I’m glad you enjoyed it!
Excellent! So tasty, thanks for sharing!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Kristin!
Perfect recipe. Much tastier than store bought and no chemicals! Also, tastier than onion soup mix. This is a keeper. Thank you for sharing the simple recipe.
So glad you enjoyed the recipe, Theresa!
This is an excellent and very easy recipe to make. I had inadvertently purchased a second tub of sour cream when it was on sale so I went looking for a recipe. I found this one and will look no further. Definitely a keeper. Works great with chips and vegetables.
I’m so thrilled you enjoyed the recipe, Don!
5 stars! This is the first time I’ve ever made dip from scratch and it was so easy and delicious.
Woohoo! I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Hi there! How long can this keep in the refrigerator once made? Thank you!
Hi Jenn! The dip will last about 3 days when stored in an airtight container in the fridge. :)
Wow. The good news is that it’s so much better than store bought,
Bad news. I kept eating the onions as they were cooking.
Love it!!!
Ha! I’m so thrilled you enjoyed the recipe, Terry!
I made it with my own made sour cream and it’s awesome! Absolutely perfect! ♥️
I’m thrilled you enjoyed the recipe, Suzanne!
great !!! I love caramelized onions. I told some of my guests that I made the dip from scratch and they were surprised. thumbs up!!!!
I’m thrilled you enjoyed the recipe!
My husband grew up on sour cream onion dip from a store bought pouch. For Christmas eve fun, I made this homemade dip! It is perfect and tastes just like what my husband grew up on…only BEtter…of course! I split the recipe and to half of it I added pickled jalapenos just as an experiment. Wow! This recipe is so good!
Love this, Krysta! I’m so thrilled you enjoyed the recipe!
What happens if you dont let the onions cool?
Hi Robert! You risk the sour cream curdling if you don’t allow the onions to cool.
Can we use homemade sour cream (fresh cream with a tsp of yogurt/lemon juice left for 24 hours)??
Sure!
Great dip! Added some onion powder and seasoning salt. Really good tho! Used yogurt instead of sour cream and it was perfect!
I’m thrilled you enjoyed it, Anna!
OMG!…I cant wait to make this especially after reading the reviews, I and my family love sour cream onion dip!
Enjoy!
Delicious just made to finish some sour cream and watch Michigan game…will continue to make! Thanks a bunch.
You are so welcome, Aileen! I’m glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Omg is it delicious
I’m thrilled you enjoyed the recipe, Teresa!
Amazing dip without any junk in it. It’s always a huge hit!
I’m so thrilled you’ve been enjoying the recipe, Heather! It’s one of my all-time faves!
This recipe is easy and so delish! Made it for a party and several people requested the recipe. It’s one of my go to dip recipes. Thank you for sharing.
Charlotte
Love hearing this, Charlotte! I’m thrilled you’ve been enjoying the recipe!
This onion dip is so good!! I am doing the Keto diet so I substituted lankanto for the sugar and liquid brags amino for the soy sauce, it came out amazing. Thank you for sharing!!
So glad you enjoyed the recipe, Sandy!
I was looking for a quick “it’ll do” recipe when I found this one. Since we were out of our usual store bought (Helluvagood onion dip) I gave this a try. This recipe is delicious and easy to make! One taste and I knew I couldn’t buy store bought again!
LOVE hearing this, Joan! I’m thrilled you enjoyed the recipe!
Awesome easy delicious..yum yum
I’m so thrilled you enjoyed it!
Wow! I didn’t believe the soy sauce would work but wow, this is very good!
I’m so thrilled you enjoyed the recipe, Jackie!
This recipe is delicious. I have made three times. Followed the recipe each time. Same great results!
Woohoo! I’m so thrilled you’ve been enjoying the recipe, Patti!
A quick comment on fresh garlic versus powder. America’s Test Kitchen had a recent article for creamy salad dressings. The writer used fresh onion and garlic to great immediate flavor. But as the dressing sat, the flavors continued to build and overpowered the product. Powders are more consistent in their potency and will maintain the flavor profile more readily. This recipe looks great :)
Amazing! Thank you so much for sharing this, Bianca!
This sound so good and would also go well with your crispy baked onion rings. Onions on onions, yum. Notice I love onions.
Ha! Enjoy!
I’m a major dip fan. What about using fresh garlic, say, one diced or pressed clove, sauteed along with the onions? Is there a reason you used the powdered version?
Absolutely! You could totally do that and have the same tasty result :)