French onion soup dip

Hear me out, French onion soup, but in dip form. Note, deeply caramelized onions in a creamy dip with a hint of beefy flavors and served with plenty of garlicky, crispy baguette slices. 

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My favorite dinners are those inspired by cocktail hours or my local tapas joints. I can sip on a cocktail, graze on a charcuterie board, and listen to my collection of vinyl. This dish fits right into that vibe. It's perfect for cocktail parties, potlucks, or Friendsgiving. 

Ingredients to make french onion soup dip

• unsalted butter
• Fresh thyme sprigs
• sweet, yellow onions, diced
• shallots, diced
• garlic, grated
• celery salt
• herbs de Provence, I like blends with lavender, and no salt added. 
• Better than Bullion beef, I prefer the ingredients in the organic version. 
• dry white wine, chardonnay, marsala, or sauvignon blanc
• real mayonnaise
• sour cream, full-fat
• cream cheese
• Gruyere cheese, shredded
• Parmesan Cheese, grated
• baguette, sliced
• olive oil
• garlic clove, cut in half
• Salt and pepper
• Flat-leaf parsley, finely minced, is optional, but the dip is brown, so bringing in a green element creates a visually more appetizing dish.

See the recipe card for quantities.

Caramelized onions

In a large oven-proof, stainless steel skillet, start warming two tablespoons of butter over medium heat with the fresh thyme bundle. The All-Clad All-in-One stainless steel pan is my favorite because of its two-handle design. Plus, the handles stay cool to the touch when used on the stove, and it's oven-safe so that I can pour the french onion soup dip right back into the pan. 

After the butter melts, add onions, shallots, and garlic with celery salt and herbs de Provence. Sweat the vegetables until soft, translucent, and almost golden around the edges, about 15 minutes. If the pan gets too dry, add another tablespoon of butter. 

I know it's tempting to try and rush this part but don't. The trick to caramelizing onions more quickly is using a wide pan, not high heat, which is another reason I like the All-Clad All-in-One. However, a pot with high sides, like the Dansk Saucepan, will steam the onions more, making it easier to soften the onions without adding too much color. 

Traditionally, chefs use a blonde-colored onion to make french onion soup. Still, I prefer to deepen the color slightly, so I only have to make one large batch of caramelized onions to use for multiple purposes, like a version of my Apple and Brie Grilled Cheese. 

Hint: If you're having trouble getting a consistent color on onions, add them by the handful. Depending on the pan you are using, it can be tricky to stir the onions when you dump them all at once, which causes the onions on the bottom to brown more quickly. Allowing a handful of onions to soften before adding the next helps with more even cooking. If the onions are still browning too rapidly, the heat is too high.  

Meanwhile, whisk Better than Boullion Beef with one tablespoon of hot water, making sure the mixture is very smooth. I use the organic version because I preferred this ingredients list over the original. Alternatively, the lower sodium version might be a good option because this onion dip can lean on the verge of being over-salted. 

When the onions are soft, pour the paste over the onion mixture and toss to coat the onions evenly. Adjust the heat to a lower temperature if the onions start to burn. 

Next, pour in the dry white wine. I like using Marsala for french onion soups, but any dry variety that you enjoy works here. You can sub the wine with beef stock. But again, use low sodium or no salt stock because the bouillion paste is very salty. 

Simmer the wine over medium to medium-low heat, scraping the bottom of the pan to loosen any bits. Fun fact, those bits are called fond. Continue to simmer the wine until the liquid evaporates. The onions will be saucy and jammy at this stage, melting into the dish when crushed with the back of a spoon. 

When the bottom of the pan is dry, and the onions are thickening, remove the thyme bundle and finish the caramelized onions with one tablespoon of butter. Set them aside to cool while you mix the french onion soup dip ingredients.  

How to make the french onion soup dip: 

To make the base of the dip, combine mayonnaise, sour cream, softened cream cheese, ⅔ cup of shredded Gruyere cheese, and ½ cup of grated Parmesan. Next, stir in the caramelized onions, making sure everything is thoroughly incorporated. 

Tip: I'm assuming if you like french onion soup, you like onions. This recipe makes about 1 ¼ cups of caramelized onions, so if you want a creamier version of this dish, make the caramelized onions, but only add half of them to the cream cheese mixture. Save the rest in an airtight container, in the freezer, for next time. Alternatively, you can add equal parts, up to one cup, sour cream and mayo.

Now, regardless of the amount of caramelized onions you put into the dip, taste it before adding it to a greased dish.  

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and grease an oven-safe dish with cooking spray or butter.  

Evenly spoon the dip into the greased dish, then top with leftover cheeses. Bake for about 20 minutes or until the French Onion Soup Dip is hot, bubbly, plus the cheese is melty and golden. Top with plenty of finely minced flat-leaf parsley.

Toasted baguette slices

Cut the baguette into slices and toss with about two tablespoons of olive oil. Season with dried herbs, salt, and pepper if desired. Bake or broil until crisp and lightly golden brown. Remove the bread from the oven to cool. 

When the bread is cool enough to handle, rub each piece with raw garlic. 

Substitutions

• White wine - Any dry white wine you like will work here, but you can use beef stock if you don't want to use wine. However, be aware of the salt content and the extra beefy flavor the beef stock will add. 

Variations

• This recipe makes about 1 ¼ cups of caramelized onions. If you want a creamier recipe, use half the amount of cooked onions, or equal parts mayo and sour cream, each, up to one cup.

Equipment

I know I've already talked about this All-Clad All-in-One pan, but it is honestly the best pan I've ever purchased. 

Storage

The caramelized onions will last about five days in the fridge but keep in the freezer for several months. 

Top tip

Traditionally, french onion soup uses blonde-colored onions, but I like to cook them down further, so I can use the caramelized onions for many applications!

*recipe card at the bottom of the page*

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