Cold onion dip topped with sliced scallions, ready for a bowl of plain Ruffles.
Prepare the breath mints for this one.
It’s got loads of onion flavor and beats the onion dips that come in a jar. Don’t get me wrong, I love that room-temperature stuff in a jar. I have fond memories of eating it voraciously at friends’ birthday parties in the late ’90s.
In my version, I like to use three kinds of alliums: fried shallots, raw scallions, and deeply caramelized red onions. This way, you get to taste all of the various kinds in one creamy, beautiful dip that is still an homage to the premade, shelf-stable variety.
Be warned, it will cause your breath to be super rancid, so don’t plan anything romantic for the evening.
Three onions, three jobs
The red onion gets a full hour in the skillet to develop deep caramelization. The fried shallots bring another layer of cooked-onion flavor, and the raw scallions keep things sharp. Store-bought fried shallots are fine here. Onion powder reinforces the whole thing.
Yes, it does feature a tiny bit of MSG for flavor enhancement. The FDA considers MSG added to food generally recognized as safe. Here, it adds savory depth to the sour cream and onions.
Give it time to chill
Cool the caramelized onions before folding them into the sour-cream mixture, then refrigerate the finished dip for at least 4 hours. That time lets it set up and distributes the flavors throughout. Plan on at least 5 hours and 15 minutes from prep to serving, plus time for the onions to cool.
How to serve
Classically, I like pairing this with plain Ruffles chips, but it would be fabulous with fresh flatbread, pita chips, or even on top of a piece of steak. Serve it cold, topped with the reserved scallions. This batch is enough for 8–10 people as an appetizer.
How to store
Keep the dip tightly covered in the refrigerator at 40°F or below and use within 3–4 days of making it, following USDA leftover guidance. Refrigerate promptly after serving; discard dip left out for more than 2 hours, or 1 hour when the temperature is above 90°F.
Cold, Triple Onion Dippy
A creamy cold onion dip with deeply caramelized red onions, fried shallots, and raw scallions, made for a bowl of plain Ruffles.
Yield: 8–10 appetizer servings | Prep time: 15 minutes | Cook time: 1 hour | Chill time: at least 4 hours | Total time: at least 5 hours 15 minutes, plus cooling | Category: Appetizers & Snacks | Cuisine: American | Method: Skillet, Mixing, Chilling
Equipment
Knife and cutting board
Heavy-bottomed skillet and wooden spoon or heatproof spatula
Mixing bowl and spoon
Measuring cups and spoons
Covered container for chilling
Ingredients
For the caramelized onion
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 red onion, chopped
1 tablespoon brown sugar
For the dip
16 ounces full-fat sour cream
¼ cup fried shallots (store-bought is fine)
1 tablespoon onion powder
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
½ teaspoon MSG
½ cup mayonnaise
4 scallions, thinly sliced, a little reserved for garnish
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
Kosher salt, to taste, for the onions and finished dip
For serving
Potato chips
Instructions
Caramelize the onion. Melt the butter in a heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped red onion and a dash of kosher salt. Cook, stirring regularly and reducing the heat as needed to prevent scorching, until deeply caramelized, about 1 hour.
Add the brown sugar and cool. At the end of cooking, add the brown sugar to jack up the caramelization. Stir until combined, then remove from the heat and set the onions aside to cool before mixing them into the dip.
Mix the dip. Reserve a little of the sliced scallions for garnish. In a mixing bowl, combine the sour cream, mayonnaise, remaining scallions, fried shallots, onion powder, granulated sugar, Worcestershire sauce, MSG, and cooled caramelized red onions. Mix thoroughly, taste, and adjust the kosher salt to preference.
Chill. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours to let the dip set up and distribute the flavors. Keep the reserved scallions covered and refrigerated separately.
Finish and serve. Stir the chilled dip and taste again for seasoning. Top with the reserved scallions and serve cold with chips.
Notes
Store-bought fried shallots are fine; there is no separate shallot-frying step.
The 4-hour chill is a minimum. Allow additional time for the cooked red onions to cool before mixing.
Keep covered and refrigerated at 40°F or below; use within 3–4 days of making. Discard dip left out for more than 2 hours, or 1 hour above 90°F.
Round out the meal
Put this dip and a bowl of chips out before Corn Fritter BLTs with Old Bay Mayo for a casual sandwich lunch. For a larger gathering, follow it with Smoked Chopped Ham with Sweet & Tangy BBQ Glaze piled onto sandwich rolls.