Description
Ina Garten’s pan-fried onion dip blends caramelized onions with creamy cheese for an irresistible appetizer. Guests will devour this rich, savory spread that elevates classic party fare with restaurant-quality flavor.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 large yellow onions (about 3 cups sliced)
- 60 g (2.1 oz) unsalted butter
- 120 ml (4 fl oz) sour cream
- 120 ml (4 fl oz) good-quality mayonnaise
- 115 g (4 oz) cream cheese, at room temperature
- 60 ml (2 fl oz) vegetable oil
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ tsp ground cayenne pepper
Instructions
- Onion Preparation: Create delicate 3-millimeter half-moon shaped ribbons by halving and precisely slicing onions.
- Aromatic Sautéing: Heat butter and olive oil in a spacious skillet over moderate temperature, introducing sliced onions with cayenne, kosher salt, and black pepper for flavor enhancement.
- Caramelization Process: Gradually transform onions by sautéing for 30 minutes, initially stirring frequently for 10 minutes, then reducing heat to develop a rich, golden-brown caramelization.
- Cooling Interlude: Allow caramelized onions to cool completely, concentrating their sweet, complex flavor profile.
- Creamy Foundation: Whip cream cheese, sour cream, and mayonnaise until achieving a silky, uniform consistency using an electric mixer.
- Flavor Integration: Gently fold cooled caramelized onions into the creamy mixture, ensuring complete flavor and texture incorporation.
- Seasoning Refinement: Adjust taste with additional salt, pepper, or cayenne to personal preference.
- Serving Suggestion: Present at room temperature accompanied by crisp potato chips, artisan crackers, or fresh vegetable crudités for an elegant appetizer experience.
Notes
- Slice Strategically: Cut onions into uniform 1/8-inch half-moons for even cooking and professional presentation.
- Caramelize Carefully: Cook onions slowly on low-medium heat to develop deep, sweet flavor without burning.
- Season Smartly: Adjust salt, pepper, and cayenne incrementally to balance the rich, creamy base and caramelized onion notes.
- Serve Sensibly: Bring dip to room temperature to maximize flavor complexity and achieve ideal spreading consistency.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Appetizer, Snacks
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 250
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 400 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 14 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 40 mg