Combine sweet caramelized onions and salty bacon for the perfect dip recipe. This easy savory recipe is an elevated take on traditional french onion dip that combines Greek yogurt and mayonnaise for a lightened-up creamy base.
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I always keep my eye out for the perfect appetizer recipes that I can make in a pinch. It needs to be a recipe that will be a huge hit, has really good flavor, and comes together quickly.
This caramelized onion dip recipe with crispy bacon bits is precisely that! Not only is it an easy appetizer, but it's also been one of my best crowd-pleaser dishes.
Whether you're looking for a fun dip for game day (like the Super Bowl) or just to make for a casual hang out, I promise you're going to love this homemade french onion dip recipe.
What You'll Learn In This Recipe
- How to caramelize onions (the right way).
- My secret trick for cooking bacon in the oven - it's a game changer. The best part is, it takes less work than pan frying.
- Tips for serving dip at a party including suggested serving sizes and what to serve alongside the dip.
Sign up for my free 5-day email series all about becoming a better home chef if you enjoy learning about new kitchen skills.
Ingredients You'll Need
Here are the simple ingredients you'll need for this caramelized onion and bacon dip recipe:
- Bacon: This is the secret ingredient that takes this dip up a notch! The pieces of bacon add crunch, salt, and lots of delicious flavor! You can prepare the slices of crumbled bacon a day ahead of time to save time when mixing up the dip.
- Yellow onion: You can't make this easy caramelized onion dip without onions! Make sure you pick out sweet onions at the grocery store. This variety of onion works the best!
- Extra virgin olive oil: This is the fat we'll use to caramelize the onions. You can also substitute with equal parts of butter.
- Whole milk plain Greek yogurt: I love using Greek yogurt to lighten up this dip recipe. It has great tang and pairs nicely with the other ingredients. Feel free to replace partly or entirely with sour cream.
- Mayonnaise: Another important part of the dip base is mayo. Any type of mayonnaise or Miracle Whip will work.
- Dried dill and Garlic powder: To really amp up the flavor, we're adding in some additional spices.
- Morton kosher salt and Black pepper: This recipe wouldn't be complete without the addition of salt and pepper.
How To Make This Recipe
Let me walk you through how to make this perfect party dip! I've got a few tricks that will make your life easier in the kitchen. Here are the simple steps you'll need to follow.
Cook The Bacon
For this recipe, I'm teaching you how to cook bacon in the oven. It's a really easy process that doesn't require you to babysit the bacon like when it's fried in a skillet.
First, line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Lay the bacon strips on the baking sheet and cook in a 400°F oven for 12 - 16 minutes until the bacon is nice and crispy.
While there are various ways to cook bacon, the Kitchn recently tested the best tried & true methods for cooking bacon. I was happily surprised that my lazy girl way of cooking bacon actually resulted in the best tasting!
Dice & Caramelize The Onion
Next, you'll want to cut the onion into a small dice (about ¼ inch pieces). An essential skill that every home chef needs to learn is how to properly dice an onion. With a sharp chef's knife, you can chop an onion in minutes. Here's how:
Now, it's time to caramelize the onions. This takes time and patience. It takes about 15 - 20 minutes to allow the onion to get golden brown (without burning).
Always caramelize onions on a lower heat setting to allow time for a rich brown color to form and delicious onion flavor.
Mix Everything Together
Once you've given the bacon and onions time to cool, you can mix all the ingredients to form the dip. The best way to do this is in a large mixing bowl with a silicone spatula.
If I'm feeling fancy, I'll caramelize some extra sliced onions to garnish the dip on top!
Once the dip is mixed together, give it time to chill in the fridge, about 30 minutes. This will allow all the flavors to come together. The longer the dip sits, the more the flavors marinade together.
When you're ready to serve, scoop the dip into a serving bowl and enjoy! The dip can last in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, which makes it an ideal make-ahead party dip.
What To Serve Alongside Caramelized Onion Dip
One of the reasons this is my favorite dip recipe is because it can easily be served alongside any of your favorite dippers including:
- Potato Chips - I prefer plain Lay's but you can select your bag of potato chips of choice
- Tortilla Chips
- Baguette Slices
- Bagel Chips
- Corn Chips like Fritos
- Pita Chips or Wedges
- Crackers - any of your favorite buttery crackers such as Ritz
- Fresh veggies (crudités) such as carrots, cucumbers, broccoli, or cauliflower
If you're trying to impress your guests for a party, serve this dip in a bread bowl to level up the presentation.
Recipe Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, absolutely! It will give the dip a slightly different taste. However, it's up to personal preference whether you'd prefer to use Greek yogurt or sour cream.
I'd recommend making about 3 ounces of dip per person. Be sure to check out my party serving sizes guide for more recommendations!
Yes, the dip will stay good in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
A caramelized onion dip or French onion dip should last about 5 days in the refrigerator. If you notice an unpleasant smell or mold growth on the food, throw the dip away immediately.
More Dip Recipes
Good news! If you love dip as much as I do, I have other tasty dip recipes you should try for holiday parties or happy hour:
Love this recipe? Please leave a 5-star ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating in the recipe card below. Have questions as you're cooking? Leave a comment below, and I'll help!
Caramelized Onion and Bacon Dip
Equipment
- large skillet or cast iron
Ingredients
- 7 slices thick cut bacon
- 1 large yellow onion small dice
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 ½ cups whole milk plain Greek yogurt
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- ½ teaspoon dried dill
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon Morton kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- chips, crackers, or crudités for serving
Instructions
- Heat oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Lay bacon strips on a sheet pan lined with aluminum foil. Cook for 12 - 16 minutes until bacon is golden brown and crispy. Place cooked bacon on a bed of paper towels to soak up the grease. Once cool to the touch, chop the bacon into bite-sized pieces.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add onion and reduce heat to medium-low. Cook onions, stirring often, until the onions are a golden color, about 15 - 20 minutes. Remove onions from skillet and allow to cool.
- Combine Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, garlic powder, dill, salt, pepper, and cooled bacon and onions in a large mixing bowl. Stir until fully incorporated.
- Place the mixing bowl covered in plastic wrap in the refrigerator to chill for 30 minutes. Serve alongside chips, crackers, or crudités.
Pat Mode
Easy delish dip for New Year's Eve. Even made the bacon Homebody style ??
Jessica Mode
Awwww yay! Isn't it so easy to make bacon in the oven?! Makes life so much easier!
Theodora Pierpont
Sorry, wish I could rate this recipe higher...but in my opinion, the yogurt base (I used Fage 2% Greek yogurt) way overpowered the other ingredients, with the exception of the dill. I may try this again, using sour cream instead of yogurt, and a bit less dill. I really wanted to taste the lovely caramelized onion and the bacon, but just couldn't. Tried it with a variety of veggies and different crackers.
Heather
I really liked that this recipe used Greek yogurt instead of sour cream. I'll definitely be making it again next weekend!😂
Katie
I love this recipe! We often have it with our "easier" meals, such as BLTs or chicken wings. It pairs really well with some fresh veggies, and we've even made it with some of our own fresh herbs from our Aerogarden!
Tara
This dip was so good and really easy to make. Loved that it’s slightly lighter using the Greek yogurt!