This Hot Onion Dip is cheesy, creamy, and baked with a golden-brown crust. It's a great party-friendly recipe, made with onions, cheese, mayo, and black pepper. Perfect for dipping with its rich caramelized onion flavors.
I've tried this classic onion dip at parties and loved it every single time. So when I was asked to bring something to a potluck(last time i did this Buffalo Crab Dip), I decided to get this cheesy, bubbly hot onion dip, made with sauteed onion.
This recipe retains the essence of classic onion flavors plus extra cheese and an extra-golden crust. This dish has all the comfort of the old favorite, yet it's easier to make from scratch.
Sauté the onion, then combine all the ingredients and bake-and we've got slow-cooker options, too(more ideas at spicy dip recipes). Then simply dig in and enjoy.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
⭐️It's perfect for dipping with chips, crackers, or veggie sticks.
⭐️This dip is a crowd-pleaser and totally potluck-friendly.
⭐️Warm with bubbling cheese.
Ingredients
- Sweet onions: Vidalia or another sweet onion is the classic choice. Slice it thinly for the recipe. You can substitute with store-bought caramelized onion or fried French onion(look into the FAQ to know how to use this).
- Cream cheese: Cream cheese gives body to the dip, making it easier and more scoopable.
- Cheeses: I have used a combination of mozzarella and Parmesan cheese; mozzarella provides that gooey stretch while Parmesan adds a rich, cheesy bite.
- Mayonnaise: I recommend using mayo for a creamy flavor and to help everything bind together, keeping the dip moist.
- Garlic powder: You can also use freshly minced garlic.
- Ground black pepper: Its warm notes balance all the creamy flavors.
- Crushed red pepper: I've added it for a mild zing, but it's completely optional.
How To Make Hot Onion Dip
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Add chopped onions with one tablespoon of butter to the skillet.
- Sauté over medium heat until soft and golden, about 8 minutes.
- In a large bowl, combine caramelized onions, cream cheese, mayonnaise, mozzarella, Parmesan, garlic powder, black pepper, and crushed red pepper. Stir well.
- Spread mixture into an 8x8 baking dish. Top with extra Parmesan. Bake 25 minutes until bubbly and golden. And enjoy as a dip.
♨️How To Adjust The Heat Level
- This hot onion dip gets its gentle warmth mainly from crushed red pepper and ground black pepper. If you'd like to turn up the heat-or tone it down-here's how:
- Savory flavor: Skip adding the crushed red pepper and reduce the amount of ground black pepper for a more flavorful, less spicy dip.
- Medium heat: Increase the crushed red pepper to about one teaspoon or add a pinch more black pepper.
- Extra spicy: Mix in finely chopped jalapeños or another hot pepper of your choice.
The Leftovers
- You can store this dip in the refrigerator for about 3 days or freeze it for up to 3 months.
- To reheat, warm it in the microwave or bake at 350°F for about 10 minutes, until it's hot and bubbly.
FAQ
Serve it hot with tortilla chips, buttery crackers, pretzels, or even veggie sticks. It's perfect as an appetizer for parties or casual get-togethers.
You can substitute the caramelized onion with French-fried onion. You can add it right into the mixture for onion flavor without the sautéing.
Yes! Follow the same recipe, adding all the ingredients to the crockpot. Cook on high for about 3-4 hours until hot and bubbly. If you're taking it to a party, keep the crockpot on the warm setting so the dip stays hot.
📖 Recipe
Hot Onion Dip
Ingredients
- 2 sweet onions finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon butter
- 8 oz cream cheese softened
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese shredded
- 1 cup Parmesan cheese grated
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- Add chopped onion and butter to the skillet.
- Over medium heat, sauté for 8 minutes or until soft and golden. And set aside.
- In a large bowl, add caramelized onion, the cream cheese, mayonnaise, mozzarella, Parmesan, garlic powder, ground black pepper, and crushed red pepper.
- Combine well using a spatula.
- Spread the mixture into a small baking dish with an 8x8 size. Top with a
- Top with a little extra Parmesan cheese for crunch.
- Bake for 25 minutes, until bubbly and golden brown on top.
- Serve hot with tortilla chips, crackers, or veggie sticks.
Notes
- Use sweet onions like Vidalia; for the shortcut, substitute with store-bought caramelized onions or French-fried onions.
- Adjust heat: cut back black pepper for mild flavor, add more red pepper flakes for medium, or toss in chopped jalapeños for extra spice.
- Store leftovers in the fridge up to 3 days or freeze up to 3 months; reheat at 350°F for 10 minutes or microwave until bubbly.
- Crockpot option: combine ingredients and cook on high 3-4 hours, then keep on warm for serving.
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