This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
French onion dip no longer comes from a box! This Healthy French Onion Dip with Brown Butter is packed with sweet brown butter caramelized onions, Greek yogurt, lots of garlic, and a touch honey. Seriously addictive and delicious – low-fat too!
A dip is a dip is dip, right?
Wrong.
Saying that all dips are created equal is pretty much like blanketing all pizza as identical, which we all know is indisputably false. There are hand-tossed and thin crust pizzas. Red sauced and white sauced pizzas. Pizza pies and calzones. Chicago and New York style. The list goes on and on.
In the case of dips, the variations are even more vast. There are cheese dips (that’s a sub-category in and of itself). Bean Dips. Spinach dips. Salsas. Tapenades. Guacamole. No dip is alike, and most don’t even boast similar ingredients.
Of course, some dips are more mainstream than others – take for instance, good old-fashioned French onion dip. This particular dip is one that has graced pretty much every single American tabletop at one point or another. Typically this dip is chock-full of sodium and likely from a little blue box picked up in the processed food isle at the grocery store. While I don’t chastise those that use a prepared mix, I do want those people to know that there are infinitely better options out there.
So! That brings us to the dip I deem the most delicious. It’s infinitely better than store-bought and universally swooned over by picky and seasoned eaters alike. And bonus? The stuff is actually decently healthy.
The original recipe is actually adapted from Amy Thieland, you may have seen her on the Food Network. Her food is down-to-earth and approachable, but has just a little somethin’ somethin’ that elevates it to the next level, which is what initially drew me in. She’s quickly become one of my favorite personalities on the network, not only for her amazing food (it’s centered on the Midwest which I love), but also for her calming personality and innate ease on screen.
While French onion dip is not something that initially comes to mind when party planning, her version completely changed my perception, and with Labor Day coming up this weekend, I thought there was no better time than now to share.
The base starts with a little bit of brown butter, and since I only use two tablespoons, I really try to get it as brown as possible without burning it. Once it reaches that point the onions are thrown in, caramelized and then hit with a little bit of honey, red pepper flake, garlic and dry sherry. All the onions are then chopped up, combined with low-fat Greek yogurt, a little bit of softened (light) cream cheese and chives and this updated classic is ready to be served.
This stuff is highly addictive, so I would definitely recommend making a double or triple batch, otherwise it might disappear from your table almost instantaneously…
Healthy French Onion Dip with Brown Butter
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 large onion, sliced
- 3/4 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp honey
- 3 large garlic cloves, minced
- 1/4 cup dry sherry
- 1/8 tsp crushed red pepper flake
- 2 oz light cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 3 tbsp chives, plus more garnish
Equipment
- Skillet
Instructions
- In a medium sauté pan, over a medium-high heat, melt butter. Continue to let the butter cook until it starts to brown, swirling the pan as it cooks. Once the butter is brown and smells nutty, (but NOT burnt) add onions and salt. Toss in the butter and cook until they are caramelized, and even a little charred on the edges, about 10-12 minutes. Stir occasionally.
- Once the onions are cooked, add the garlic, red pepper flake and honey. Cook another minute or so. Add the sherry, and cook until almost all the liquid has evaporated. Let cool.
- In a small bowl mix greek yogurt and cream cheese until smooth. IMPORTANT! Make sure the onions and garlic are cool before adding into the greek yogurt and cream cheese, otherwise it will be runny! Add cooled onion mixture along with any juices that have accumulated and chives. Mix until combined. Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with chives if desired. Serve chilled or at room temperature.
Nutrition Information
*Recipe adapted from Amy Thieland
ami@naivecookcooks says
I have never before eaten an onion dip!! I know, crazy!! This looks so good and I need to make it asap!!
Nicole says
Oh my, well this would be a great place to start! Thanks Ami!
ATasteOfMadness says
Wow. I almost have all the ingredients to make this! This looks truly amazing!
Nicole says
That’s what’s so great about this too! Almost all pantry items!!
Stephanie @ Girl Versus Dough says
As if I wasn’t already addicted to French onion dip (like seriously, finish-the-whole-bowl addicted) whenever it’s placed in front of me, you go and add brown butter. I sort of love you/hate you right now. 😉
Nicole says
Hahahahah I hope it’s more leaning towards love. 🙂 Thanks girlfriend!
Laura (Blogging Over Thyme) says
High fives for brown butter!!! <3 I've never been a huge french onion dip person, but this totally takes it to another (much better) level! Wow!
Nicole says
Brown butter is my life right now! Haha. Seriously, I need to stop making things with it. I was never really a fan of onion dip either, but this is GOOD stuff, infinitely better than that packaged crap. Thanks Laura!
Monet says
Oh my gosh! I love that you have made this classic dip without that horrible processed package! I can’t wait to try this!
Nicole says
Please let me know if you do Monet!! Thank you!!
Chris @ Shared Appetite says
Ohhhhh man I love onion dip! And brown butter version… hello beautiful! This is awesome Nicole! Pinning 🙂
Nicole says
This is SO good Chris!!! Thank you so much!
Jess @ On Sugar Mountain says
I can’t even. I just can’t. Can you send me a tub (or a wheelbarrow) worth of this dip please?! PLEASE?! It’s full of my favorite things and I need to have a constant supply ready in my fridge for munching on. 😉
Nicole says
Hahahaha DEFINITELY! You will not be able to stop eating it Jess! So good! Thanks!!
Ashley says
Holy moly I need this dip in my life. I’m playing in a fantasy football league (ha! I need to learn more about football) this year and we have our draft today … I’m thinking this calls for an emergency trip to the store and needs to be made.
Nicole says
My friend Vanessa tried to convince all of us girls to do our own fantasy football league, but I decided not to. I totally should have! I hear about it enough from the husband, I might as well!
Patty says
This looks great and can’t wait to make it – quick question – do you chop up the onions before you put it in the brown butter? I’m assuming so but wanted to confirm.
THANKS!
Nicole says
Hi Patty! No, you just slice them before and after they’ve caramelized you pretty much pulverize them into tiny pieces. Let me updated the recipe to be more clear!
holly says
hi, i’m a little confused as in step 2 is says mix sour cream with cream cheese. but in the recipe, there is no sour cream in the ingredients, only greek yogurt.
Nicole says
Hi holy. Sorry about that. It’s greek yogurt, not sour cream. My mistake!