Nostalgic Onion Dip

I remember coming home or heading to friends’ houses growing up, putting down my backpack, and making a beeline to the fridge for my after school snack. More often than not, there would be a beautiful, chilled bowl of onion dip. I next raided the pantry for crackers. And baby carrots as well. Yum!

Onion dip is not only an American party staple but also a nostalgic classic. Unchanged. Simple. Undefeated. If I’m hosting a group of friends, I never want to underwhelm my guests. But if I’m juggling multiple courses, entertaining, and cleaning up, everything can become cumbersome. Enter onion dip: An assuming packet of onion soup stirred into rich, creamy sour cream.

While there isn’t anything intrinsically wrong with the grocery-store classic, I’ve been playing around with my own homemade version. Here, I patiently caramelized garlic and onions until they’re sweet and dark brown. I then mix in yogurt, sour cream, lemon juice, and some seasonings. Yogurt adds an unmatchable tang, and sour cream introduces more body. I serve this alongside fresh veggies (think radishes, carrots, celery) and potato chips if I’m feeling chippy. Try out my revamped onion dip!