Sour Cream and Onion Dip

By Alison Roman

Sour Cream and Onion Dip
Julia Gartland for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Barrett Washburne.
Total Time
About 1 hour 15 minutes
Rating
4(1,386)
Comments
Read comments

Take plenty of time to properly caramelize a mixture of onions and shallots and you’ll be greatly rewarded with a depth of flavor that you would never get from a powdered packet. Resist the urge to cook them at a higher temperature in order to rush the process – they’ll burn before they brown and soften. The addition of Greek yogurt might seem unusual, but it provides a lightness and tang that sour cream can’t deliver by itself.

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Ingredients

Yield:6 to 8 servings
  • 2tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1pound yellow onions (about 3 medium), thinly sliced
  • 2shallots, thinly sliced
  • Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
  • 1cup sour cream
  • 1cup full fat Greek yogurt or sour cream
  • 2tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 1clove garlic, finely grated
  • Olive oil, for drizzling
  • ¼cup finely chopped chives
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (8 servings)

172 calories; 13 grams fat; 5 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 5 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 11 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram dietary fiber; 6 grams sugars; 4 grams protein; 343 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat.

  2. Step 2

    Add onions and shallots and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are softened and starting to turn a nice golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Reduce heat to low and continue to cook, stirring often to make sure the onions don’t stick along the bottom of the skillet. Cook until onions are a deep golden brown and reduced by about half their original size, another 45 to 55 minutes. Resist the urge to turn up the heat to make them caramelize faster. It will lead to burning.

  3. Step 3

    Transfer onions and shallots to a cutting board and finely chop. Place in a large bowl along with sour cream, yogurt, lemon juice and garlic. Season with salt and pepper.

  4. Step 4

    Transfer to a serving bowl and drizzle with olive oil, season with pepper and sprinkle with chives.

Ratings

4 out of 5
1,386 user ratings
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Comments

Csamora

Nice to see a brown pair of hands cooking on your site. Thank you.

Sumodo

True carmelization takes place over a larger surface area. You could sweat the onions if you chop them but they go to burned much faster. Since you’re going to mince it all, I suggest doing what they ask, then taking the cooked veg and whirring them in a mini chop. Then add the sour cream, yogurt and seasoning. (Former caterer).

MTM

Why wouldn't you finely chop the onions and shallots before caramelizing them?

jas

This came out delicious! I added a splash of sherry vinegar and sherry cooking wine to the onions after the initial caramelization. I used a whole milk A2 yogurt (instead of Greek), cultured sour cream, and fresh dill instead of chives since that’s what I had on hand.

Michelle

I read all the comments before embarking on this journey to make this for a party tonight. Using 2 huge yellow onions and 2 large shallots, I sautéed using some veg oil and butter. I pulled half the onions out when translucent, for a more savory flavor, and carmelized the rest. Towards the very end of cooking I added soy sauce, fish sauce and 3 zested garlic cloves. I mixed the finely chopped onions with sour cream, yogurt and mayo with a little lemon zest. It’s still very sweet. Not worth it. The old fashioned way of sour cream and onion soup powder is easier and so delicious. If I want to make a dip from scratch, I’ll stick with ranch dressing which takes a fraction of the time and is way better than the stuff in a jar.

Georgette

I made this and read a note that said put it in the cuisinart and blend it. Now I have a great tasting beige dip. OY

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