Vegan Onion Dip

Updated July 30, 2020

Vegan Onion Dip
Linda Xiao for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Monica Pierini.
Total Time
45 minutes, plus soaking and chilling
Rating
4(1,118)
Comments
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For the creamiest, dreamiest vegan onion dip, use a high-speed blender, if you have one. There is some down time in this recipe — soaking the cashews and letting the dip rest — but don’t be tempted to skip those steps. The cashews need to soak so they blend as smoothly as possible, and the finished dip benefits greatly from some time to let the flavors come together. Prepare it a day in advance and refrigerate overnight for best results.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 to 6 servings (about 3 cups)
  • 1cup raw cashews (about 4 ounces)
  • 3cups chopped yellow onions (from 2 medium onions)
  • ¼cup olive oil
  • Kosher salt and coarse black pepper
  • 1(15-ounce) can cannellini beans, drained (about 1 cup)
  • 4teaspoons lemon juice, plus more as needed
  • 4teaspoons apple cider vinegar
  • ½teaspoon onion powder
  • ½teaspoon sweet paprika
  • Chopped chives, for garnish (optional)
  • Potato chips or crudités, for serving
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)

377 calories; 21 grams fat; 3 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 13 grams monounsaturated fat; 3 grams polyunsaturated fat; 39 grams carbohydrates; 8 grams dietary fiber; 5 grams sugars; 13 grams protein; 376 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

    Add the cashews to a bowl and cover with water. Let the cashews soak at room temperature for 2 hours.

  2. Step 2

    About 45 minutes before the cashews are finished soaking, combine the chopped onions, olive oil and a pinch of salt in a medium skillet over medium-low heat. Cook the onions, stirring occasionally, until they are deep golden brown and caramelized, about 30 minutes. To prevent the onions from burning and sticking to the bottom of the skillet, you can add a splash of water, 1 tablespoon at a time, as needed. Let caramelized onions cool slightly.

  3. Step 3

    Drain the cashews and add them to the bowl of a food processor or high-speed blender with the beans and ½ cup water. Blend the mixture until smooth, about 5 minutes, stopping the mixer and scraping down the bowl occasionally.

  4. Step 4

    Add the lemon juice, vinegar, onion powder, paprika and ½ teaspoon salt, and blend again until smooth. Transfer the mixture to a bowl. Reserve about 1 tablespoon onions for garnish, then add the rest to the bowl. Fold the onions into the mixture, cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to overnight. (Overnight is ideal for the best flavor.)

  5. Step 5

    Just before serving, give the dip a good stir and adjust the seasoning with lemon juice and salt as desired. Top with the reserved onions and chives, if desired, and a few grinds of black pepper. Serve with potato chips or crudités. Store leftovers covered in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Ratings

4 out of 5
1,118 user ratings
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Comments

Immediately upon mixing the remaining ingredients: "okay, this is...okay." After letting it sit in the fridge for an hour: "...oh my god, this is amazing." Totally worth the wait.

Onion powder gives you concentrated onion flavor - especially sweetness and savoriness - without the added moisture. Recipes often call for onion powder because adding the equivalent of fresh onions would add too much moisture, diluting the taste and changing the texture into something more watery.

Debby, I’m not a vegan, just a good home cook. Like you, I prefer fresh vegetables. But I also adore both onion and garlic powders and I use them often, sometimes in addition to fresh onion or garlic and sometimes alone. If you like the flavor of onion and garlic, you can really amp up the flavor in your cooking using these powders. They are especially good in dips and dressings where you don’t want to add additional moisture. Happy cooking!

This was OK if you're expecting bean dip, which is what it is. The cashews got lost. The recipe makes way more than any group would ever eat. I used some of the leftover amount (which was 80% of it) as a salad enhancement, which was fine, but not a reason to make it. The reviews had me expecting something much more exciting.

Has anyone frozen this recipe? Did it become watery? Thinking about making a double batch for two evenings two weeks apart. Thx.

Instead of a half cup of water, I used the liquid from my can of beans which measured out to exactly half a cup. Also used a splash of Worcestershire when caramelizing the onions. The flavor and texture of this dip is fantastic. I love love love this dip.

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