John Wulff

🧅🫕 Onion Dip

First published February 7, 2026

A real onion dip, not from a packet. Slowly caramelized onions melted into cream cheese, then folded with sour cream and mayo. Based on Sohlae’s recipe, still dialing it in.

Total time: 3+ hours (70 minutes caramelizing, 5 minutes mixing, 2 hours chilling)

Steps

Caramelize the onions (70 minutes)

  1. Add enough olive oil to coat the bottom of a large saucepan and place over medium-low heat.
  2. Add 2 finely chopped yellow onions, season with salt, and cook low and slow, stirring every 5 minutes or so, scraping down the sides and scraping up the fond as it forms. About 70 minutes until deeply browned and jammy. Sohlae calls for 30 minutes but going slower gets a much deeper caramelization.
  3. Remove from heat, add 4 ounces cream cheese, and stir until melted.
  4. Scrape into a large bowl.

Mix the dip (5 minutes)

  1. Add 1 cup sour cream, ½ cup mayonnaise, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon Better Than Bouillon chicken paste, and ½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce.
  2. Stir well to combine.
  3. Finish with plenty of finely ground Tellicherry black pepper. You probably won’t need more salt since you salted the onions early.

Chill (2 hours)

The dip needs time to set up. Don’t skip this.

  1. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving so the flavors can deepen and the dip thickens.

Shopping List

Produce

  • 2 medium yellow onions

Dairy

  • 4 ounces cream cheese
  • 1 cup sour cream

Pantry

  • ½ cup mayonnaise
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon Better Than Bouillon chicken paste
  • ½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • Olive oil
  • Salt
  • Tellicherry black pepper