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This Ridiculously Easy Hot Onion Dip is the one you want to make when you have minimal time but you want fabulously delicious results that will bring rave reviews!
This recipe is one of those little gems you'll find yourself making again and again. It's not only ridiculously easy to throw together, but it's also one of the most ridiculously delicious appetizers that you'll ever have the pleasure of meeting... or eating... or sharing with others. A pan of this Hot Onion Dip, emerging from the oven, all golden and bubbly, with its heavenly aroma is a party waiting to happen!
Did you ever taste something so delicious that you couldn't forget it? That's the story, in a nutshell, of how this Ridiculously Easy Hot Onion Dip recipe ended up in my collection.
I generally like to go light on appetizers. Especially when I know there's going to be a really good dinner coming up as I hate to spoil my appetite before the meal even starts. But last Christmas we were invited to a lovely dinner party and things ended up a little different. Amid pre-dinner conversation, I noticed everyone enjoying a warm appetizer dip. Thinking I'd have just a nibble, (the party hostess, Katherine, is a graduate of the CIA so I knew the dinner would be fabulous!), I took a chip and scooped up a bit of the golden, cheesy dip.
I popped the dip/chip in my mouth and was amazed at the delicious flavor. Hmm... let's just say I ended up having WAY more than "a nibble" of the appetizer. The dinner was also delicious but I knew I had to have the recipe for the fabulous dip. When I asked Katherine about it, she said, "Oh, it's just the hot onion dip that's been around forever."
An old new recipe!
Sometimes I feel like I've been living under a rock. How could I have not known about "the hot onion dip that's been around forever"? I texted Katherine the next morning for the recipe. When she replied I was shocked... such a short, simple 3-ingredient, 2-step recipe. This is one of those situations that exemplifies the old saying; "the whole is more than the sum of its parts". Here's Katherine's recipe:
1 cup of chopped sweet onion
1 cup of mayo (I use Hellman's because it won't separate)
1 cup shredded cheese (I used bagged cheddar but have done all kinds of other cheeses)
Bake @ 350/375 in a greased pan until golden and bubbly. About 40 min @ 350.
I've been making this hot onion dip ever since and everyone who tries it stops in their tracks with the first bite. Then I hear comments like, "Oh my goodness, what is that?" or "Wow, so good!" or "That dip is amazing!". And for the next gathering, "Could you make that dip again?". Thanks, Katherine, you've made me an appetizer celebrity!!
Ridiculously Easy
If you've been following The Café for any amount of time you probably are aware that Ridiculously Easy is one of our trademarks. We have an entire collection of recipes with this descriptive moniker and these easy recipes are, by far, the most popular recipes on the site. We've got cakes, cookies, snacks, salad dressings, scones, biscuits, jams, jellies... and so much more!
You can read more about these RE recipes in this post and see the whole collection here, but my streamlined definition is, "These are the recipes that make you look like a kitchen rock star with just a teeny bit of effort on your part". This hot onion dip is all that!
Okay, there's not much more to say except, "Make this hot onion dip ASAP"! And when someone says, "Wow! What is this?", you can be as smart and charming as my friend, Katherine and say, "It's just the hot onion dip that's been around forever."
Cafe Tips for Making this Ridiculously Easy Hot Onion Dip
- For effortless entertaining, this dip can be thrown together in advance and refrigerated until an hour before your guests arrive. Allow it to sit out for 20 minutes while the oven preheats. Then let the oven do the magic and send amazing aromas through the house.
- The original recipe for this hot onion dip calls for 1 large sweet onion. Sweet onions include Vidalia, Walla Walla, Texas Sweets, Maui and Carzalia. As the name suggests, sweet onions have a sweet flavor due to a high natural sugar content and are perfect for this recipe.
- Sometimes I use half of a sweet onion and half of a red onion for a fun color and flavor contrast.
- Leftover hot onion dip (although you usually won't have any leftovers) can be re-warmed in the microwave. You can also make an amazing grilled cheese with it!
- You can make this hot onion dip in any oven-safe pan but I love to use a small cast iron pan for a pretty presentation.
- Feel free to change up or use a blend of different cheeses for this recipe. Cheddar is great as is Gouda, Havarti, Provolone, Gruyere and Swiss. A portion of Parmesan is also delish!
- For a little gourmet touch, I like to add some chopped fresh herbs both in the dip and as a pretty garnish. Rosemary, thyme, basil and oregano (or a combination) are all wonderful!
- I like to serve this hot onion dip with crostini. You can also serve it with crackers, pita chips, tortilla chips or slices of fresh baguette - all of these options are delicious!
Thought for the day:
 But when the fullness of time had come,
God sent forth His Son,
born of woman, born under the law,
 to redeem those who were under the law,
so that we might receive adoption as sons.
Galatians 4:4-5
What we're listening to for inspiration:
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Katherine's Ridiculously Easy Hot Onion Dip
Ingredients
- 1 cup chopped sweet onion, 1 medium onion
- 1 cup mayonnaise, I use Hellman’s (other mayos can cause separation)
- 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese, Other cheese varieties are also delicious, see the Café Tips for other options.
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh herbs, optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ËšF. Spray a small baking dish or 6-inch cast iron pan with non-stick cooking spray. Line a sheet pan with foil for easy cleanup. Set aside.
- Combine the onion, mayonnaise, cheese and 2 teaspoons of the fresh herbs (if using) in a medium size bowl. Stir well to combine.
- Transfer the onion mixture to the prepared pan and set the pan on the foil-lined sheet pan.
- Bake for 30-40 minutes until bubbly and lightly golden. (Don't bake too long as the mayo can separate.)
- Garnish with the remaining teaspoon of fresh herbs (if using). Serve hot and enjoy!
Notes
If you prefer to use Metric measurements there is a button in each of our recipes, right above the word “Instructions”. Just click that button to toggle to grams, milliliters, etc. If you ever come across one of our recipes that doesn’t have the Metric conversion (some of the older recipes may not), feel free to leave a comment and I will add it.
Nutrition
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Taste was amazing but my dip separated. Used Hellman’s mayo and baked for only 15 minutes. Any ideas why this happened? Thanks. Liz
Hi Liz, I'm so sorry that happened. I'm honestly not sure why - it may have to do with they type of cheese you used but I will need to do more testing.
I tasted this dip 25 years ago at a cocktail party. They used 1 cup of a good Swiss cheese. And they had tortilla chips as dippers. Been making it ever since. Everybody loves it and thinks it must have been very time-consuming.
Thanks, Sally!
Can you make this ahead of time and reheat when you get to your host's house?
Yes, that will work! Enjoy, Mary Elizabeth!
Would Duke's mayonnaise work too?
Hi Janet, I love Duke's, but unfortunately, it separates in this dip. Hellmon's does not. Enjoy!
Chris, this was fabulous. I need to double the recipe next time!
Thanks, Patti đź’•- so happy you enjoyed it!
Good morning Chris,
I want to make this onion dip for the 4t of July but will be traveling for the Holiday. How long can I make this ahead of time and refrigerate before baking?
Many thanks for any help or suggestions you can give me; I appreciate it!
Susan
Hi Susan, you could make this a day or two in advance then bake when you get to your destination.
The flavor of this was unbelievable. However, we had a layer of oil on top of ours. I used Hellman’s and only baked for 20 minutes. Any suggestions?
Love your website!
Hi Liz,
! I’m so happy you enjoyed the flavor and thank you so much for your kind words!
A little oil separation can happen occasionally with this dip since the cheese and mayo both contain fats that melt at different rates. It usually depends on the exact cheese, how finely it’s shredded, and how hot the oven runs.
2 things that could help:
Use freshly shredded cheese if possible; pre-shredded blends sometimes separate more.
Bake a bit longer until everything is hot and bubbly; sometimes, stopping early can cause the fats to melt but not fully blend into the dip.
So glad you tried the recipe, and thanks again for your encouragement.
Oh my! My newest guilty pleasure. Reading all the reviews from people who made it for gatherings, I feel gluttonous having made it for me, myself and I!! I ate half of it lol. Which brings me to my question. I put a lid on the rest and put in fridge. Is reheating best in oven or can it be microwaved?
Thank you in advance and thank you for sharing <3
It is difficult to stop eating this dip - I know this from experience! I have warmed it up on low power in the microwave with good success!
We had this dip at a family gathering last night. The taste was delicious, and everyone loved it! However, I wondered if I would make it again. The appearance left much to be desired because the dip separated and looked curdled. No one seemed to mind, and all was eaten.
I'm SO GLAD I went back and reread the entire post. When you showed Katherine's recipe, it said to use Hellman's "OR IT WILL SEPARATE. " I think you should add that to your actual recipe, along with your mention that you use Hellman's ...or at least mention it in your "Cafe Tips." I always read your tips, but not always all of the other information.
I'm giving the recipe 5 stars because of the wonderful taste and ease of preparation...and trusting that the texture will improve when I try again with Hellman's. Your recipes are ALWAYS fantastic, Chris, and you are my "go-to" for "DELICIOUSNESS" !!!
Thanks for your comment and suggestion, Suzanne. I will add the Hellman's tip to the recipe. Another important tip is not to bake it too long. That can also cause the mayo to separate.
I made this dip and took it a family Easter dinner. Oh my! They devoured it, including the kids. It's so easy and so scrumptious! Thank you for the recipe.
Thank you for the review, Barb!
Just made this for the Super Bowl party I am attending tonight. think of you often Chris and the delicious treats you always brought to work....Hope all is well with you and Scott. I love the blog.
Aww, so fun to hear from you Sherry! We did make some good memories, didn't we?
Hope the party was fun and everyone enjoyed the dip!
Oh my gosh! This is such an awesome hot dip. Thank you so much for sharing it (you and Katherine). I have served it three times since you first wrote about it and just as everyone testifies to it, it is WONDERFUL. I love the ease of it and who would have thought it was so delicious?
I love all of your recipes and presentations even though I don't make everything. I have never made anything you have shared that wasn't delicious. Many, many, many thanks because I am not creative and depend on others. You are my favorite, "go to".
Fondly,
Royce
Awesome! Thank you for the kind and encouraging comment, Royce! So happy you are enjoying the recipes 🙂
Great easy appetizer! This is my new party app. I used a combination of fontina and extra sharp cheddar with fresh parsley and cracked pepper thrown in. I sampled it before I baked it and worried about the strong mayo flavor coming through but once baked it was all good.
Thanks for your review, Chris! So glad you enjoyed this.
We served this at our Christmas celebration and it was a big hit. And SO easy to make. Thanks.
Awesome! Thanks, Peggi!
Scrumptious and seriously ridiculously easy!
This was a winner at our family Christmas gathering. Thank you!
So glad to hear that, Julie!
Hi Chris, I made this yesterday for Christmas day with my family and they all loved it! Even my teenage grandsons! I also made the crostini bread which was delicious too! I used rosemary as my herb and it was wonderful addition. Thanks so much for your delicious recipes! Merry Christmas to you and your family!
Wonderful! Thanks for your review, Malinda!
Made this recipe this afternoon - I must admit I had never before had (or even heard of) sweet onions - guess you can teach an old dog new tricks. My husband and I think the dip is good but seems to be missing something - I'm wondering if a splash of worcestershire sauce would pick this up a bit?
Hi Pat, this recipe is very adaptable. You could add Worcestershire, some Parmesan, fresh or dried herbs, sundried tomatoes...
Hallelujah! You have solved my appetizer problem for Christmas Eve! Was looking for something easy yet yummy! I even dug through my pans and lo and behold, I have a six inch cast iron skillet! Today I just made a sheet pan of focaccia bread, and I’m thinking I will slice it thin and serve that with the onion dip! You have proved that no matter how busy you are, you should always check in with the Cafe to see what’s cookin! Thanks in advance!
Hi Gayan, that sounds delicious! Thanks for your kind comment!
So easy and tasty!
I look forward to your emails with new recipes, as they are always delicious.
Thank you
Michelle
Thanks, Michelle! So happy to hear that!
Delicius, will use this a lot.
Thanks, Michael!
This recipe looks amazing! I am planning on serving it on Christmas Eve..... I have a question about the crostini....they look so buttery...did you make them? Store bought? They look delicious! Thank you for your recipes!
Thanks, Jim! We made them, here's a link to the post- https://thecafesucrefarine.com/the-best-homemade-crostini/