Make this hot caramelized onion dip for your next party, festive holiday gathering, or New Year’s party. The sweetness of the golden brown caramelized onions balances the white wine and brie cheese in this easy appetizer.
If you’re hosting a party soon, then you absolutely need to make this hot caramelized onion dip! It only has a few ingredients, and the flavors are gourmet and festive.
Choosing The Right Brie Cheese
Brie is a soft French cheese that is made from cow’s milk. Unlike other types of cheese, the rind of this creamy and soft cheese can be eaten. However, since the rind of brie cheese can’t melt, you need to remove it before making this hot caramelized onion dip.
Brie is typically sold in varying sized wheels, or large wedges. I recommend buying wedges for this recipe because it is easier to remove the rind. There are also different “quality” levels to brie. The best is considered to be triple creme, but any level will work for this recipe.
Tip: Some brie cheese is formed in wedges instead of wheels. To make it easier to remove the rind, get a wedge that is cut from a wheel, not formed in a wedge.
If you have leftover brie cheese, store it tightly sealed with plastic wrap in your refrigerator. It will stay fresh this way until the “best by” listed on the package.
Tips For Making a Perfect Caramelized Onion Dip
This is an excellent recipe for beginners or professionals alike. It tastes extremely gourmet, but only really requires the patience of letting the onions caramelize to a deep golden brown. Read up on some of these topics to make sure this easy caramelized onion dip recipe is the hit of the party.
- How To Make Perfect Caramelized Onions. Since this is the staple ingredient in this dip, I absolutely recommend reading this. It gives all the details about how to make your caramelized onions for this dip so that they are flavorful but not soggy.
- Buying and Storing Fresh Herbs. To add a flavorful pop, this recipe uses fresh thyme. Learn what to look for at the store, as well as how to keep it fresh once you get home.
- Blanching and Shocking. This is the best way to get beautiful color and flavor out of the vegetables you are serving with this brie and caramelized onion dip.
What To Serve with This Hot Caramelized Onion Dip
One of my favorite things about this easy caramelized onion dip recipe is that it works well with many of the things you have in the kitchen. It also makes it wonderful as a year round appetizer, not just for the holidays. Some of my favorite things are:
- Granny Smith Apples
- Toasted Baguette Slices
- Crudité Vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, etc…)
- Pita Chips
- Fresh Asparagus
- Bacon Chips
As long as what you’re serving this caramelized onion dip with isn’t overpowering, it will most likely pair well.
If you want to serve this caramelized onion dip with wine, I recommend a good dry white. Sauvignon Blanc, Muscadet, and Chardonnay will work very well.
How To Make This Caramelized Onion Dip Recipe without Cast Iron
For this caramelized onion dip recipe I recommend using a cast iron pan. You can cook the onions directly in it, so you don’t make unnecessary dishes. The cast iron will also retain heat and keep your brie melted much longer. If you don’t have a small cast iron pan to use, don’t worry. Any oven safe dish will work. Here are a few tips to help.
- Preheat your oven to 350°F.
- After your caramelized onions have finished cooking, deglaze the pan with the white wine. Stir in any stuck-on bits from the bottom of the pan.
- Transfer the onions to an oven-safe dish and stir in the thyme and brie cheese. The brie may not melt completely.
- Place the dish of caramelized onion dip into the oven and heat for five minutes, or until the brie has completely melted. Remove from the oven, stir, and serve immediately.
How To Make This Hot Caramelized Onion Dip
If your caramelized onion dip starts to cool down, you can reheat it a 350°F oven. It should only take about five minutes for it to melt back to its former glory. Also, if you want even more delicious caramelized onion dip to enjoy, this recipe can be doubled and still fit in the pan!
Want a free printable grocery list for this easy caramelized onion dip recipe? Get it HERE.
Use this grocery list to help simplify shopping. Everything is listed in standard grocery store amounts. If no size is specified, even the smallest package will provide more than enough.
Happy Cooking! 🙂
Brie and Caramelized Onion Dip
Ingredients
- 1 yellow onion, sliced thinly
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 14 ounces french brie cheese, rind removed and cut into small chunks
- ¼ cup white wine
- 3 Tablespoons fresh thyme, stems removed
- salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in an eight inch cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and reduce the heat to low. Allow the onions to caramelize slowly, stirring occasionally, every five to ten minutes. They are done when they are a deep golden brown. About 45 minutes.
- Once the onions are caramelized to your desire (around 30 minutes) deglaze the pan with the white wine. Scrape up any stuck-on bits of caramelization and stir it into the onions.
- Turn off the heat and stir in the brie cheese until it is melted. Season with salt and pepper and sprinkle the fresh thyme on top. Serve the hot caramelized onion dip with your favorite breads, chips, fruits, and vegetables.
Sues says
Oh man! I love both caramelized onion dip AND brie, so combining the two is like a dream come true to me! This looks so ooey gooey and delicious!
Mackenzie Ryan says
They make such a wonderful complement to each other, and it brie melts so beautifully for that ooey gooey perfection!
Dana says
This is SO incredibly dreamy. I'm a lover of brie, but when I break it out during the holidays, I've gotten used to simply dumping some kind of sweet or tart jam over it with nuts and baking it. This takes things to a whole new level of awesome. And it's great that you have a guide to caramelizing onions properly. It's so important! I think a lot of people mistake caramelized for "browned", but there's such a huge difference in flavor. Can't wait to gobble this up!
Mackenzie Ryan says
This simple brie dip will never replace a good baked brie, but if you have the time to make it, is SO worth it. It is definitely a whole new level!
Stef says
I can almost smell this dip through the screen. It looks SO amazing! Thanks for the tips on buying the brie. I always get confused about which rind you can eat and which you can't. Have you seen a guide somewhere? Now I will remember that you can eat brie rind, but it won't melt.
Mackenzie Ryan says
I'm the same way about the rinds. I occasionally find that I don't branch out with trying new cheeses because of it. Cheers to eating all the brie!
Traci says
You had me at caramelized onions...but with brie? Oh yum! This is one of those "out of this world" dips! The kind that I obsess over and lose ALL control over when I'm around it. I absolutely adore brie cheese and this takes it to a whole new level. Great recipe...thanks for sharing! 🙂
Mackenzie Ryan says
You and I are kindred spirits in the losing all control thing. If we were both at the party, we would hoard all of this caramelized onion dip for ourselves! 😉
Debra says
Thanks for the wonderful suggestions on what to serve this dip with. I imagine that green apple will be our favorite. The complexity of flavors from the caramelized onions (yum!) to the brie.....delish!
Mackenzie Ryan says
The green apple is my favorite. The acidity of the apple balances the sweetness of the caramelized onions so well! It's such a good combination.
Carmy says
I am currently drooling over that brie and onion dip. The melt-y cheese is calling my name and I just want to eat it all in one sitting! That gif of the cheese pull is amazing. I need this for my next party.
Mackenzie Ryan says
You'll be so glad you made it for your next party. I need a distraction like a party to convince me to walk away from the pan of dip and not eat the whole thing!