This Ina Garten Appetizer Is My Favorite—It's So Delicious

You know how the kids say that if you are stuck in a loop or need to come back to reality, you need to "touch grass?" I think that phrase should be "caramelize onions." There is nothing more soothing and meditative than slowly caramelizing onions. There are no shortcuts, no "hacks" or viral trends that speed up the process. You just need a sturdy pan, a trusty wooden spoon, moderate heat, and some elbow grease.

I believe that properly caramelized onions take at least 45 minutes. Of course, everyone's stove top will perform slightly differently, but you start to really bring out the nutty, caramel-like notes of onions once they’ve been cooking for about 45 minutes. 

Considering the time it takes, once the onions are finished, they need to be used for something good. After all, the (onion) juice (and tears!) has to be worth the squeeze. I can imagine no better use case than a classic onion dip, and without being too dramatic, Ina Garten’s Pan-Fried Onion Dip is everything I’ve ever wanted in a snack and more.

This recipe was first published in Ina’s debut cookbook, The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook, released in 1999. It has all the hallmarks of a good old-fashioned dip from the '90s. There is no cauliflower pretending to be something it’s not, and no cottage cheese or cashews in sight. Just pure, full-fat dairy bliss. After all, would Ina use anything but the best? 

How I Make Ina Garten's Onion Dip

The dip starts by cooking the onions in butter, a pinch of salt, and a dash of cayenne. As the recipe name suggests, the onions are "pan-fried," which is different from caramelizing. Ina instructs you to cook the onions for about 30 minutes, but in my opinion, it’s worth cooking the onions for about 10 minutes more to make sure you get a wonderful depth of flavor.

Once the onions were nearly ready, I added a tablespoon or so of water to the pan to prevent sticking. After cooking the onions and letting them cool, I took an extra step and chopped them, which allowed me to blend them into the creamy elements of the dip really well and made enjoying the dip slightly easier. 

As for the base of the dip, you combine softened cream cheese, sour cream, and mayonnaise in a stand mixer and whip it until blended before folding in the onions. I dressed my dip up with a big pinch of flaky sea salt and some fresh chives for color.

I like an assertive dip, so I added a little less mayonnaise than called for and made up the difference with more sour cream to accentuate the tang. To bump the flavor up even more, I added a splash of sherry vinegar right before my final mix. I served the dip with lots of fresh raw veggies and kettle-cooked potato chips, and I can’t imagine a more ideal snack!