Sweet Vidalia Onion Dip is an easy hot appetizer that will have everybody begging for the recipe! It’s perfect for game days, holiday entertaining, or just a romantic night in.
sweet Vidalia onion dip is a crowd pleasing appetizer
I’m telling you right off the bat, run to the store and pick up your ingredients (there’s a list below) and a baguette, then run back and read the post. Hurry. It’s too good to miss. I swear I won’t sink that slice of grilled bread into the creamy cheesy, Vidalia onion dip until you get back, but get a move on, I’m only human…
We’re a serious dip-for-dinner kind of family so you can take if from me, this is a winner. It’s challenging my all time favorite, spinach artichoke. This one is even easier to make, and it’s bursting with fresh onion flavor without any questionable ingredients (I’m looking at you, dry onion soup mix.) Not sure if it’s the sweet onion, the mix of cheeses, or a combination, but it just works.
What you’ll need for the best baked Vidalia onion dip
- a sweet onion
- like Vidalia or other variety. They will be with the other onions in your produce aisle
- sour cream
- mayonnaise
- aged Italian cheese
- like Grana Padano, or Parmesan, Romano, Asiago etc.
- mozzarella
- white cheddar cheese
- salt and fresh cracked black pepper
- hot sauce
- Worcestershire sauce
cooked vs raw onions in dip
Some like to caramelize their onions for a dip like this, but I prefer to keep them raw Vidalias are famous for their sweet mild flavor, people even eat them like apples. I slice them into very thin strips and they cook up perfectly in the oven, retaining just a hint of crunch and a fresh sweet onion flavor. The dip has a very appealing creamy white color, too, under the lightly browned crust.
Customize your Vidalia onion dip recipe
Nothing is set in stone here, the ingredient amounts are flexible, as are the types of cheeses. Just be aware that the stronger the cheese, the more flavor you’ll get. If you use Monterey Jack and mozzarella, your dip will be on the bland side. A good rule of thumb is to add some kind of aged Italian cheese, in the Parmesan family, to the mix because they are very assertive. I found Grana Padano, which is similar to Parmesan, so I used that.
I make this cheesy dip with the chop and drop method
Everything gets thrown into a bowl and mixed together. You can do it way ahead of time, just cover it and pop it in the fridge. It’s got all the earmarks of the ideal party appetizer, but I think it’s just as good a choice for a romantic evening for two. I’ll definitely be making this during the holiday season, it’s so warm and comfy. Love.
Love dips? Try these!
- Smokey Onion Dip
- Queso Dip ~ easy foolproof recipe
- Hot Crab Dip
- Baked Caramelized Onion Dip
- 7 Layer Smoked Salmon Dip Recipe
- Cheesy Brussels Sprout Dip
- Smokey Spinach Artichoke Dip
- Cheesy Hatch Green Chile Dip
Craving more Vidalia onion recipes? I love sweet onions and I use them whenever I can find them. My Vidalia Onion Strings is another killer appetizer that disappears in record time. And because these onions are so sweet, they are perfectly delicious raw ~ my Sweet Vidalia Onion Slaw is proof!
“My husband was given a 10lb bag of Vidalia onions as a gift. I’ve been making many of the recipes that you featured here and this one is his favorite! I followed your recipe to the letter and he said that it was the best dip he’s ever had. Thank you! (And as I write this, your quiche is baking in the oven. Looking forward to that, too!) Will definitely make again.” ~Sarah
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Sweet Vidalia Onion Dip
Video
Ingredients
- 1 Vidalia onion, anywhere from 10-12 ounces (any sweet onion variety will do)
- 1 scant cup mayonnaise
- 1 scant cup sour cream
- 1/2 cup shredded Grana Padano cheese, substitute good Parmesan or Romano
- 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella
- 1 cup shredded white cheddar cheese
- 3/4 tsp salt
- lots of fresh cracked black pepper to taste
- 4 dashes hot sauce
- 2 dashes Worcestershire sauce
Instructions
- Set the oven to 375F
- Peel and slice the onion in half. Then slice it in half again, and cut 3 of the sections into very fine slices. Take the last piece and mince it. Put the onion in a bowl with the rest of the ingredients and mix well until everything is thoroughly combined. Taste and adjust the seasonings to your liking.
- Spoon the mixture into an ovenproof casserole and bake for 25 minutes until browned and bubbly.
- While the dip is baking, slice a baguette and place the slices on a hot grill pan to toast them on both sides. Serve with the hot dip.
Nutrition
Do you have any issues with this separating? I often have problems when I use full fat mayo in hot dips.
No I haven’t, Anne. The other hot dip with mayo I make all the time is Spinach Artichoke and I don’t recall it ever happening with that either.
Mayo will “break” if you heat it for too long in the microwave, or too high of a temperature in the oven, or bake it for too long. Follow the baking instructions and it doesn’t break at all. Made this this past weekend.
Been making this since the 70’s. I’ve always added sliced black olives!
Nice, I’ll have to try!
W.O.W! Can’t believe how yummy this is!! My eye balls are killin’ me! LOL!
You put a lot of thought and effort into the look of this web site, it is stunningly beautiful. I love your work, nice job! All my best…
Oh wow that looks so good I could dive in head first!
No words for this, it just makes me smile looking at it. Can’t wait to try it out Sunday when the kids come over the game 🙂
Thanks Laura — I can pretty much guarantee happiness in your house on Sunday!
No questionable ingredients? Mayo is definitely questionable. Really nasty stuff.
How about making your own, Veronica? I’ve got a great easy recipe for homemade mayo — http://theviewfromgreatisland.com/2013/06/minimal-monday-30-second-mayonnaise.html. Or you could buy one of the all natural mayos from Whole Foods. This is too good to miss!
My eye balls hurt and my mouth is melting! I want this now!!! delicious!!! Thank you Sue for such a great recipe!
Glad I could get your juices flowing this morning 🙂
Do you think I would be able to cook this delicious treat in a crock pot? It looks amazing!
I guess you probably could, Laura, but the texture would be a little different, and you wouldn’t get that nice browning that the oven gives. Worth a try, though!
Last year I purchasedt 10 lbs of Vidalia onions from Georgia and had them sent to my home in California. Oh we had the best Onion Soup ever. I am gong to try this recipe also. Thanks agai.
I think a Vidalia onion soup sounds just incredible…