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
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
Great recipe. Thanks! Made a few mods…. charred 1/2 the onions along with 2 julianned jalapenos. Dressed it with a quick squeeze of bbq sauce. The rest is all you, Sue.
LOVE your idea of charring the onions…I have to try that.
Is the onion sliced “pole to pole” or “through the equator”? One way makes arches, the other makes ring segments. Will take to a New Years party next week.
I like to slice pole to pole.
This sounds really good, but what on earth is a “scant cup” ? A cup is a cup, do you mean some amount less than a full cup, like perhaps 3/4 of a cup?
It is a cup minus 1 – 2 tablespoons.
Quick question: Since Worcestershire sauce isn’t vegetarian (and I am), what would be a good substitute for those two dashes? Has anyone simply left it out?
Thanks!
You can just leave it out. I like a few extra dashes of hot sauce, if you like things spicy, or you might add a touch of mustard.
I use only mayo (no sour cream); about 2 to 3 vidalias, chopped up, and a package of 5-cheese blend. It becomes a chewy, sweet oniony dip that holds up to crackers or baguette slices. love this dip!
Can you use just plain sweet onions if Vadalia aren’t in season?
I just realized you said any sweet onion in the recipe hahahaha sorry!
Yes, absolutely.
Just wondering, with 4 dashes of hot sauce, how hot is the dip? I’m not a big fan of hot/spicy foods. Do you think I should cut back on the hot sauce?
It’s totally optional, and I’d leave it out if you don’t love things at all spicy.
What is the growing season for Vidalia onions? How well do they keep? Here in Washington State we have “Walla Walla sweets”, sweet onions with a high water content that are grown in soil with a low-sulfur content. As with Vidalias, Walla Wallas are named for the area in which they are grown. They are quite delicious and are probably similar to the Vidalias, which I rarely see here. Due to the high water content, the season for them is short and they do not keep well. I am wondering how people are able to make this recipe in fall and winter months. What do you suggest?
Hey Connie ~ Vidalia season is April to August, so you’re right, you would be hard pressed to find them for fall or holiday time. You can definitely swap out Walla Walla onions. Nowadays most supermarkets stock generic ‘sweet onions’ most of the year, so off season, I’d suggest using them.
I live in Minnesota and we have vidalias every season in the produce department. Walla Walla Sweets are as good or better than vidalias. use whatever onion you happen to have on hand and this recipe will turn out just fine!
Thanks Julie, I agree, you can’t go wrong with whatever sweet onion you can find.
Took your thoughts on cheese and so I added cream cheese and smoked Gouda, one of my personal favorites. I’ve made this before but the recipe called for frozen onions. This was PERFECT!
I’m so glad Anita, I adore smoked Gouda!!
This was fandamntastic as written! I have made this recipe so many times now and still get rave reviews. People look forward to me serving it or bringing it. I usually tweak recipes but no need to with this one. Thank you for this recipe and the terrific site.