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
This dip sounds delicious. Question. if using frozen Vidalia onions, can you use them frozen or do they need to be defrosted?
I would use them frozen.
I’ve made this dip a few times and am making it as we speak! It is so perfect and I love having it for dinner! I made this in the fall for a football party with my fiances family. They LOVED IT! One of my favorite go to recipes!
5/5 !!! Not sure why the website won’t allow me to rate that but WOW! WHAT A DELIGHT! I was in the mood for onion dip and THIS TOOK THE CAKE! What an absolutely delicious dish. I’ve never had this before and neither has my boyfriend. He didn’t like the mayo init but I told a white lie and said it was cream cheese and he powered right through it! Thanks for sharing. I have forwarded this off to many people and this will certainly be a fan favorite for any pot luck!
There’s an annoying glitch in the rating system, trying to get it sorted. I’m so happy you loved the dip, and brilliant ‘white lie’ 😉
I made this for a get-together and it was a HUGE hit. It was completely gone within an hour. The only thing that I would recommend is to cut the onion strings shorter as they get a little messy when dipping the toast points.
You can chop the onions, too, which solves that problem nicely.
Dip for dinner? That never occurred to me, but I am here for it. Thanks for the idea!
omg you’ve been missing out!
I would try this with caramelized vidalia onions instead of raw. Take 3-4 onions, slice thin on a mandoline and melt 1/2 stick butter in a heavy bottomed pot. Cook on low until deep brown colored. Then add into your mixture and bake. Sprinkle top with crisp chopped bacon and very thinly sliced scallions. Give this a try and let me know what you think.
I’m planning a caramelized onion dip but I think I’d use yellow onions for that, Vidalias are so good they don’t need the long cooking, in my opinion 🙂
My parents retired to Savannah Georgia in 1979. We would go down every year for the month of July. Vidalia onions was a staple at dinner several nights a week. My mom made this dip, but also added sliced black olives to the recipe. She made it with only sharp cheddar cheese and mozzarella. She served it with plain toated cocktail tye bread. Best onion dip ever!!
This is amazing! I added a couple Tablespoons of tabouli for color and a bit a crunch.
Hi Sue.
Can this recipe be frozen
You can Dianne, but sometimes the texture isn’t as good after being frozen.
Excellent!! This is a keeper. Delicious!! My husband loved it!
Made it as is the first time … The next time I added 1/2 tps. fresh thyme leaf. It is always a favorite. Thanks