Football is a big deal in my house. Sundays are spent in sweatpants, cozied up on the couch, yelling at the TV, and enjoying delicious food to go along with the games (this is an all-day affair after all). I try to switch the menu up each week, doing my own twists on chili, wings, pizza, and other traditional game day foods, but one of my reliable hits is my French Onion Dip.
No, I’m not referring the packet of Knorr mix in the soup aisle that you mix with sour cream, or the jar that you can buy in the chip aisle, but real-deal homemade onion dip. My inspiration started one day when I made French Onion Soup (also a favorite) but caramelized a few too many onions – it was certainly one of the best culinary “mistakes” I’ve made. With the Super Bowl coming up on Sunday, I figured now was the perfect time to share my recipe. Whether you choose to enjoy this delicious dip with chips, crudité, or on crostini with some melted Gruyere cheese, this dip is bound to be a win for your crew.
French Onion Soup
2 Tablespoons butter
2 large Vidalia Onions
2 cloves of garlic, minced
½ cup red wine
2 sprigs of thyme
8 oz cream cheese
2 Tablespoons sour cream
2 Tablespoons mayonnaise
6 oz Gruyere cheese (or Parmesan)
Hot sauce, to taste
Salt and pepper, to taste
1. Slice each onion in half, peel, and thinly slice into half moons.
2. Using a large skillet, (I like my Le Creuset Braiser pan for this) melt the butter over medium heat, and add the onions. Let the onions cook and stir every 10 minutes. The key is to NOT constantly stir and to let them develop color by having contact with the bottom of the pan. The onions will take about 30-45 minutes to caramelize.
NOTE: some recipes for caramelizing onions call for a few teaspoons of sugar to speed up the process. I find this makes the onions artificially sweet, and prefer to be patient and let the natural sugars shine.
3. Add garlic, thyme, salt and pepper to caramelized onions. Cook for 2-3 minutes.
4. Add red wine and deglaze by scraping the fond (browned bits) from the bottom of the pan. Cook until the wine evaporates.
5. Combine cream cheese, sour cream, and mayonnaise until smooth.
6. Fold in onion mixture.
7. Fold in 2 oz of gruyere (or parmesan if you prefer).
8. Season with salt, pepper, and hot sauce to taste.
9. Spread mixture in baking dish (I love to use two Le Creuset cocottes!)
10. Top with remaining Gruyere.
11. Bake at 350 until bubbly and golden brown, about 10-15 minutes. Serve while warm!
Don’t forget, January is our Cookware Sale, so if you need cookware, you’ve got just a few days left to get 20% off!
If you are looking for more game day ideas, check out some of our upcoming classes to hone in on your favorites:
- Chicago Deep Dish Pizza and Calzones at Lincoln Square on Sunday, February 17 6pm or Tuesday, February 26 7pm
- Street Food at the Mart on Sunday, February 10 11am or at Lincoln Square on Monday, February 25 7pm
We also have lots of great recipes for football watch parties in our free download: Football Food.
