Sweet Onion Dip ("Crack Dip")

SWEET ONION DIP - AKA "CRACK DIP"

COURSE: DIPS

TOTAL TIME: 1 HOUR 15 MINUTES

 SERVINGS: 6 SERVINGS

https://whiteonricecouple.com/recipes/sweet-onion-dip-recipe/ 

We first shared this recipe in 2008 and it's so popular that we wanted to also share it again in our cookbook, Bountiful. This dip was dubbed "crack dip" by friends who were over for an evening feast due to it's addictive nature. The name stuck and we've been calling that ever since. We've traditionally have served the dip with crackers or charred sliced of bread, however, with several friends needing gluten-free options, we've started serving it with crunchy vegetables such as radishes, jicama, celery, and carrots instead. We actually like the way the veggies help balance the richness of the dip better than that of the crackers or bread. It is also great to serve with heirloom tomatoes in the summertime. We'll also often make big batches, and then just dish out the un-baked dip into baking containers and then bake it whenever we need to serve it over a week or two span.

Mayo Substitution NOTE #1: Greek Yogurt is not a good substitution for mayo. There is a huge fat content difference between yogurt and mayo. Greek yogurt makes the dip dry. This dip is decadent and not meant to be healthy, so only possible substitution for mayo we can think of that might work is sour cream.

Oily Dip? Note #2: Each brand of mayo is different and some may result in an oily dip. We use Best Foods Brand, also similar to Hellmann's Mayo. Also, do not use more than 1 cup of mayo and don't pack it in the cup when measuring. Loosely fill the cup so you don't end up with too much. If you pack the mayo tightly in the measuring cup, it will be too much. Another reason for oily dip is because you're using the powdered parmesan cheese product in the green containers. Treat yourself to good freshly grated parmesean from the parmesan wedge and you will definitely taste a difference.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 (8-ounce / 225-g) package cream cheese (at room temperature)
• 1 cup (240ml) mayonnaise (preferably Best Foods brand)
• 1 cup (100g) freshly grated Parmesan cheese (not the powdered cheese stuff in the green containers)
• 1 cup (160g) diced sweet onion (sometimes we like to add extra 1/2 cup for more flavor and texture)
• 2 teaspoons freshly cracked black pepper

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
2. In a bowl, mix together the cream cheese, mayonnaise, Parmesan, onion, and black pepper and until everything is thoroughly combined.
3. Pour the mixture into a 6-inch (15-cm) baking dish or any oven-safe dish. Bake for 50 minutes to one hour, till everything is melted together. When the top crust is brown and almost burnt-looking, the dip is ready. The darker brown the crust becomes, the better the flavors are.
4. Serve with your favorite crusty bread, crackers, slices of tomatoes, or crunchy vegetables such as radishes, jicama, carrots, and celery.