Smoky French Onion Dip
By Amanda LuchtelPublished on April 28, 2025
Time
1½ hours, plus 30 minutes chilling
Yield
Serves 8 to 10
Ingredients
3 onion (about 1½ pounds)1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 1½ teaspoons table salt, divided½ cup wood chips 1 cup sour cream ½ cup mayonnaise 3 tablespoons minced fresh chives, divided2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar 2 teaspoons lemon juice 1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme ¼ teaspoon pepper
Before You Begin
Covering the wood chip packet with lit charcoal ensures a longer smoke. Serve this dip with potato chips, crusty bread, or crostini.
Instructions
- Trim stem end of each onion and halve onion through root end, leaving skins intact. Slice each half into 1½-inch-thick wedges through root end. (Leave root end intact.)
- Gently toss onion wedges with oil and 1 teaspoon salt in large bowl; microwave, covered, until onions are translucent at edges, 6 to 8 minutes, shaking bowl to redistribute halfway through microwaving. Using slotted spoon, carefully transfer onions to plate (discard any juices in bowl); set aside.
- Using large piece of heavy-duty aluminum foil, wrap wood chips in 8 by 4-inch foil packet. (Make sure chips do not poke holes in sides or bottom of packet.) Cut 2 evenly spaced 2-inch slits in top of packet.
- FOR A CHARCOAL GRILL: Open bottom vent completely. Light large chimney starter three-quarters filled with charcoal briquettes (4½ quarts). When top coals are partially covered with ash, place wood chip packet on 1 side of grill and pour coals evenly over half of grill, covering wood chip packet. Set cooking grate in place, cover, and open lid vent completely. Heat grill until hot and wood chips are smoking, about 5 minutes. FOR A GAS GRILL: Remove cooking grate and place wood chip packet directly on primary burner. Set grate in place; turn all burners to high; cover; and heat grill until hot and wood chips are smoking, about 15 minutes. Decrease primary burner to medium-high and turn off other burner(s). (Adjust primary burner as needed to maintain grill temperature between 300 and 350 degrees.)
- Clean and oil cooking grate. Arrange onions on cooler side of grill, skin side down. Cover (position lid vent over onions if using charcoal) and cook for 30 minutes. If using charcoal, transfer onions to hotter side of grill, cut side down; if using gas, turn all burners to medium-high and flip onions cut side down. Cook (covered if using gas) until charred in spots, 3 to 5 minutes per side.
- Transfer onions to plate and cover tightly with foil; let steam for 10 minutes. Remove skins and root ends from onions and discard.
- Pulse onions in food processor until finely chopped, about 20 pulses, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Add sour cream, mayonnaise, 2 tablespoons chives, vinegar, lemon juice, thyme, pepper, and remaining ½ teaspoon salt and pulse until just combined, about 6 pulses, scraping down sides of bowl halfway through pulsing. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Transfer dip to serving bowl. Cover and refrigerate until well chilled, at least 30 minutes. (Dip can be refrigerated for up to 2 days; stir to recombine before serving.) Sprinkle with remaining 1 tablespoon chives. Serve.
Time
1½ hours, plus 30 minutes chillingYield
Serves 8 to 10Ingredients
3 onion (about 1½ pounds)
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1½ teaspoons table salt, divided
½ cup wood chips
1 cup sour cream
½ cup mayonnaise
3 tablespoons minced fresh chives, divided
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme
¼ teaspoon pepper
Ingredients
3 onion (about 1½ pounds)
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1½ teaspoons table salt, divided
½ cup wood chips
1 cup sour cream
½ cup mayonnaise
3 tablespoons minced fresh chives, divided
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme
¼ teaspoon pepper
Ingredients
3 onion (about 1½ pounds)
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1½ teaspoons table salt, divided
½ cup wood chips
1 cup sour cream
½ cup mayonnaise
3 tablespoons minced fresh chives, divided
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme
¼ teaspoon pepper
Why This Recipe Works
We wanted a smoky onion dip with a subtle sweet onion flavor. We started by cutting whole onions into thick wedges, leaving the root ends intact to keep the onion layers together and keeping the skins on to protect the exterior from burning or becoming leathery. To ensure that the onions were fully cooked without burning, we microwaved the wedges briefly to soften them before smoking. We seasoned the onions simply with salt, allowing the grill’s smoke to contribute the majority of the flavor. We built a half-grill fire, starting the wedges over indirect heat to smoke and then moving them directly over the coals to sear until just charred. To balance the intense smokiness of the dip, we used sour cream and mayo to provide richness and tang. Balsamic vinegar and lemon juice added a pop of acid to complement and round out the smoke flavor.
Before You Begin
Covering the wood chip packet with lit charcoal ensures a longer smoke. Serve this dip with potato chips, crusty bread, or crostini.
Instructions
- Trim stem end of each onion and halve onion through root end, leaving skins intact. Slice each half into 1½-inch-thick wedges through root end. (Leave root end intact.)
- Gently toss onion wedges with oil and 1 teaspoon salt in large bowl; microwave, covered, until onions are translucent at edges, 6 to 8 minutes, shaking bowl to redistribute halfway through microwaving. Using slotted spoon, carefully transfer onions to plate (discard any juices in bowl); set aside.
- Using large piece of heavy-duty aluminum foil, wrap wood chips in 8 by 4-inch foil packet. (Make sure chips do not poke holes in sides or bottom of packet.) Cut 2 evenly spaced 2-inch slits in top of packet.
- FOR A CHARCOAL GRILL: Open bottom vent completely. Light large chimney starter three-quarters filled with charcoal briquettes (4½ quarts). When top coals are partially covered with ash, place wood chip packet on 1 side of grill and pour coals evenly over half of grill, covering wood chip packet. Set cooking grate in place, cover, and open lid vent completely. Heat grill until hot and wood chips are smoking, about 5 minutes. FOR A GAS GRILL: Remove cooking grate and place wood chip packet directly on primary burner. Set grate in place; turn all burners to high; cover; and heat grill until hot and wood chips are smoking, about 15 minutes. Decrease primary burner to medium-high and turn off other burner(s). (Adjust primary burner as needed to maintain grill temperature between 300 and 350 degrees.)
- Clean and oil cooking grate. Arrange onions on cooler side of grill, skin side down. Cover (position lid vent over onions if using charcoal) and cook for 30 minutes. If using charcoal, transfer onions to hotter side of grill, cut side down; if using gas, turn all burners to medium-high and flip onions cut side down. Cook (covered if using gas) until charred in spots, 3 to 5 minutes per side.
- Transfer onions to plate and cover tightly with foil; let steam for 10 minutes. Remove skins and root ends from onions and discard.
- Pulse onions in food processor until finely chopped, about 20 pulses, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Add sour cream, mayonnaise, 2 tablespoons chives, vinegar, lemon juice, thyme, pepper, and remaining ½ teaspoon salt and pulse until just combined, about 6 pulses, scraping down sides of bowl halfway through pulsing. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Transfer dip to serving bowl. Cover and refrigerate until well chilled, at least 30 minutes. (Dip can be refrigerated for up to 2 days; stir to recombine before serving.) Sprinkle with remaining 1 tablespoon chives. Serve.
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