Get ready for a dip that is downright addictive! This Caramelized Onion White Bean Dip features perfectly sweet and savory deeply caramelized onions puréed with creamy cannellini beans, a touch of balsamic vinegar, fresh thyme, garlic, and lemon juice. I’m telling you, the flavor combination is absolutely mouthwatering! I love making this Caramelized Onion White Bean Dip because it feels elegant enough for guests but is surprisingly simple to prepare. It’s incredible served warm or at room temperature with crostini, pita chips, or fresh veggies – perfect for spring gatherings or enjoying any time of year!
Why You’ll Love This Caramelized Onion White Bean Dip
- Incredibly Flavorful: The deep, sweet flavor of caramelized onions combined with creamy beans, tangy balsamic, and fresh herbs is irresistible.
- Creamy & Smooth Texture: Blending creates a wonderfully smooth and luxurious dip.
- Easy to Make: While caramelizing onions takes patience, the process is simple.
- Versatile Appetizer/Spread: Perfect as a dip, spread on sandwiches, or part of a mezze platter.
- Healthy & Plant-Based Potential: Primarily made from beans and vegetables (easily vegan by omitting butter).
Ingredients for Caramelized Onion White Bean Dip
Here’s what you’ll need to create this addictive dip. The full list with measurements is in the recipe card below.
Caramelized Onions
- Extra virgin olive oil (divided) (Oil)
- Unsalted butter (Fat)
- Medium sweet onions, thinly sliced (Vegetable)
- Brown sugar (Sweetener)
- Salt (divided) (Seasoning)
- Freshly cracked black pepper (Spice)
- Balsamic vinegar (divided) (Acid)
- Garlic clove, smashed (Aromatic)
White Bean Dip Base
- Cannellini beans (or other white beans), drained and rinsed (Beans)
- Lemon juice (from 1/2 lemon) (Acid)
- Fresh thyme leaves (plus extra for garnish) (Herb)
- Flaky sea salt (for garnish) (Seasoning)
For Serving
- Crostini, pita chips, and/or veggies
(Note: the full ingredients list, including measurements, is provided in the recipe card below.)
Variations
I adore the rich flavor of this Caramelized Onion White Bean Dip, but here are some variations:
- Make it Vegan: Use only olive oil (omitting the butter) when caramelizing onions. Ensure your bread/crackers for serving are vegan.
- Add Different Herbs: Blend in fresh rosemary or sage instead of thyme.
- Make it Spicy: Add a pinch of red pepper flakes when sautéing the garlic with the onions.
- Different Beans: Use Great Northern beans or even chickpeas instead of cannellini beans.
- Add Cheese: Blend in a tablespoon or two of grated Parmesan cheese or nutritional yeast for a cheesy flavor.
How to Make Caramelized Onion White Bean Dip
Making this flavor-packed Caramelized Onion White Bean Dip involves two main stages:
Caramelize the Onions (The Flavor Base!)
- This step requires a little patience but is SO worth it! In a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven, I heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and the 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat.
- Once the butter is melted, I add the thinly sliced sweet onions, ½ teaspoon of salt, and the pepper. I stir to combine.
- I let the onions sweat for a minute or two, then add the brown sugar.
- I cook the onions over medium to medium-low heat for about 40-45 minutes, stirring frequently (especially towards the end). I’m looking for them to become deeply golden brown, soft, and caramelized. Low and slow is key!
- In the last few minutes of cooking, I add the 1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar and the smashed garlic clove. I continue to cook and stir until the balsamic has been mostly absorbed/reduced and the garlic is fragrant, just a couple more minutes.
- I remove the caramelized onions from the heat and let them cool for several minutes.
Blend the Dip
- In my food processor, I add the drained and rinsed cannellini beans.
- I add three-fourths of the slightly cooled caramelized onions (reserving the rest for topping!) to the food processor along with the beans. I also include the smashed garlic clove from the pan.
- I add the fresh lemon juice, fresh thyme leaves, the remaining 1 teaspoon of balsamic vinegar, the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil, the remaining ½ teaspoon of salt, and a few turns of cracked black pepper.
- I blend this mixture until it’s completely smooth and creamy, scraping down the sides as needed.
- I taste the dip and season with additional salt and pepper, if needed.
Garnish and Serve
- I spread the smooth Caramelized Onion White Bean Dip into a serving bowl or shallow dish.
- I top the dip with the remaining reserved caramelized onions.
- I finish with a drizzle of good quality extra virgin olive oil, a sprinkle of flaky sea salt, a sprinkle of fresh thyme leaves, and a little more freshly cracked black pepper.
- Serve!
Tips and Tricks for the BEST Bean Dip
Here are my secrets for making this Caramelized Onion White Bean Dip truly addictive:
- Patience with Onions: Don’t rush caramelizing the onions! Low heat and time are essential for developing that deep, sweet flavor. Stir frequently to prevent burning.
- Use Sweet Onions: While any onion works, sweet onions (like Vidalia, Walla Walla, or generic sweet yellow) caramelize beautifully.
- Heavy-Bottomed Pot: Helps distribute heat evenly and prevents onions from scorching easily.
- Drain & Rinse Beans: Removes excess sodium and the “canned” liquid for a cleaner taste.
- Food Processor Power: A food processor ensures the dip becomes ultra-smooth and creamy. A high-speed blender also works.
- Reserve Onions for Topping: Saving some of the gorgeous caramelized onions for garnish adds visual appeal and texture.
How to Serve
This Caramelized Onion White Bean Dip is fantastic served warm or at room temperature! Enjoy it as:
- An Appetizer Dip: Perfect with crusty bread slices (crostini), sturdy pita chips, crackers, or fresh vegetable sticks.
- A Sandwich/Wrap Spread: Adds incredible flavor to sandwiches and wraps instead of mayonnaise or mustard.
- Part of a Mezze Platter: A delicious addition alongside other Mediterranean-style dips and bites.
- A Topping: Spoon it onto grilled chicken or roasted vegetables.
Make Ahead and Storage
This dip is excellent for making ahead!
- Make Ahead: Prepare the dip completely up to 3 days in advance. The flavors will meld and deepen beautifully.
- Storage: Store the Caramelized Onion White Bean Dip in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Serving: Serve chilled or let it sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes before serving for the best flavor and texture. You can also gently warm it if preferred.
FAQs about Caramelized Onion White Bean Dip
- Can I use different types of white beans?
- Yes! Great Northern beans or navy beans are excellent substitutes for cannellini beans.
- Can I make this oil-free?
- Caramelizing onions relies heavily on fat (butter/oil) for flavor development and preventing sticking/burning over the long cooking time. You could try caramelizing with small amounts of broth or water, frequently deglazing, but the flavor and texture will be significantly different and require constant attention. Blending might also need added liquid (broth/water) instead of oil.
- Is this dip vegan?
- To make it vegan, simply omit the butter used for caramelizing the onions and use only olive oil (or another plant-based oil). Ensure your serving vessels (bread/crackers) are also vegan.
Enjoy this incredibly flavorful, creamy, and utterly addictive Caramelized Onion White Bean Dip! It’s guaranteed to be a new favorite.
Print
Caramelized Onion White Bean Dip
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 6 1x
- Category: Appetizer, Dip, Snack
- Cuisine: American, French-Inspired
Description
This Caramelized Onion White Bean Dip is downright addicting – perfectly sweet and savory caramelized onions are puréed with cannellini beans, a touch of balsamic, thyme, and garlic to create the most mouthwatering appetizer. This dip is incredible with crostini, spread on a sandwich, or served with veggies!
Ingredients
Scale
For the Caramelized Onions:
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 medium sweet onions, thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon packed light or dark brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 1 large clove garlic, smashed
For the White Bean Dip & Serving:
- 1 (15.5 ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
- Juice of 1/2 a lemon
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves removed (plus extra leaves for garnish)
- 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
- Flaky sea salt, for garnish
- Crostini, pita chips, and/or veggies for serving
Instructions
- Caramelize Onions:
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil and 2 tablespoons butter in a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium heat.
- Add the thinly sliced onions, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Stir to combine.
- Cook for 1-2 minutes, letting the onions sweat slightly. Add the brown sugar and stir.
- Reduce heat to medium-low. Cook for 40-45 minutes, stirring frequently (every 5-10 minutes), until the onions are deeply golden brown, soft, and caramelized. Adjust heat as necessary to prevent burning.
- In the last few minutes of cooking, stir in the 1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar and the smashed garlic clove. Cook until the balsamic has mostly evaporated and the garlic is fragrant, about 2-3 minutes more.
- Remove from heat and let the caramelized onions cool for several minutes.
- Make the Dip:
- Reserve about one-fourth of the caramelized onions (and the garlic clove if you can find it easily) for topping the dip later.
- Place the drained and rinsed cannellini beans, the remaining three-fourths of the caramelized onions (including the garlic clove), lemon juice, fresh thyme leaves, 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar, 1 tablespoon olive oil, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, and a few turns of cracked black pepper into a food processor.
- Blend until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper, if needed.
- Assemble and Serve:
- Spread the white bean dip into a serving bowl.
- Top with the reserved caramelized onions.
- Finish with an optional drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, a sprinkle of flaky sea salt, a sprinkle of fresh thyme leaves, and more freshly cracked black pepper.
- Serve warm or at room temperature with crostini, pita chips, and/or fresh vegetables for dipping.
Notes
- Onions: Sweet onions like Vidalia or Walla Walla work best for caramelizing, but yellow onions are also fine. Slice them thinly and evenly.
- Caramelizing: True caramelization takes time and patience over low heat. Don’t rush it, and stir frequently to prevent sticking or burning.
- Beans: Cannellini beans create a creamy dip. Great Northern or Navy beans can be substituted.
- Blending: A food processor makes the dip smoothest. You may need to scrape down the sides during blending. Add a splash more olive oil or a tablespoon of water if needed to reach desired consistency.
- Storage: Store leftover dip in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days. Serve chilled or bring to room temperature.