Slow-caramelized onions deepen the dip’s savory flavor, while sherry adds complexity that balances the creamy white bean base.Cannellini beans, cream cheese, and Gruyère create an ultra-smooth, rich texture that bakes into a bubbly, golden layer perfect for spreading.The dip is make-ahead friendly and serves a crowd, offering a hearty vegetarian option that feels cozy and elegant for gatherings.
French onion soup meets party dip in this cozy, crowd-pleasing appetizer. Built on a base of caramelized onions, canned cannellini beans, and cream cheese, it delivers all the slow-cooked sweetness of classic bistro-style onions with the ease and shareability of a baked dip.
Thinly sliced yellow onions cook low and slow with thyme and salt until deeply caramelized, developing the kind of savory complexity you’d expect from a pot of soup that’s been on the stove all afternoon. A splash of dry sherry lifts the flavor and dissolves the browned bits into a concentrated glaze.
The jammy onions get folded into a silky puree of white beans, Parmesan cheese, garlic, Worcestershire, and black pepper, creating a creamy base. A generous layer of shredded Gruyère on top nods directly to the broiled cheese cap on a classic French onion soup, bubbling and browning in the oven until it forms a golden, stretchy crust.
Served hot with toasted baguette slices or crisp crudités, this dip feels special enough for holiday parties and dinner gatherings, but it’s made almost entirely from pantry ingredients. Most of the active work happens up front with the onions; they require a little patience, the key to their depth of flavor as they soften and caramelize. After that, the food processor does the heavy lifting, and a quick trip to the oven finishes the simple process. If you love the flavors of French onion soup but want something guests can scoop and share, this dip is the one to make.
The best onions for caramelizing
Yellow onions are the best and most reliable onions for deep caramelization because their natural sugar content allows them to brown but while still developing savory depth. Sweet onions, such as Vidalia, are a great choice if you want a milder, even sweeter result. Red onions can work in a pinch, but their color dulls from bright purple as they cook. A mix of standard yellow and naturally sweet onions, such as Vidalia or other mild summer varieties, gives a more complex flavor, silky texture, and sweetness.
Substitutes for cannellini beans
Canned cannellini beans have a mild, subtle nuttiness and earthiness that’s less prominent than chickpeas or kidney beans. They’re slightly sweet and creamy, not starchy or chalky when rinsed properly. If you can’t find canned cannellini beans, other mild, creamy white beans work seamlessly in this dip. Great Northern or navy beans are the closest stand-ins and blend smoothly in the food processor while letting the caramelized onion flavor shine. Butter beans add a slightly richer, more velvety texture.
Notes from the Food & Wine Test Kitchen
Cover the onions for the first few minutes to jump-start softening, then uncover and reduce the heat to medium-low to encourage deep browning and a thorough Maillard reaction.Add a splash of water to the onions as needed to loosen the fond and prevent scorching without diluting the flavor.Deglaze the onion pan at the end with dry sherry for a restaurant-style savory-sweet finish.
This recipe was developed by Julia Levy; the text was written by Andee Gosnell.
Dining and Cooking