French onion dip

History

French onion dip made of sour cream and instant onion soup was probably created in Los Angeles in 1954 by an unknown cook. The recipe spread quickly and was printed in a local newspaper. The Lipton company promoted this mixture on the television show Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts in 1955, and early on, it was known as "Lipton California Dip", but soon simply as "California Dip". A Lipton advertising campaign promoted it on television and in supermarkets. The recipe was added to the Lipton instant onion soup package in 1958. The name "French onion dip" began to be used in the 1960s, and became more popular than "California dip" in the 1990s.

Preparation

The original recipe consisted of sour cream and dehydrated onion soup mix.

There are now many mass-produced, pre-mixed versions, such as Ruffles French Onion Dip and Frito-Lay French Onion Dip. Commercially prepared products include additional ingredients to thicken, stabilize, and preserve the mixture.

Home-made versions may use caramelized onions.

Serving

French onion dip is often served at parties and as a "classic holiday party offering". It has also been described as "an American classic".

It may also be used on other foods, such as hamburgers, sandwiches and tacos.

Variants

Alternative bases include mayonnaise and cream cheese. Common flavorings are onion salt, salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic, garlic powder, parsley, chives, Worcestershire sauce and others.

Worldwide

It is now also popular in New Zealand, where it is made with reduced cream and called "Kiwi Dip".