Looking for a great appetizer to start your holiday party or even just a football outing? Prepare this caramelized onion, bacon and gruyere cheese dip and you’ll be making this for every party! As a host, you know guests are going to be arriving hungry, looking for food as soon as they walk in the door. You want to please your guests without having to spend all your time in the kitchen. Well, say no more because I have the perfect appetizer that you can prepare the day before. Simply make the spread the day before and pop it in the oven the following day, no hassle, guaranteed! Even if you’re not hosting a gathering, make this dip for yourself and enjoy it as a great snack.

Caramelized onion, bacon and gruyere dip 45 minTotal Time Yields about 1 cup Save Recipe Save Recipe Print Recipe Ingredients 3 slices thick bacon

1 tbsp oil

2 cups onion, thinly sliced

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 cup gruyere cheese, shredded

2 tbsp fresh chives

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp black pepper

1/4 tsp salt Instructions Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Place bacon on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil. Bake for 15 minutes or until crispy. Cut into small chunks. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add sliced onions and saute until softened, about 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Reduce heat to low and continue to cook until onions are caramelized, about 15 more minutes. If the pan becomes too dry, add a couple tablespoons of water. Remove onions from heat and cool. Mix together onions with bacon, mayonnaise, sour cream, 1/4 cup gruyere, chives, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Pour dip mixture into a 1-quart baking dish sprayed with cooking spray. Sprinkle 1/4 cup gruyere on top. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the top is lightly browned. Serve warm with chips, crostini or crudite. Notes If preparing the day before, mix the spread together and chill overnight. Bake the next day for 20 minutes or until the cheese is bubbling. 7.8.1.2 172

**Helpful tips and common mistakes

The most difficult step in preparing this cheese dip is the caramelized onions. Properly caramelizing onions takes at least 20 minutes. You want to slowly cook the onions over medium-low heat to prevent them from burning while still breaking down the natural sugars to create caramelized onions.

Start with a touch of oil or spray with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Add the onions and saute, stirring occasionally.

Monitor the heat on your stovetop, lowering the heat as needed. If you notice the pan drying out, add a little bit of water to the onions. If the onion starts to burn, reduce the heat. Make sure to stir occasionally while the onions are cooking, but not too often that the onions are constantly moving. Stirring too frequently won’t give the onions enough time with the heat of the pan to cook and caramelize. About halfway through, the onions will start to brown.

As the onions become darker in color, stir more frequently. I could have taken my onions even further, but I was running out of time (also a reminder to give yourself plenty of time to prepare the onions!).

Once the onions are out of the way, all you have left to do is mix all of the ingredients and bake the dip!

I thoroughly enjoyed this caramelized onion, bacon and gruyere cheese dip. The sweet onions with the salty bacon and creamy texture of the cheese spread itself is a wonderful combination. I had mine with crostini, whole wheat baguette, and even tortilla chips, all appropriate dipping sides! If your guests are heavy dippers, I recommend making a large batch because this dip is addicting. Trust me, if they like the dip as much as I did (which I’m sure they will) you’ll need a big portion!

Another great dip to try? Check out this buffalo chicken dip or pumpkin beer cheese dip!

Looking for someone to come to your house and prepare these dishes for you? It is possible! If you are in Los Angeles and looking for a private chef, please feel free to contact me. For more information, visit Private Kitchen Los Angeles.