Everyone loves a good party dip, and a creamy French onion dip is one of the all time classics. But if you can't have dairy and are tired of missing out, then you're going to love this dairy-free creamy onion dip. It's packed with all the delicious oniony flavor from both chives and caramelised onions, plus is super light and creamy, with just the right amount of tang that will have you coming back for more!
QUICK LOOK: TL:DR
Dairy Free Creamy Onion Dip
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 35 mins (mostly caramelising the onions!)
- Total Time: 45 mins
- Servings: about 45-50
- Key Ingredients: Cashews, Dairy-Free Greek Yoghurt, Nutritional Yeast, Caramelised Onions and Chives.
- Dietary Info : Vegan, Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free
- Tasting Notes: Creamy and mildly tangy with a soft onion flavor that's very scoopable.
If you loved that old-school sour cream and chive dip or the creamy French Onion dip you can get at the supermarket, or that your Mum or Granny used to make with a packet of pre-made mix and some sour cream, you're going to love this dip. It tastes just as good, but without the icky overly dairy feeling (which if you're lactose intolerant you will know too well!) or the whack of extra salty fake onion seasoning than can leave you feeling thirsty and weirdly sticky.
I like to dip my favourite Lentil and Flaxseed Crackers into this creamy dip, or you can choose potato chips or crudites to dip. And if you're after more dairy free but delicious dips to serve up, check out my Edamame Basil Dip which also happens to be high protein too!
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Why you'll love this recipe!
- Creamy and Dippable: this is the best party dip!
- No Dairy: made with cashews and dairy-free yoghurt.
- No Artificial Flavors: Unlike pre-made dips.
- Perfect to make ahead: for parties and cookouts
- Healthy Option: healthier than sour cream or cream cheese, plus better-for-you ingredients than store-bought dips.
🧅Key Ingredients
- Raw Cashew Nuts: Make sure to use raw, unsalted and unroasted cashew nuts. They will need to be boiled for 10 minutes or soaked overnight.
- Non-Dairy Greek Yoghurt: I prefer Alpro Greek yoghurt for this recipe as it's got a great tangy flavor and is very creamy. Make sure to use unsweetened yoghurt and if you can't find Greek-Style, then strain plain dairy-free yoghurt to make it a little thicker.
- Dijon Mustard: This adds a delicous tangy flavor.
- White Miso Paste: For a salty slightly umami flavor. This is the same paste that gets used in lots of Japanese dishes such as my favourite Vegan Japanese Glazed Eggplant.
- Lemon Juice: Freshly squeezed lemon juice adds tang and freshness.
- Garlic Powder: Some garlic powder adds an extra layer of oniony style flavor.
- Nutritional Yeast: This adds a distinctly funky nutty almost parmesan style cheese flavor, and is naturally high protein. I love using 'it'nooch' (aka nutritional yeast) in all kinds of dishes, but if it's new to you, then check out my crispy Pangrattato recipe for sprinkling on pasta which is an easy way to start out using it.
- White or Brown Onions: Just the basic onion you would use in cooking.
- Chives: Fresh chives adds a delicious mild onion flavor to the dip.
See recipe card for quantities.
🌶️Substitutions & Variations
- Other Non-Dairy Yoghurt:- If you can't find vegan greek yoghurt, choose plain unsweetened non-dairy yoghurt and put it in a cheesecloth to strain off some of the liquid before using.
- Pre-Made Vegan Cream Cheese:-Choose your favourite plain vegan cream cheese, add yoghurt, lemon juice, fresh chives, garlic powder and the caramelised onions for an even easier version.
👩🍳How to Make Dairy-Free Onion Dip
Here's how to make this delicious dip!
Pre-Prepare the Cashews: First of all, soak the cashews overnight OR simmer the cashews for 10 minutes in a saucepan and let the cashews cool down.
- Step 1: Finely chop onions. Add a small amount of olive oil to a frying pan and slowly sautee the onions on low heat.
- Step 2: Keep stirring the onions so they don't burn. If needed add a tiny amount of water to keep them from scorching. After 25-35 minutes the onions should be caramelised and golden.
- Step 3:Drain the cashews from their soaking water but keep aside 2 tablespoon of the water. To your blender Add the cashews, water, miso, garlic granules, lemon juice and nutritional yeast.
- Step 4: Blend the cashew mixture until you have a thick creamy vegan cream cheese.
- Step 5: Add the yoghurt to the cashew cream cheese.
- Step 6: Blend again until creamy and it drops off the spoon a little when scooped up.
- Step 7: Add the yoghurt to the cashew cream cheese.
- Step 8: Blend again until creamy and it drops off the spoon a little when scooped up.
Hint: I like to add most of the chives directly into the dip and leave the dip in the fridge for an hour or so before serving so that their flavor infuses into the dip. You can also choose to mix in half the caramelised onions in too. Make sure to serve with plenty of good-for-you ground flaxseed crackers!
Top tip for caramelising onions
It takes time to caramelise onions, at least 35 minutes if not longer, depending on the water content in the onion and how many you are cooking down. Make sure you have the pan on low, and keep stirring them to avoid them catching. I like to put a lid semi-over the onions to keep them from drying out before they caramelise. If you need to, add a little water to stop them drying out before they get to a lovely caramel colour. If you're a real lover of caramelised onions, you need to try my French Onion Beans skillet.
🍝Serving Ideas for this Creamy Onion Dip:
If you have leftovers of this dip, or just can't get enough of it's oniony flavor here are some yummy ways to serve it up! Try adding it to these vegan baked potatoes as a topping. It's also delicious stirred through pasta, then topped with homemade tofu vegan bacon bits.
❓Dairy Free Creamy Onion Dip FAQs
This is a completely gluten-free and dairy free recipe.
Soaked cashews which are blended to a very fine cream make a delicious but rich cream cheese substitute. To lighten up the dip so it's more dippable, we then add vegan Greek Yoghurt, so you get a delicous creamy but not overly heavy dip.
This dip keeps well in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.
I do not suggest freezing this dip as it will alter the structure and will not be as creamy once thawed.
Most french onion dips or creamy dips with chives contain dairy and are made with either cream cheese, sour cream or both. This dip does not contain dairy, instead it uses cashews and vegan yoghurt for a dairy-free dip.
Delicious Snacks to Try with this Dip!
📖 Recipe
Dairy Free Creamy Onion Dip without Sour Cream
Equipment
Ingredients Note:
For accuracy, I measure all ingredients in metric as standard, then convert and test the recipe for American cup measurements etc.
(Heads up Aussie and UK readers- your measurements in cups are sometimes different, so please use metric or check you have the correct cup and spoon type!!)
Ingredients
- 250 g (1 ½ cups) white onion (or brown onion)
- 1 tablespoon (1 tablespoon) olive oil (to sautee the onions)
- 140 g (1 cups) cashews
- 60 ml (¼ cup) lemon juice
- 15 g (⅜ cup) nutritional yeast
- ½ teaspoon (½ teaspoon) flakey sea salt (or to taste. Start with ½ teaspoon and add more as needed. )
- 1 teaspoon (1 teaspoon) garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon (1 teaspoon) Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon (1 tablespoon) white miso paste
- 110 g (½ cup) vegan greek yoghurt
- 25 grams (¼ cup) chives
Instructions
- Finely chop the onions and sautee on a low heat with a little olive oil in a frying pan until caramelised (about 30 mins). You might need to add a little water to keep them from drying out. Keep an eye on them so they don't burn and occassionally stir to keep them from sticking.250 g white onion, 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Soak cashews in water for 6 hours or overnight , or soak in boiling water for 1 hour. Drain.140 g cashews
- Add the drained cashews, miso paste, lemon juice, nutritional yeast, garlic powder, dijon mustard into a blender and blend until very smooth and thick.60 ml lemon juice, 15 g nutritional yeast, ½ teaspoon flakey sea salt, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, 1 tablespoon white miso paste
- You might need to blend 3-4 times depending on the strength of your blender.
- Once the cream cheese is smooth, add the vegan greek yoghurt and blend. You can add more or less yoghurt to get to the consistency you like.110 g vegan greek yoghurt
- Taste and add more salt or lemon juice as needed.
- Finely snip the chives and add most into the dip and stir. (leave some to sprinkle over the top if that's your thing!)25 grams chives
- Let the dip rest (if you have time) for an hour or so in the fridge for the flavors to develop (not 100% necessary but it does taste better)
- Once the caramelised onions are done, make sure to cool them completely.
- To serve: Add caramelised onions on top, and a sprinkle of chives. Serve with chips, crackers and crudites to taste.
Notes
- Keep in fridge for up to a week in an airtight container.
- If you can't find vegan Greek Yoghurt, use some plain non dairy yoghurt and strain it to remove some of it's water content for a creamier texture.
- DO NOT USE SWEETENED YOGHURT! (no one wants vanilla flavored onion dip!)
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Louise-Claire Cayzer says
This dip is the one I've been serving up all summer. Make sure to make extra for yourself because I guarantee it will get eaten up at every picnic or BBQ you bring it to!