This deliciously cool and creamy Vegan Caramelized Onion and Garlic Dip is a real crowd-pleaser! Made with silken tofu, it's dairy-free, plant-based, packed with sweet, concentrated garlic and caramelized onion flavour and delicious served with chips or crunchy fresh veggies.
Looking for more creamy vegan dips? Check out my Vegan Spinach Artichoke Dip, Fig & Black Olive Tapenade, and Curry Hummus!
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If you need a delicious creamy vegan dip for the holidays or your next party, this Caramelized Onion Garlic Dip is perfect!
With a delicious blend of roasted garlic, slow-caramelized onions and cool, creamy silken tofu, it's the perfect sweet and savoury party appetizer. Pair this delicious dairy-free dip recipe with chips, crackers, and crunchy veggies, and watch everyone turn into a pack of hungry wolves!
I got the idea for this dip after perfecting my easy vegan cheese sauce recipe, which is also made with silken tofu. It blends so easily to make a silky, creamy sauce or silken tofu dip.
Note that caramelizing the onions slowly, and I mean really slowly, is very important for great flavour. And don't worry, I've included full instructions and tips below.
Mel x
Ingredient Notes & Substitutions
Here is what you need along with some important notes & substitution ideas:
- Silken tofu - The perfect low-fat, neutral, dairy-free base for a creamy dip because it blends easily into an exceptionally smooth, creamy texture with no graininess. As long as it's silken tofu, any firmness will do here. Soft tofu also works well. Don't use any other type of tofu.
- Onion and garlic - And lots of it too! You need an entire head of garlic and 2 large onions. I prefer yellow onions for this recipe.
- Nutritional yeast - For umami, savoury, slightly cheesy flavour.
- Sugar - White or cane sugar for caramelizing the onion. The caramelization is what gives this dip such great flavour.
- Miso - This must be white miso and is for umami/depth. Don't use a dark one as the flavour will be too strong and the colour too dark.
- Vinegar - For a little acidity and to balance the flavours. I recommend using white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar, but you can also use lemon juice.
- Thyme - A herb that works really well with onions and garlic. You can use fresh or dried thyme.
- Dairy-free milk - This must be unsweetened and unflavoured. Be extra careful to check the ingredients for sugar and vanilla. You don't want them in your dip!
Onion Caramelizing Tip
Caramelizing the onions properly is very important for the best-tasting dip. They need lots of time for the sugars to caramelize, so you cannot rush the process. Cook them slowly, and I mean really slowly, just like when making Vegan French Onion Soup! You are looking for a deep, deep golden colour and a very soft, sticky, jammy consistency. The process will take about 40 minutes. I promise it's worth it!
Serving Suggestions
Serve this cool and creamy silken tofu with your favourite dippers. Some ideas include:
- Chips
- Tortilla chips
- Pita
- Crispy pita chips
- Crackers
- Crostini
- Crudités (sliced or raw vegetables) such as carrot sticks or baby carrots, sliced red or yellow bell pepper, snap peas, celery, cauliflower, broccoli, cucumber.
Got leftovers? Leftover Caramelized Onion Garlic Dip can be dolloped on burgers and baked potatoes, added to mashed potatoes for creaminess and flavour, or spread in sandwiches. You can even use it as an egg substitute when breading.
Recipe
Vegan Caramelized Onion Garlic Dip
Author:Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil, plus a little for greasing
- 1 whole head garlic , not individual cloves, the whole thing
- 2 large or about 2 heaping cups (300 grams) yellow onion, peeled, cut in half then sliced finely
- 2 teaspoons white or cane sugar
- 1 pack (approximately 308g or 10.9 oz) silken tofu or soft tofu (Pack sizes vary. You don't have to be exact. A little more or less is fine)
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 1 tablespoon white miso paste
- 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar, or lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt, plus a little more to taste if necessary
- ⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon fresh or dried thyme
- Up to 4 tablespoons (60 mls) dairy-free milk. It must be unsweetened & unflavoured
RECOMMENDED EQUIPMENT
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Roast the garlic - Note that you can do this up to a couple of days in advance and store it, still wrapped, in the fridge. I roast mine when the oven is on for something else.
- Keep the garlic head all in one piece (don't break off individual cloves) and slice about ¼ inch straight off the top, exposing the inside of the cloves inside. Take a square of foil, grease it with olive oil, place the garlic head cut-side down in the middle and wrap it very tightly. Place on a small baking tray and bake for 40 minutes. After this time, check it. It should be really soft if you give it a squeeze. Give it another 5 minutes or so if it's not. Once completely soft, remove from the oven and allow it to cool in the foil.
- Caramelize the onion - Heat a sauté pan over a medium-low heat. Add about 1 tablespoon of olive oil, then the sliced onion. Cook slowly for around 30 minutes, stirring frequently. Once the onion is soft and starting to turn golden, add the sugar. Stir well, then continue to cook for another 5 minutes or so until it is a very deep golden brown. Remove from the heat and set aside.
- Blend the dip - To a blender, add the silken tofu, nutritional yeast, white miso, vinegar and salt. Take the roasted garlic head and gently squeeze the garlic out of the papery skins and into the blender, along with about half of the caramelized onion. Blend until completely smooth. Check the consistency and add a little milk if needed to get a nice dip consistency. Add it very sparingly, blending in between additions, so you don't accidentally use too much.
- Add the thyme and the rest of the onion (saving a little to garnish the top of the dip)and stir to distribute. If you prefer it completely smooth, you can blend all of the onion into it. I like having some of the golden strands through mine for texture. Check the seasoning and add more salt and pepper if necessary.
- To serve - Spoon into a serving dish and garnish with a little caramelized onion and/or some fresh thyme leaves.
NOTES
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Elva Bevan says
Wanted to like this but didn’t care for it at all.
Marie says
Well. This was delicious. Did I change anything? I added a little white pepper. That's it.
Billy says
Awful. It’s not creamy nor is it onion-y or garlic-y.. didn’t even add soy milk and it was runny and horrible. Took about an hour and 15 to make as well, by the time the garlic and onion was done.
Melanie McDonald says
I’m not sure what you did here Billy but with an entire head of garlic and 2 large onions it can’t possibly not taste oniony or garlicky. It also can’t really be runny because the only
liquid going in is one tablespoon of vinegar, until the milk right at the end which is on an as needed basis. I feel like maybe you went wrong somewhere here. Happy to help troubleshoot if you give me more info!
Marcy says
the recipe calls for silken tofu. I have to order it because no stores here in the desert SW carry it. When I look online, there is Silken Firm, Xtra firm etc. . . . If your recipe doesn't specify which one, does it mean the softest possible?
Melanie McDonald says
Any silken tofu is fine. I've actually made it with regular soft tofu too if that helps.
Gloria Piroso says
Up up up, good
Michael says
Love this recipe!!!
Kim Turner says
I tried this recipe and it was really good.
Antisocial Vegan says
Could I just mix together pureed Onion and Garlic into ready made Vegan Mayo?
Stacey says
Thanks for the great recipe. We just loved it. I’ll be making it regularly now.
Melanie McDonald says
I'm really pleased you enjoyed it Stacey!
Alexa says
Looks amazing! Making it right now :) Have you tried baking this and serving it warm? Wondering how that would turn out.
A Virtual Vegan says
I haven't tried baking it.
Liz says
This is DELICIOUS!
Susan says
Loved it!
Mary says
Do you have to use the nutritional yeast? I don't have any right now. Thanks
A Virtual Vegan says
You don't have to. It will still be nice, it just won't have exactly the same depth of flavour.
Mary says
Thanks. I did make it and it turned out very good!
Sheila L Gray says
Absolutely delicious! I love it. It could have used more lemon juice because it was not as tangy as sour cream, but I love it exactly the way it is. Great!
A Virtual Vegan says
So glad you enjoyed it Sheila!
Rachel says
Hi, I'm really excited to try this recipe!
Did you use soft silken tofu or firm?
Thanks!
A Virtual Vegan says
As long as it's silken any firmness will be ok. Hope you enjoy it!
Lisa says
Wow I love it! We have made it twice now. Thank you for the recipe!
A Virtual Vegan says
So glad you enjoyed it!
Sarah Peters says
Onions are so yummy when they are caramelized! This was absolutely delish!
A Virtual Vegan says
Thank you! You just can't beat caramelized onions. And the smell when they are cooking is so good!
Nikki says
Is there something to use instaed of tofu for people who Can't have soy????
Sarah McMinn says
This is a great onion dip! Thanks for the recipe.
Amy says
This is one amazing onion dip!