Sweet meets savory in this flavor forward Roasted Grape Caramelized Onion Dip. A luscious combo of cream cheese and sour cream builds the dip base. It's livened up with the deep concentrated flavors of caramelized onions, a tangy splash of wine vinegar and fresh grassy herbs. Then the onion dip is topped in perfectly roasted California grapes, drawing out the natural sweetness of the onions. The sweet and savory combo of plump, bursting grapes atop the creamy texture of the flavorful dip pairs perfectly with everything from salty potato chips, to crunchy crackers or crisp slices of toasted baguette.
More delicious recipes from Baking The Goods
If you've ever had a caramelized onions, you already know that the caramelization process transforms the sharpness of fresh onions into a deeply browned, naturally sweet and jammy version of themselves. The roasted grapes echo that natural sweetness of the onions, making them a picture perfect finish to top the varied flavors and textures of this mouth watering dip.
You can roast grapes?
You sure can! In fact, roasting grapes deepens them into ultra silky and jammy little flavor-filled gems. And making roasted grapes is easy, simply toss the grapes with a little olive oil and roast on a baking sheet in the oven for 20 minutes. Any California table grapes work here. Roast red grapes, green grapes or black grapes, they all come out as jammy gems with a juicy burst of concentrated grape flavor.
Roasted grapes are a versatile addition to all kinds of dishes. Here, they add a sweet and sophisticated layer to an easy caramelized onion dip. They bring instant elegance to my Roasted Grape Goat Cheese Tart. There are countless ways to jazz up your recipes with roasted grapes, here are a few from our friends at California Grown.
Tips for selecting and storing Grapes from California
California grapes and are in season from May through January. In order to enjoy grapes at their peak freshness, here are a few tips to keep in mind when selecting and storing grapes.
- Look for grape bunches with plump berries and pliable, green stems.
- That white-ish coating on dark colored grapes is a good thing! Bloom, is a naturally occurring substance that protects the grapes from decay and moisture loss.
- Allow that natural bloom do it's thing and prolong the life of your grapes by storing them unwashed in the refrigerator, then rinsing just before eating.
- Grapes can absorb odors, so don't store grapes next to onions or leeks.
Ingredients for Roasted Grape Caramelized Onion Dip
With just a handful of ingredients, a few minutes of prep, and a hot oven, you'll have a memorable and delicious appetizer your guests will love. The ingredients are simple and you get them all in a quick trip to the grocery store. Nothing fancy, just an interesting mix of ingredients teaming up to create a creamy dip with an unexpected and delicious twist.
- California table grapes - red, green, or black on or off the stem
- California yellow onions, no need to use sweet onions because the onions will sweeten as they caramelize
- California olive oil
- California white wine vinegar or red wine vinegar
- Sour cream
- Cream cheese
- Chives
- Parsley
- Salt and black pepper
Roast the grapes and onions at the same time in the oven
This Roasted Grape Caramelized Onion Dip recipe piggybacks on the roasting process by simultaneously roasting the grapes on one baking sheet and the onions on another. While the grapes roast down and start to burst on a sheet pan on the upper oven rack, the thinly sliced onions cook down and soften on a separate baking sheet on the lower rack. Fully caramelizing onions takes a little longer, so once the roasted grapes are removed, the oven temperature is lowered to 375°F, allowing the onions to finish their slow roasting and caramelization process. The onions continue to cook down for another 30-ish minutes, until they are jammy with a deep golden brown color.
Since the oven already on to roast the grapes, the onions are caramelized on a sheet pan in the oven, rather than the more traditional style of caramelizing onions in a large skillet on the stove top. I often prefer caramelizing my onions in the oven vs. a skillet because you can roast so many at once, thanks to all of that surface area. For the best results, give the onions a good toss with some tongs a few times throughout the roasting so they roast up evenly.
Steps to making this Roasted Grape Caramelized Onion Dip
Prep
Get your mise en place (everything set up and prepped) before you begin. You'll want to thinly slice the onions. I recommend a mandoline here, if you have one. Then finely chop the chives and parsley.
Roast
Both the grapes and the onions are roasted in the oven for easability of the recipe.
The grapes can roasted on the vine in a cluster or loosely on the sheet pan. It's all up to you and how you want to serve the dip. Personally, I love the look of the whole cluster but keep in mind that you'll want to set out a fork for snackers to pluck the grapes from the vine and onto their plate when serving.
Mix
Mixing the caramelized onion dip is a quick endeavor. Blend the cream cheese and sour cream together by hand or with a the help of a mixer until smooth. Then stir in the caramelized onions, herbs, salt and pepper.
Serve
You can prep the caramelized onion dip ahead of time and store it in an air-tight container until you are ready to serve. Just before serving, transfer the dip to a serving bowl and use a spatula or spoon to create swirl. Then top with the roasted grapes, herbs, salt and pepper. You can even give it all a good glug of olive oil to finish in glossy richness.
This Roasted Grape Caramelized Onion Dip is a party pleaser
Everybody loves a caramelized onion dip, it's a classic snacking standard. Even the store-bought onion dip disappears quickly. But this Roasted Grape Caramelized Onion Dip, well, it's the life the party. The recipe makes a big ol' batch that's ideal for gathering together at your place on game day or if you're having friends over for a game night. It's an easy and elegant happy hour snack. And, you can even make it ahead, wrap it up and bring this party dip along with you for a tasty tailgating snack. It's enough noshy goodness for a whole team of 12+ snacky party pals.
This creamy dip satisfies a variety of cravings from from salty to savory and sweet. And a dip is a fan favorite. Go for the ultimate snacking goal with this stunning dip Roasted Grape Caramelized Onion Dip as a centerpiece.
Tips for storing and serving Roasted Grape Caramelized Onion Dip
- This onion dip recipe makes a large serving, so if you are having a smaller gathering under 6 people, you can cut the recipe in half and it still works seamlessly.
- Roasted grapes are best served right away, but they can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Store the dip in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- When serving from cold, allow the dip to soften at room temperature for a few minutes before serving.
- Top with a drizzle of olive oil and fresh herbs just before serving.
- If you roasted the grapes in a full cluster, serve with small serving forks for snackers to pluck the grapes from vine.
This post was proudly made in partnership with California Grown and Grapes from California. All opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting me and the brands that I love. Follow @cagrownofficial and @grapesfromca on Instagram to learn more about the foods grown in California, farm practices and discover new recipes!
PrintRecipe
Roasted Grape Onion Dip
- Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
- Yield: 12+ servings 1x
Description
This Roasted Grape Caramelized Onion Dip combines the natural sweetness and depth of roasted grapes & caramelized onions with deep savory flavors in a creamy, snackable dip.
Ingredients
1 pound California table grapes Red, green, or black on or off the stem, approximately 2 ½ cups
2 medium California yellow onions, about 3 cups thinly sliced
2 tablespoons California olive oil + more for serving
3 tablespoons California white wine vinegar
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
12 ounces sour cream
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
¼ cup chives, finely chopped
2 tablespoons parsley, finely chopped
salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
Prep: Trim the stem end of the onions, Lay the onion flat on its cut surface then slice it in half and peel away the skin. Then thinly slice the onions into ¼" thick slices. A mandoline is a very helpful tool here. Finely chop the chives and parsley.
Roast the grapes and onions: Preheat the oven to 400°F. Add the grapes to one baking sheet and the onions to another. Drizzle both with olive oil and toss to coat. Sprinkle the onions with salt and toss to coat.
Roast for 20 minutes until the grapes are just starting to burst. Remove the grapes from the oven and set aside to cool. Lower the oven temperature to 375°F and continue to roast the onions for an additional 30-ish minutes, until they become deeply golden brown and fragrant. Remove from the oven, pour the vinegar over the caramelized onions and toss to coat.
Once the onions have cooled slightly, transfer to a cutting board and coarsely chop.
Mix: In a large bowl, mix the cream cheese and sour cream with a hand mixer or by hand if the cream cheese has softened enough. Blend until smooth. Then stir in the chopped onions, herbs, salt and pepper. Reserving a pinch of herbs to sprinkle on top for serving.
Top & Serve: Transfer the dip into a pretty serving bowl and give it a good swirl with the back of a spoon. Top with the roasted grapes, a sprinkle of herbs and a few cracks of pepper and a drizzle of olive oil. Serve with chips, toasty bread or crackers.
Notes
The grapes can roasted on the vine in a cluster or loosely on the sheet pan. It's all up to you and how you want to serve the dip. Personally, I love the look of the whole cluster but keep in mind that you'll want to set out forks for snackers to pluck the grapes from the vine and onto their plate when serving.
Roasted grapes are best served right away, but they can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Store the dip in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
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