Caramelized onions add a deep, rich flavor to most any savory dish. Sometimes, though, you don’t want to take the time to cook them before you can start the rest of your recipe. Taking a shortcut with our Caramelized French Onion Dip mix gives you all the flavor without the fuss.
Try these seven crazy, ingenious recipes with our Caramelized French Onion Dip to make your family or dinner guests think you slaved over the meal. Then use the time you save for an extra cup of coffee or a glass of wine.
1. Hearty Roast Beef or Pork
Not only does the dip mix save you time you’d usually spend measuring spices and mincing herbs, but you can save even more time by popping it into the oven or the slow-cooker and using that cook time for other tasks.
For quick clean-up, prepare your meal in an oven cooking bag. This also keeps the meat moist, while the “low and slow” cooking technique makes it tender.
Start by preheating the oven to 350 degrees. Sprinkle 1/4 cup of flour into the bag and shake it well to coat the inside.
Next, place a beef or pork roast inside the bag. You can use any cut of beef or pork, but a rump roast or sirloin roast works well. Scrub baby carrots, small potatoes, and baby portabella mushrooms; if the potatoes are large, cut them in half.
Mix a package of Caramelized French Onion Dip mix with 3/4 cup of water. Pour the sauce over the roast, massaging it through the bag to be sure the whole surface is coated. Add the carrots, potatoes and mushrooms and close the bag with its tie. Cut five or six 1/2-inch slits. Bake the roast for 2 1/2 to 3 hours or until it is tender.
2. Not Your Mama’s Meatballs
Mix up a batch of Caramelized French Onion Dip meatballs; you won’t need your mama’s marinara to top them. They’re perfect all by themselves or served up on crusty French or Italian bread rolls as sandwiches.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Mix 1 package of dip mix with 1 pound of ground turkey, 1/2 cup of oatmeal, and 1 egg. Use your hands to blend everything thoroughly and then form the mixture into meatballs. For an extra touch, tuck a small piece of mozzarella or cheddar cheese into the center of the meatball.
Place the balls on a 9-inch x 13-inch baking sheet that you’ve lined with parchment paper, and cook them for 20 minutes or until they are cooked through.
If you still want a sauce after you taste these yummy treats, mix a little softened cream cheese, sour cream, and dip mix together in a saucepan, and heat it through on low heat.
3. Palate-Pleasing Cheesy Bread
Cheese and onions: what more do you need to know about this dish to know it’s going to be a new favorite?
You can use any cheese blend that you have on hand if these aren’t your favorites. And you can even make this ahead of time and freeze it for later. Just pop it into zippered freezer bags before baking, then thaw and bake it when you’re ready to nosh.
Grate 2 cups each of sharp cheddar and Monterrey Jack cheeses. Mix them with 1/2 cup of grated Parmesan cheese (the good, fresh stuff), 1/2 cup of mayonnaise, 4 tablespoons softened butter, and a package of Caramelized French Onion Dip mix.
Cut a loaf of crusty French bread in half lengthwise, and spread the cheese mixture on both halves. Bake the bread at 350 degrees for 10 minutes, or if you’re baking it straight out of the freezer, bake it for 20 minutes.
4. Kicked Up Grilled Cheese
It’s hard to believe, but there might be times when you actually have a bit of Caramelized French Onion Dip leftover after a party. Don’t let it go to waste!
Spread one side of two slices of whole wheat bread with the dip. Place one slice dip-side down in a skillet or on a griddle (or panini press). Then, top with your favorite cheese (a smoky Gouda would be terrific) and add the second slice of bread, dip-side up. Toast the sandwich on the first side and then flip it to toast the other side.
5. Too Tired to Cook Pasta
If you have Caramelized French Onion Dip and pasta, you’ve got dinner!
Mix the dip according to the package directions, add a little olive oil to the dip to thin it slightly, then toss it with cooked pasta. Serve it warm with a green salad or chill it for a unique twist on pasta salad.
6. (Semi)Homemade Salad Dressing
Impress your family or guests with a special salad dressing. Make Caramelized French Onion Dip according to the package directions, then add a splash of milk to make it pourable. Toss a variety of salad greens, some walnuts or almonds, a bit of feta or bleu cheese, and a handful of dried cranberries, and then top them with your “secret recipe” salad dressing.
7. Creamy French Onion Chicken and Rice
While you are preparing the chicken, cook 1 cup of brown rice in 1 cup of chicken broth and 1 cup of water until it is tender.
Slice and sauté one onion in a little olive oil until it is translucent and just beginning to turn golden. Add 1 cup of chicken broth. Season two skinless, boneless chicken breasts or four thighs; add them to the onion and broth, and cook them for 8 minutes.
Add 1/2 cup Caramelized French Onion Dip, 1/2 cup of milk, and 1 tablespoon of Italian seasoning, stirring it in thoroughly. Cook it for 4 minutes longer or until the chicken is cooked completely.
Spoon rice onto a plate and top it with the chicken. Pour the pan sauce over the top of the dish.
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