Ready for happy hour? This platter is for you, filled with veggies and a creamy onion dip caramelized in red wine. It’s perfect for entertainment of all kinds!
do you do happy hour It has become an institution in my family. Every Friday night my parents host a “happy hour dinner” to end the week, which consists of all sorts of great snacks and a craft beer or two. Typically there are a few fine cheeses, usually smoked salmon (her favourite) and a colorful array of vegetables and fruit. Of course, when Alex and I are in town, my mom moves the happy hour dinner to make sure we get there. And this is how Alex and I like to eat dinner when we don’t have the energy to think: cheese, crackers, leftover veggies from the fridge + wine = dinner! Read on for this Happy Hour Caramelized Onion Dip and the cookbook that includes it!
About the book: trays and boards
Given our love of happy hour, it’s no surprise that we’re blown away by our friend Shelly’s new cookbook, Platters and Boards! The book is the source for this caramelized onion dip recipe.
Shelly is the blogger behind Vegetarian Ventures and a dear friend of ours who lives about an hour away in Bloomington, Indiana. Last year we shared a recipe from his first book Vegetarian Heartland, this delicious shakshuka with curry and coconut. Well, she’s already gone another one Stunning book, this one is all about the fun style: well, happy hour style, with beautiful, colorful food platters.
The most delicious caramelized onion dip!
Shelly’s recipes and photos are always spot on, and this book is no exception. It’s vibrant and lush throughout, with creative ideas for trays and boards for occasions large and small. There are all types of boards: Lazy Sunday Brunch Board, Date Night Spread, Movie Night Board, Grill Out Platter, Lazy Dinner Platter, S’mores Smorgasbord and Black Tie Spread. Shelly enlisted her boyfriend Wyatt to add a meat-loving twist to the platters, which is a fun touch.
To give you a taste of her book, we picked this happy hour platter with a delicious red wine caramel onion dip. It’s rich and creamy, a bit of a special occasion for us — paired with potato chips, it’s absolutely heavenly. To balance out the fullness, there are colorful vegetables of all kinds, along with spicy artichoke hearts and olives.
If that doesn’t make you happy at the end of happy hour, I don’t know what will. It’s perfect for entertaining, including holidays and New Year’s Eve, or just a simple dinner party!
How do you caramelize onions?
How do you caramelize onions? It takes a bit but it’s worth it for the taste! Since the onions are finely chopped here, it only takes 25 minutes to sauté the onions. If the onions are in larger slices, caramelizing the onions can sometimes take up to 45 minutes to achieve that golden color! Here’s what to do:
- Finely chop the onions.
- Fry them for 20 to 25 minutes, stirring frequently, until golden brown.
- Add red wine and sauté until wine is cooked through, about 10 minutes longer. That’s it!
Video: How to cut an onion
If you’re not sure how to finely chop onions, you’ve come to the right place! Here’s a tutorial of me chopping onions in our kitchen. Not only is it a unique method, but it saves you time and gives you the confidence you need to chop an onion!
order book
Shelly Westerhausen trays and boards
This caramelized onion dip recipe is…
This caramelized onion dip recipe is vegetarian and gluten-free (with gluten-free crackers).
The description
Ready for happy hour? This platter is for you, filled with veggies and a creamy onion dip caramelized in red wine. It’s perfect for entertainment of all kinds!
For the caramelized onion dip
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 4 large white onions
- ¼ cup red wine
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt or kosher salt, plus more as needed
- 2 cups sour cream
- 1 cup greek yogurt
- 1 tbsp Tamari or soy sauce
- Pinch of freshly ground black pepper
For the happy hour record
- 16 ounces Potato Chips
- 3 cups olives
- 8 ounces marinated artichoke hearts
- 16 ounces Crackers, like these homemade crackers or crostini
- 6 cups raw vegetables (carrot sticks, celery sticks, radish slices, cherry tomatoes, cauliflower, etc.)
- 48 ounces cheese cubes
- Prepare the caramelized onion dip: Finely chop the onions. In a large saucepan over medium heat, heat the olive oil. Add the onions and sauté for 20-25 minutes, stirring frequently, until golden brown. Add red wine and sauté until wine is cooked through, about 10 minutes longer. Remove from the stove, salt and let cool.
- Once cool, transfer to a medium mixing bowl and stir in the sour cream, yogurt, and soy sauce. Season with pepper and more salt if needed. Cover and place in the refrigerator and chill at least 30 minutes before serving. Can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Prepare the happy hour platter: place the dip, fries, olives, and marinated artichoke hearts in small bowls and arrange on a large serving platter. Fill the remaining sections of the tray with crackers, veggies, and cheese cubes. Serve immediately with serving spoons and toothpicks.
- Drink Pairs: If you don’t already have a drink for happy hour, serve up a range of simple, old-fashioned classic cocktails. To prepare, mix 2 ounces (60 ml) of whiskey with 3 drops of Angostura bitters, a dash of club soda and a sugar cube (or a dash of simple syrup) in an old fashioned glass. Garnish with maraschino cherry and an orange twist for an extra pop of color.
- Category: aperitif
- Method: Cook
- Kitchen: American
Keywords: Caramelized Onion Dip, How to Caramelize Onions, Dip Recipe, Fun Recipes, Entertainment, Happy Hour, Platter
Looking for more appetizer recipes?
Aside from that caramelized onion dip, here are some of our favorite appetizer recipes:
