You’ve carefully planned out your party. Everyone who is coming volunteered to bring something, so you know it’s going to be great.
The drinks are on the ice, the chips are in large bowls, and the plates and napkins are laid out.
When your guests arrive, you find there’s been a mix-up, and three people show up with French onion dip.
This is no problem since it is delicious, but when everyone leaves, you find a whole container left behind. What will you do with it?
Generally speaking, you can freeze French onion dip for up to 3 months. You will get the best results from frozen dips that have cream cheese with the sour cream or yogurt in the base. If you see some separation when the dip defrosts, you can whisk it back together, and it will taste as good as it did initially.
However, French onion dip that has mayonnaise or oil as the base should not be frozen. Mayonnaise will break down in the freezer and the components will not mix back together.
If the base of the dip has mayonnaise, you probably should skip the freezer and try one of the creative suggestions for using leftover French onion dip.
Continue reading for specific instructions for refrigerating and freezing French onion dip, recipes for homemade French onion dip, and ideas for using a leftover dip in unique ways.
Refrigerating French Onion Dip
French onion dip has a dairy base, so it needs to be refrigerated. Don’t leave it out for more than 2 hours because bacteria that can cause food-borne illness can multiply at room temperature.
Storebought French onion dip has stabilizers and preservatives, making it stay good in the refrigerator for 10-14 days.
Homemade French onion dip doesn’t have those preservatives; therefore, it will remain fresh for 4-7 days in the refrigerator.
Freezing French Onion Dip
A new, unopened container of French onion dip can go directly into the freezer just as it is for up to 3 months.
You can store leftover storebought or homemade French onion dip in a container that has only a little air space or in zip-top freezer bags.
A rigid container needs a little room for the dip to expand as it freezes. If you choose a zip-top bag, squeeze out as much air as possible before sealing.
Defrosting French Onion Dip
Place the frozen French onion dip in the refrigerator for 3-4 hours to defrost it. Because dairy products are unstable in the freezer, you may find that the dip separates as it thaws.
If that is the case, use a whisk to recombine the dip and return it to its original creaminess.
Serving French Onion Dip
French onion dip should be served cool or at room temperature. If the dip has a cream cheese base, it will need to be closer to room temperature to be dippable.
Serve sour cream-based versions of French onion dip cold because it will be easy to dip even when cold.
While wavy potato chips seem to be the most popular choice for a French onion dip scoop, you should also try serving it with crackers, pita chips, or tortilla chips. It’s also good on vegetables like carrots, celery, broccoli, and cauliflower.
Freezable French Onion Dips By Brand
If you know ahead of time that you want to freeze extra French onion dip, you can make an informed decision about which dip to buy.
Avoid dips that have mayonnaise or that are just milk-based. The dips that will freeze best will have a combination of milk proteins and fats that will lend them stability in the freezer.
Look for a dip with cream cheese, oil, and milk, or additional stabilizers for the best results in the freezer.
If you are looking for a dairy-free dip, check and see if the major components of the dip typically freeze well. If they do then the dip will probably freeze well up to 3 months.
Best Freezable Storebought French Onion Dips
1.Hidden Valley Ranch French Onion dip is shelf-stable at room temperature until opened. After that, it needs to be refrigerated.
The first few ingredients in this dip are vegetable oil, water, and buttermilk. Given the kinds of fats in this dip, it may freeze better than dips that are just dairy.
2.Lay’s French Onion dip is another shelf-stable dip that should be refrigerated after opening.
It has water and sunflower oil as the first two ingredients as well as several preservatives. Given the stability of this recipe, it should freeze for up to 3 months.
3.Good Karma French Onion dip is vegan, dairy-free, and allergen-friendly. This product even contains probiotics so that you can have a little health boost with your deliciousness.
According to the Good Karma website, their “products can be safely frozen; however, the process can alter their smooth and creamy consistency.
Additionally, we would not recommend freezing them in their original packaging. Freezing can cause the products to expand and rupture the packaging.”
4.Hope French Onion dip has a unique take on dairy-free dips. This company uses cashews and almonds as the base for its line of dips.
This dip will give you extra flavor and a nutritional punch from the nuts, making it smooth and creamy.
The Hope Foods website doesn’t specify anything about freezing this dip; however, you can freeze nut butters, so it follows that this should freeze as well. It will probably need to be mixed after it thaws.
Not Freezable Storebought French Onion Dips
1.Heluva Good French Onion Dip says they have the world’s best-selling French onion dip.
Because this creamy and delicious dip lists milk and cream as the first two ingredients, Heluva Good does not recommend freezing this product.
2.Dean’s French Onion Dip is the most popular dip in the Dean’s product line. The first ingredient on their list is milk, and therefore, they do not recommend freezing this product.
3.Mother Raw French Onion Dip is a dairy-free, organic product which needs constant refrigeration. The essential ingredients in this dip, water, extra virgin olive oil, and apple cider vinegar, would not likely freeze well.
Best Ways To Make Homemade French Onion Dips
When it comes to making French Onion Dip, there’s the quick and easy method and the genuine – includes caramelized onions method.
The Packet Of Dip Mix Method
If you are in a hurry, you can grab a packet of French onion dip mix and stir it into a cup of sour cream. This method is super quick but not super freezable.
Try it with half sour cream and half cream cheese instead. The cream cheese will help stabilize this dip so that it is freezable for up to 3 months.
The Everything From Scratch Method
The ingredient that genuinely makes French onion dip French onion-y is caramelized onions. The following recipe is a genuine article. It takes a little longer to make, but it is worth every bite.
In a heavy pan, melt 3-4 tablespoons of butter and add 2 ½ cups of finely chopped sweet yellow onion. Over medium heat, let the onion brown and stir it every 5 minutes or so.
You don’t want the onion to burn; instead, the sugars from the onion will caramelize. There’s no rushing it, so be prepared for up to half an hour of cooking time.
When the onions are golden brown, remove them from the heat and allow them to cool.
In a large bowl, combine 4 ounces of room temperature cream cheese, ½ a cup of sour cream, and ¼ cup of mayonnaise and mix well.
Stir in the caramelized onions, ¾ teaspoon of salt, ½ teaspoon of pepper, and a pinch of cayenne pepper.
Mayonnaise doesn’t freeze well, but this recipe has very little mayonnaise in it, so it should hold in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Ideas For Leftover French Onion Dip
You may be looking for a way to enjoy your French onion dip in some way other than a wavy potato chip.
Simple things first. Add a scoop of French onion dip to your baked potato. Mmm. . . creamy and onion-y. Add some bacon crumbles and cheese for a potato that can’t be beaten.
Don’t limit the dip to your chips. Spread French onion dip on your sandwich bread for an extra pop of flavor.
Add a scoop of French onion dip along with some grilled onions to your hamburger at a backyard barbecue.
Use the leftover dip as a pasta sauce. Mix the leftover dip with a couple of tablespoons of olive oil to thin it out. Then toss your cooked pasta in the sauce, and you have a unique and delicious dish.
Stir in a scoop of French onion dip to your mashed potatoes and top with a sprinkling of chives.
Spread some leftover French onion dip on slices of garlic bread, then top with cheese. Bake until the bread is toasted and the cheese melts.
French Onion Chicken Casserole
If you have a lot of French onion dip left around, you can use it to make a simple and delicious casserole.
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and spray a 9×13 casserole pan with cooking spray.
In a large bowl, combine 2 cups of cooked chopped chicken, one 10.75 ounce can of cream of chicken soup, 1 cup of French onion dip, and one cup of shredded cheddar cheese.
Open one can of refrigerated Grands Jr biscuits. Cut each biscuit into fourths and mix into the chicken mixture.
Spread everything into the baking dish and top with a sprinkling of French Fried onions. Bake for 25-30 minutes until the biscuits are golden brown.
Concluding Thoughts
Whether you have lots of leftovers or you are preparing early for a party, you can freeze French onion dip.
Both storebought and homemade French onion dips with a cream cheese base or a combination of cream cheese or sour cream will freeze the best — up to 3 months.
Dips with mayonnaise will not freeze as well. If your dip separates in the freezer, whisk it well to return it to a smooth consistency before serving.
Other Interesting Guides
My name is Keren Tayler. I am a stay-at-home mama to three lovely girls, Sarah + Rachel + Hannah. Prior to becoming a mom, I had a successful career in the accounting field, steps away from becoming a CPA. I decided to give up on my career in order to raise my own kids (as opposed to letting a nanny do it, no judgment here :)) I learned a lot and I love sharing it with other moms. Along the way, I also became a Certified Food Handler.