Giada De Laurentiis’ 5-Ingredient Dip Is the Only One I’m Bringing to Potlucks From Now On

Just like many of us have sports teams we cheer for and champion every season, food lovers tend to have a go-to dip that they’d rank as the top seed in their snack brackets. For me, that has always been hummus. I adore having a 3-ingredient honey mustard dip at home for snacking, but when it’s time to share with a crowd, a hummus recipe of some kind—like pumpkin hummus, beet hummus, and black bean hummus—is always part of my lineup.

Endlessly versatile and crowd-pleasing, I adore the fact that I can play around with the bean types, mix-ins, and garnishes to align with the season or theme of the get-together. But after chef, restaurateur, and cookbook author Giada De Laurentiis introduced me to a potential substitute sitting on the sidelines, I’m asking hummus to head to the bench for a bit. My new party MVP? De Laurentiis' Bacon Onion Dip.

What Is Bacon Onion Dip?

Back in February, De Laurentiis shared a video on Instagram detailing how to make her Bacon Onion Dip, which first appeared on a 2016 episode of her Food Network show, “Giada’s Holiday Handbook.” During the near decade since, De Laurentiis has learned that “this dip is always a crowd-pleaser—and how could it not be? Crispy bacon and deeply caramelized onions are the stars,” she explains on her lifestyle website, Giadzy.

The dip is rich and creamy with a kick of umami from the bacon and a subtle sweetness thanks to the onions. But if you ask me, the real star is the Greek yogurt. Opting for plain Greek yogurt instead of mayo lends a lovely layer of tang, plus, it packs in about three times as much protein per ounce than sour cream. As De Laurentiis puts it in the caption for the video, "You can feel extra good that you're getting some protein in every bite."

How to Make Giada De Laurentiis' 5-Ingredient Bacon Onion Dip

Start by cooking diced bacon in a skillet over medium heat until golden and crispy. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the bacon from the pan to a paper towel-lined plate. Add a diced onion to the pan with the bacon fat and cook the onions low and slow, stirring every so often, until they’re caramelized and fragrant.

In a bowl, combine the caramelized onions and cooked bacon, and allow this mixture to cool for five minutes. Stir in plain Greek yogurt, kosher salt, and chopped fresh chives. Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour to allow the flavors to meld, then serve with your favorite dunkers, such as veggies or chips.

Tips for Making Bacon Onion Dip

As another fan who tried this 5-ingredient dip says, “Giada never disappoints!” I certainly wasn’t disappointed after following this recipe to a t, but I have a few tips to make the whole thing even easier.

• Chop to it. Refrigerated bacon can be slippery and a struggle to slice. Either freeze the slices for about 15 minutes or employ kitchen shears instead of a knife for more seamless cutting before adding the bacon pieces to the skillet.
• Bake your bacon. Alternatively, you can take a cue from professional chefs who say the best way to cook bacon is in the oven. Keep the slices whole, then space them out on top of a wire rack placed on a foil-lined sheet pan. Cook at 400 degrees F (205 degrees C) for about 15 to 20 minutes. Using tongs, transfer the cooked bacon to a paper towel-lined plate. Carefully pour the bacon grease from the sheet pan into a skillet to caramelize the onions, then crumble the strips (once they’re cool) as those alliums get jammy.
• Try a different dairy. While thick and rich Fage 5% Greek Yogurt works great in this recipe (and is what I used), you could easily swap in sour cream or try blending cottage cheese into a whipped consistency to act as the foundation.

True, De Laurentiis is donning a sweatshirt in the Instagram video that reads “Football is my favorite season” but this dip recipe is such a breeze, you'll want to make this a year-round snack to devour.