Have you ever found yourself parked next to the ruffled potato chips and French onion dip at a watch party, unable to stop yourself from having another chip? I know I have! Next thing you know, you’ve eaten 1/2 a bag of chips and you don’t even know how it happened! My Light French Onion Dip with Sweet Pepper Scoops lets you maximize your watch party snacking while staying on track with any healthier eating goals you’ve set in the New Year.
My Mother introduced me to using mini sweet peppers as a healthy swap for chips years ago. I love that they hold up to a really deep thick dip and they still have a satisfying crispness. I know, I know, it’s not a crispy salty potato chip, but you can eat a whole bag of the mini sweet peppers for about 130 calories. One tiny serving of regular potato chips is about 160 calories without dip. 1 serving of this dip, with the pepper scoops is under 20 calories! You can just let your self hang out by the dip for the whole game! If you’re looking to keep your fats, sodium, and/or carbohydrates lower, this combo is here for you!
This dip is also extra versatile! Here are some other delicious ways to enjoy this dip!
- An extra flavorful, low fat mayonnaise swap for sandwiches or wraps.
- On top of a baked potato.
- Stir into sautéed spinach or mushrooms a cream with out the cream vibe.
- On top of a burger as a swap for cheese.
Keys to Light French Onion Dip Success
Caramelized Onions
Getting maximum flavor into this dip comes from a little bit of patience while getting a deep brown caramelization on the onions and deglazing the pan. The onions will take about 40 minutes to prep and get to the perfect amount of caramelization. Since they don’t need to be constantly watched, you can work in the rest of the steps while the onions caramelize to used your time efficiently. The onions in this recipe will cook down to about 1/2 cup. Caramelized onions are a fantastic way to add a lot of flavor, I like to make a big batch and keep in the fridge to have on hand. If you do this, 1/2 cup of caramelized onions is perfect for this dip.
Deglaze
All the brown bits that end up on the bottom of the pan are packed with flavor! By deglazing the pan with the beef broth or water and pulling all of the brown bits off the bottom of the pan, you’re getting the best flavor bang for your buck! Not only does this build deep flavor, but it keeps you the extra scrubbing to get the pan clean!
Umami Seasoning
I discovered this seasoning blend at Trader Joe’s about a year ago and I put it on everything from steaks to popcorn! I’m obsessed. I don’t live anywhere near a Trader Joe’s, so I buy 3-4 bottles anytime I’m in the big city. Target’s Good and Gather brand also has an Umami seasoning, but I haven’t tried it yet. If you’re not going to be anywhere near a TJs or a Target, have no fear, you can get it shipped! It’s pricy, but you can click here to get the TJs seasoning blend sent right to your door! The Good and Gather blend is much more reasonable, and ships free with Target.com orders over $35.00. Linked here.
Lighter French Onion Dip with Sweet Pepper Scoops
Equipment
- 1 medium skillet
- 1 wooden spatula
- Measuring cups and spoons
- 1 fork or small whisk
Ingredients
- 3 medium yellow onions, sliced thin
- 1½ cups 0% fat plain Greek yogurt
- 1½ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon salted butter
- ¼ cup beef broth or water
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce 4-5 shakes
- 2 teaspoons umami seasoning Trader Joe's is my favorite
- 1 16 oz bag of mini sweet peppers
Instructions
- Melt butter in a medium skillet over medium low heat. Once butter has melted and started to bubble, add the onions and 1 teaspoon of the salt
- Allow the onions to caramelize. Stirring occasionally to ensure even cooking. This will take about 30-35 minutes. After about 20 minutes of cooking, deglaze the bottom of the pan by adding the beef broth and using the wooden spatula to scrape all of the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. The liquid will cook off quickly.
- While the onions are caramelizing, combine the Greek yogurt, remaining salt, Worcestershire sauce, and umami seasoning and place in the fridge.
- Once the onions are a deep brown and caramelized remove from heat and allow to cool for 5-10 minutes.
- Add the cooled onions to the Greek yogurt. Allow the flavors to merry in the fridge for 30 minutes.
- While the dip is in the fridge, remove the stems, half and core the mini sweet peppers.
- Serve the dip with the sweet peppers as you would chips.
Nutrition
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