There are plenty of treats I get excited about eating. French onion dip is one of them. This snack is so good, and I’ve got to pick up the best stuff when I do enjoy it.
Naturally, that meant a taste test was in order to find the best French onion dip available at the grocery store. While making it from scratch is both possible and delicious, it’s not always something I have the time for.
Whether it’s store-bought or homemade, great French onion dip should be tangy and rich, with a deep savory flavor and a hint of sweetness courtesy of the onions. It should be creamy, scoopable, and flecked with bits of onion.
To find the best French onion dip, I tested six products: three from the refrigerated aisle and three shelf-stable products. I blind-tasted them all solo, and also scooped them up with the preferred vehicle for French onion dip: the ridged potato chip.
Come with me as I explore the good and the bad of the French onion dip category. At times, it was a wild ride.
The French Onion Dips
Lay’s French Onion Dip
This shelf-stable jarred dip is the first that comes to mind when I think of store-bought French onion dip. It’s a shelf-stable dip, though it does say it’s best enjoyed after refrigerating. The texture of this dip is relatively thin compared to its refrigerated counterparts, and the flavor isn’t particularly impressive either. Though the packaging declares it’s made with real onions and no artificial flavors, the taste is off-putting enough that it makes you wish for artificial flavoring if it would improve the product.
FritoLay French Onion Dip
Another shelf-stable option, this French onion dip comes in a squat can with a ring pull, as well as a plastic lid to cover it once the metal top is removed. This dip was the loosest of the bunch, with an unappetizing beige tone, and while it tasted salty and savory, it also tasted sour.
Hannaford French Onion Dip (Shelf-Stable)
This store-brand dip has the distinct honor of making me gag over the sink. It had a gelatinous texture that felt slimy when you ate it. The flavor is difficult to describe, as the most my brain could come up with in the moment was, “A crime is happening against my mouth.” I gave it a second try a day later, and the best I could come up with was “rancid.”
Hannaford French Onion Dip (Refrigerated)
While this was my least favorite of the refrigerated options, the refrigerated store-brand dip was an incredible improvement over the three shelf-stable options. It was creamy and generally tasted reminiscent of French onion dip, but it was also relatively bland and slightly sour. Still, scooped up with a chip, I wouldn’t turn my nose up at it.
Cabot French Onion Dip
This refrigerated dip had a smooth, creamy consistency with light specks of onion. It was tangy and had a slightly sweet aftertaste. The onion flavor was there, but it had a brighter flavor that leaned less savory than I expected.
Heluva Good! French Onion Dip
The final refrigerated dip in the lineup was thick, creamy, and scoopable. Like the Cabot product, it was tangy, with notable onion flavor. This dip had deeper savory flavors that made me want to scoop up more.
The Best Store-Bought French Onion Dip
Heluva Good! French Onion Dip met all my expectations. It had the thick, creamy texture I’m looking for, but was still spotted with plenty of onion bits. The other shelf-stable jarred and canned options were more mayonnaise-like in comparison. In terms of flavor, I want a French onion dip to be savory, but there should be a hint of sweetness from cooked onion. This store-bought option had the most complex flavor.
Runner Up: The Best Dip if You Prefer a Brighter Taste
If you like a French onion dip that has a slightly brighter, more herbaceous flavor, Cabot is an excellent option. It has less of a complex savory flavor, but this tangy dip has a zippy, almost refreshing taste.
The Bottom-Line: Skip Shelf-Stable French Onion Dips
Across the board, the shelf-stable options were borderline inedible. I’m not particularly picky, and I love a good dip. More than being disappointed by the shelf-stable dips, I was disgusted by them. My recommendation would be to just wait to purchase a refrigerated dip when you know you’ll have a chance to enjoy it. Don’t bother keeping one of the shelf-stable dips in the pantry for a rainy day.