Greek Yogurt Onion Dip with Crispy Shallots

Name: Greek Yogurt Onion Dip with Crispy Shallots
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 15 min
Ingredients: 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil; 1 medium shallot, cut into thin rounds ((see note 1)); 3 cloves garlic, finely grated ((see note 2)); ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes; ¾ teaspoon fine sea salt, divided; 1½ cups plain Greek yogurt ((see note 3)); ¼ teaspoon black pepper; ¼ teaspoon garlic powder; 3 tablespoons minced fresh chives ((more for garnish))

This creamy Greek Yogurt Onion Dip is studded with fresh chives and topped with crispy shallots and chili garlic oil. Just 15 minutes to make! This easy and craveable vegetarian snack or appetizer is a crowd pleaser. (Gluten Free)

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A bowl of Greek yogurt onion dip on a platter with fresh vegetables, bread, and chips for serving

This Greek Yogurt Onion Dip is low-effort, high-reward appetizer or snack. It's easy to make (just 15 minutes!) and always stands out in a crowd. This luscious dip is creamy, tangy, salty, and onion-y. Crispy shallots, chili garlic oil, and fresh chives make a delicious and pretty topping. It's the ultimate celebration of alliums.

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Healthy French Onion Dip
Ingredients (and substitutions)
How to make it (with step-by-step photos)
Tips for frying shallots
Serving suggestions
Frequently asked questions
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Healthy French Onion Dip

We have yet to meet someone who doesn't love a good dip—especially when at a gathering or small party, where finger foods reign supreme. And, French Onion Dip is always a crowd-pleaser. Traditionally, onion dip is made with an indulgent creamy base like mayonnaise and/or sour cream. And while there is nothing wrong with the classic, this version uses Greek yogurt for a lighter, healthier spin.

Think of this recipe as the the sassy cousin of a classic French Onion Dip. It uses yogurt as a lighter alternative. Also, instead of sweet caramelized onions being mixed in, this dip has crispy shallots on top. The shallots provide a savory, crispy contrast to the creamy yogurt base. And the hot oil (from the crispy shallots) steeps fresh garlic and chili steep for even more flavor.

All the tasty toppings are spooned over the dip—ready to be scooped up with bread, fresh veggies, or whatever else you choose to serve this dip with. Better yet, this recipe takes much less time to make than caramelizing onions!

Ingredients (and substitutions)

This onion dip might sound like it has a lot going on, but the ingredients are simple. Here's what you need:

Ingredients to make Greek Yogurt onion dip: yogurt, fresh chives, chili flakes, olive oil, garlic, shallot, and garlic powder.

Plain Greek yogurt: Choose full-fat yogurt for the best flavor and texture. But, we've tested it with low-fat Greek yogurt too and it also works.
Fresh chives: Chives add a fresh, but not overpowering, onion flavor to the yogurt. In a pinch, you could substitute minced scallions (green onions). We preferred the chive version because green onions have a slightly sharper flavor, but we wouldn't say no to either!
Garlic powder: Garlic powder is milder and slightly sweeter than raw garlic, so it's a subtle way to give the yogurt more savory flavor.
Shallot: All you need is one, thinly cut shallot for a big impact! Keep reading below for tips on making crispy shallots.
Olive oil: The olive oil provides flavor in itself, and it does triple duty by also crisping up the shallots and steeping chili and garlic.
Fresh garlic: Finely grated garlic adds big flavor here. It's added at the end to reduce the risk of burning.
Red pepper flakes: For a bit of heat! The amount in the recipe makes for a moderate (leaning on mild) spice level, but adjust as you need.

Find the recipe card below for the complete recipe, including all ingredients and instructions.

We love chili garlic oil! Our homemade chili garlic oil inspired the topping for this dip. The original recipe infuses a neutral oil with fresh garlic and red pepper flakes. Chili garlic oil is delicious drizzled over Creamy Vegan Ramen, Smoky Mushroom Tacos, and Brothy Oven Baked White Beans. For this onion dip, we use olive oil (instead of neutral oil), because the olive oil flavor really compliments the yogurt!

How to make it (with step-by-step photos)

Olive oil being poured over thinly sliced shallots in a white enamel saucepan. — 1. Combine shallots and olive oil in a small saucepan. *(Adding the shallots to room temperature oil will help them cook more evenly).*

Golden fried shallots in olive oil sitting in a small white enamel saucepan. — 2. Cook the shallots over medium heat, swirling the pot frequently, until golden.

A saucepan with olive oil, fried shallots, fresh garlic, and red pepper chili flakes. — 3. Add fresh garlic and red pepper flakes to the hot oil (off the heat). The flavors will infuse to make a shallot chili garlic oil.

A bowl of Greek yogurt with fresh chopped chives being stirred in with a spoon. — 4. Mix together the Greek yogurt, fresh chives, and seasonings.

Chili garlic oil and crispy shallots being spooned over Greek yogurt onion dip. — 5. Spoon the crispy shallots and chili garlic oil over the yogurt. Garnish and dig in!

Tips for frying shallots

Here are some tips for how to make crispy shallots to top this yogurt onion dip.

Use room temperature oil: Add the oil and shallots to the pan at the same time so the shallots gently warm alongside the oil. If you add shallots to already hot oil, they'll tend to burn fairly quickly.
Cut even slices: Evenly cut shallots will cook more evenly (go figure!). You can use a mandolin for the most precise cuts. But, to be honest, we're usually too lazy to pull out the mandolin for this recipe. The onion dip can handle a range of fried shallots (pale to dark golden), as long as they aren't burnt/bitter.
Adjust for uneven cooking, if needed: Don't hesitate to pull out any shallots that are done cooking before the others (to prevent them from burning). Then, you can add them back once the oil is off the heat. That said, there's no need to worry about all the shallots being cooked exactly the same—as long as you're not adding burnt/bitter fried shallots, it's all good! A bit of variety is actually good here.
Account for carryover cooking: The shallots will continue to cook in the hot oil, even after the pot is removed from the heat. So, it's better that the shallots don't look fully cooked when you remove them from the heat!
Watch carefully: Fried shallots can go from perfect to burnt quite quickly—so keep both eyes on the shallots!

Serving suggestions

This yummy Greek Yogurt Onion Dip is delicious served with:

Fresh vegetables (such as carrot, celery, radishes, bell peppers, cherry tomatoes)
Blanched or steamed vegetables (such as broccoli, cauliflower)
Bread (brush the bread in olive oil and grill or toast it for more flavor!)
Naan or pita
Potato chips (such as plain crinkle cut)
Crackers

Frequently asked questions

What can I substitute for chives?

If you can't get chives, substitute with scallions (green onions). Scallions are slightly sharper tasting than chives, but it'll still taste yummy! Chives are quite small, so make sure to mince the scallions (green onions) so they meld into the yogurt.

Is this dip spicy?

The shallot and chili oil topping has some red pepper flakes in it, but the amount yields a mild (to potentially moderate) level of spice. That said, feel free to adjust the amount of red pepper (chili) flakes to your liking! When serving a mixed crowd, we usually recommend not adding too much spice. It's easier to add more heat afterwards than try to fix something that's too spicy.

What are other dips made with Greek yogurt?

We often use Greek yogurt as a base for creamy sauces—it is our healthier go-to substitute for sour cream or mayo based! If you have leftover yogurt after making this Onion Dip with Crispy Shallots, try one of these other 3 Greek Yogurt dip recipes:

1. Creamy Buffalo Dip (serve with Air Fryer Broccoli Tots)
2. Creamy Dijon Aioli (substitute Greek yogurt instead of mayo)
3. Tzatziki

A ceramic serving bowl of Greek yogurt onion dip topped with chili garlic oil, fresh chives, and fried shallots

A piece of grilled bread being dipped into Greek yogurt onion dip with chili garlic oil and fried shallots

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