Onion dip is a creamy dip of sour cream or mayonnaise mixed with caramelized or sautéed onions, popular in American cuisine as an appetizer served with potato chips, crackers, or vegetables. It grew out of the 1950s vogue for quick party food built around packaged convenience ingredients: in 1954, an unknown home cook combined sour cream with Lipton's newly introduced dehydrated onion soup mix, and the resulting 'California dip' spread through newspaper recipes and a 1955 television appearance before becoming a staple at potlucks nationwide. Properly caramelizing the onions over low heat for 20 to 30 minutes, rather than simply softening them, is what gives the dip its deep, sweet-savory base; they're then folded into sour cream or mayonnaise with seasonings like garlic or Worcestershire sauce. Variations add cream cheese, cheddar, paprika, or cayenne, and the dip doubles as a topping for baked potatoes or burgers.