Sour Cream and Onion, All Grown Up! Try the Sizzling Scallion Dip That’s Sweeping TikTok
Meet your new favorite dip just in time for the Super Bowl.
Thinking about showing up to that Super Bowl party with the same old sour cream and onion dip? You might want to think about upping your game this year. It’s not difficult to impress party guests when you have the latest viral recipe on hand, either. Creators on TikTok have been scrambling to make versions of Alison Roman’s Labneh Dip with Sizzled Scallions and Chile from her book Nothing Fancy. Why? It’s the easy, delicious, elevated older sister of your regular old party dips and it’s just as quick (OK, it’ll take a few more minutes than opening a lid of Hidden Valley Ranch, but it’s worth it, I promise). And we've listed out exactly how to recreate it below!
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What Is Labneh?
Courtesy of Jessica Wrubel
The main ingredient here is the star of the show: labneh. And before we get into it, let’s start with the correct pronunciation so you know how to ask for it at the store (lab-nay; it took me a minute too). Labneh is a creamy, tangy, thick cheese that’s similar to Greek yogurt or cream cheese and it’s a common ingredient in Middle Eastern cuisine. Depending on where you live, it may be difficult to locate, but it’s becoming easier to find at grocery stores or specialty shops and it’s pretty straightforward to make yourself. For this recipe, if you absolutely cannot find labneh and don’t want to make it, it’s fine to use half-full-fat sour cream and half-full-fat plain Greek yogurt or skyr (unsweetened, of course).
Related: Shiitake Frittata with Labneh, Kale, and Shallots
Before Alison Roman’s scallion dip became “the dip” (as her friends refer to it), there were versions out there that didn’t take off quite as this one did. Martha Stewart’s Labneh Dip with Caramelized Onions and Fennel, Melissa Clark’s Charred Shallots with Labneh, and Ottolenghi’s Labneh with Olives, Pistachios and Oregano to name a few (which all sound like delicious combos).
Related: 90 Best TikTok Recipes and Food Trends of 2023
Alternative Uses
Besides dipping that chip, this dip is pretty versatile. Roman calls it a “high-brow version of ranch dressing” so you can get pretty creative with this one. Swirl it into shakshuka or dollop it on top of soups or stews; use it as a dipping sauce for wings; drizzle over pasta; thin it out with water, milk or oil to make a dressing; or use it as a tenderizer for meats.
Ingredients Needed
Courtesy of Jessica Wrubel
labneh
lemon juice
salt and pepper
olive oil
scallions
cilantro
red pepper flakes
How To Make Sizzling Scallion Dip
The original recipe can be found online, with many adapted versions on TikTok like this one:
View the original article to see embedded media.
1. To make the dip, you simply mix the labneh and lemon juice together, seasoning with a bit of salt and pepper.
Courtesy of Jessica Wrubel
2. Then warm your oil in a pot over medium-low heat and add in the scallions, cilantro and red pepper flakes.
3. When the mixture begins to sizzle, turn color, and become more fragrant, pull from the heat, let cool, and swirl in two-thirds of the mixture into the labneh.
Courtesy of Jessica Wrubel
4. Drizzle the remaining oil over the top, and garnish to your heart’s content with more cilantro.
Courtesy of Jessica Wrubel
Related: Our 20 Favorite Dip Recipes
How To Serve Sizzling Scallion Dip
Courtesy of Jessica Wrubel
Serve with crackers, potato chips, crusty bread, veggies or even meat and veggie skewers. I loved it with kettle chips and crunchy veggies like radishes and carrots. This dip would also be amazing stuffed into mini bell peppers and presented prettily for poppable party hors d’oeuvres.
Tips and Tricks
If you’re serving with salty chips as I did, go easy on adding salt to the dip. You can always add more, but you can’t take it away! In the TikTok review, the user added Aleppo pepper along with the red pepper, which will give it an extra pop of color. This is a great idea if you want more color and depth. Reviews online say that it was nearly impossible to get the “fiery orange” color in the oil that Roman promises with just red pepper flakes. I agree, and it may have to do with the freshness of your red pepper flakes so make sure your spices are fresh to get that optimal punch of color that will contrast nicely with the creamy white labneh. Also, to keep the cilantro and red pepper flakes from burning, follow the TikTok tip and make sure to add them halfway through cooking the scallions in the oil.
Related: Scallion Jasmine Rice
How To Customize Your Dip
Roman suggests using chives instead of cilantro if you’re not a fan, and green garlic or ramps in place of the scallions if you’re lucky enough to make this in the springtime. With the base of lemony labneh, it would be delicious with smoked paprika, minced dried onion and lemon zest; or fresh garlic, za’atar and chopped mint. You could even experiment and turn this into a dessert dip with pistachios and pomegranate molasses; or orange zest, cinnamon and toasted pecans swirled into the labneh.
Overall Review of Sizzling Scallion Dip
This was a ridiculously quick and easy dip to make. There weren’t a lot of steps to making this and I didn’t have to dirty every dish in my tiny kitchen. The ingredients were inexpensive and it made a pretty good amount of dip. Plus, I love how versatile it is since I definitely have leftovers. The scallions mellow out and become a little sweet while they’re cooking, which is a nice contrast to the tang of the creamy labneh, and the lemon juice gives it a slight astringent punch. The texture was on point—I kept my ingredients chopped to roughly the same size so they would cook uniformly in the oil.
Can You Make This Dip in Advance?
Roman says you could make both the labneh mixture and the oil up to a week in advance and combine just before serving, making this even easier to do ahead for a party.
How Long Does This Dip Last?
It keeps well covered in the fridge too (if it lasts that long). It definitely had more of an oniony bite the next day as the flavors meld together. It was tough to stop eating, honestly. I love how the depth of flavor could really be built upon here, too, and you could get quite creative with endless combinations of flavors. It’s no wonder Roman’s friends are obsessed with it (and yours will be too).
Next, try Alison Roman's Salted Citrus Salad with Fennel Radish and Olive