Yogurt mixed with caramelised onions, smoked paprika and a little chocolate for extra depth and flavour. This caramelised onion and yogurt dip is simple and quick to prepare. It also makes a perfect dip for any occasion or a dish to accompany a Middle Eastern mezze style meal.

It’s not only National Vegetarian Week, but it’s National Yogurt Week too. Being both vegetarian and passionate about yogurt, I couldn’t let this go without a post. Nayna over at simply food recently mentioned making a caramelised onion and yogurt dip at an event. I was immediately struck by this excellent idea and thought I’d try and create my own version – with a chocolate twist, of course.

Middle Eastern food is fabulous for vegetarians and with my Egyptian connections I am particularly fond of it. I’d been planning on having a mezze type meal for a while and this yogurt experiment seemed like the perfect time to do it. I made tabbouleh, roasted vegetables with sumac and halloumi and served it all with flatbreads.
Like love and marriage, the caramelised onion and yogurt dip was a fitting companion. The sweet onions together with the sour and creamy yogurt combined well with the umami notes from the paprika and chocolate. I can see this becoming a regular visitor to our table.
Other Recipes for Mezze Style Dishes You Might Like
- Aubergine dip via Tin and Thyme
- Carrot falafel via Tin and Thyme
- Cheese sambusak via Kavey Eats
- Chocolate falafel via Tin and Thyme
- Crispy fried halloumi via Supper in the Suburbs
- Cucumber roll-ups with a garlic & mint feta filling via Tin and Thyme
- Egyptian style falafel via Tin and Thyme
- Muhammara (walnut & red pepper dip) via Searching for Spice
- Potato galette with Cypriot new potatoes via Lost in Food
- Quick flatbreads via Veggie Desserts
- Spelt cocoa pitta breads via Tin and Thyme
- Spinach & goat’s cheese filo pastries via Tin and Thyme
- Sumac hummus via Tin and Thyme
- Tahini sauce with clementines and paprika via Tin and Thyme
- Vegetarian sausage rolls via Jo’s Kitchen Larder
Keep in Touch
Thanks for visiting Tin and Thyme. If you make this fabulous caramelised onion & cocoa yoghurt dip, with or without the chocolate, I’d love to hear about it in the comments below. And do please rate the recipe. Have you any top tips? Do share photos on social media too and use the hashtag #tinandthyme, so I can spot them.
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If you’d like to see more recipes from my Flavours of the Middle East series, just click on the link. And for more dip ideas take a look in my dips and spreads category.
Caramelised Onion & Yoghurt Dip. PIN IT.

Caramelised Onion and Chocolate Yogurt Dip – The Recipe
Caramelised Onion and Yogurt Dip
Ingredients
- 1-2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 large onion
- a good pinch sea salt
- 1-2 cloves garlic
- 250 g Greek yogurt
- a couple of good gratings 100% chocolate I used Willie's Cacao
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
Instructions
- Slice the onion finely and fry very gently in a frying pan over low heat with the olive oil and salt for twenty minutes or so.
- Add some finely chopped garlic after about 10 minutes. Stir occasionally and remove from the heat when the onion is caramelised with crispy bits. Allow to cool.
- Stir most of the onions (with any remaining oil) into the yogurt together with the paprika and one grating of chocolate.
- Scatter the remaining onions over the top together with the second grating of chocolate.
Notes
Nutrition
Sharing
This photograph was the original one taken for this post. It was my entry to the Yogurt Council’s Food Stylist Competition where our very own Karen from Lavender and Lovage is one of the judges. I didn’t hold out much hope and given that it’s out of focus, I guess it’s no surprise I didn’t get anywhere. It’s a shame because I really like the composition.

This dip sounds so so good. You simply cannot beat slowly caramelised onions which become tastier and sweeter the longer you let them be in the pan. We do enjoy maze style eating as it’s so much easier with the kids and for everybody to help themselves to what they like. I will be adding your dip to my repertoire now.
Thanks Jo. Caramelised onions and creamy yoghurt pair extremely well. Chuck in a bit of paprika and chocolate and you’ve got a wow accompaniment without having to make too much effort. That’s assuming you don’t mind slicing onions of course.
Middle Eastern Food is probably one of my favourite ever and this dip looks absolutely delicious! I loooove that you added chocolate to it; I must say I have never tried chocolate in savoury dishes but I so want to try now!
I’m with you there. Middle Eastern food is definitely one of my favourites. I have several savoury chocolate recipes on the blog. It adds extra depth and richness to some dishes that really benefit from it.
I do love caramelised onions! I bet the 100% chocolate adds a great depth. I often use in savoury dishes with a Mexican influence so will have to try. We often have a Meze style dinner when we have an evening to relax. Thanks for including our galette. Michelle x
Your galette sounds fabulous and I’m keen to try it. Love mezze type meals – a little taster of lots of thing is my absolute favourite.
This looks absolutely delicious and would be absolutely perfect for the kind of lunches we often have at the weekend. I love to prepare mezze style so it’s easier to find things that everyone will eat without too much pressure!
Oh yes, Mezze must be a perfect meal for kids. What a good idea. Who needs loads of pressure at meal times, especially the weekends.
Chocolate?! Well I wasn’t expecting that in the ingredients list! But this sounds delicious. Adding it to my usual spread when we do mezze (or picky bits as well call it…) for dinner!
Hahaha, I like your “picky bits”. Describes it perfectly. Love this sort of food where you can try a range of things in the same meal.
Interesting combination! I included a link to this recipe in my latest blog post ‘basic hummus recipe’ 🙂 x
Thanks Nadia, that’s very kind. And thanks for reminding me about it. It was really good and I must make it again 🙂
Thanks for finally talking about > “Caramelised Onion and Cocoa Yogurt Dip”
< Loved it!
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This looks wonderful! I may have to give it a try very soon!
Thank Jennifer, it is pretty good I reckon.
As I read the title the ‘and cocoa’ bit brought me up with a start! Cannot imagine what this would taste like but I’d love to try it!
The great thing about chocolate is that it works well with both sweet and savoury – mostly 😉
So intrigued by this. It sounds interesting but I’m not convinced. Come make it for me!!
Oh ye of little faith!!!
I have never tried the combo of caramelised onion and chocolate though I love both. I am really intrigued with the taste.
It was a new one on me until I made this Angie. I sort of thought it would work and luckily it did.
Such an interesting combination of flavors!!
Thanks Michaela
i love your combo of flavors!
Thanks Janelle
What an amazing unusual twist. I HAVE to try it!
Thanks Kate, it’s a good one. Let me know what you think.
I absolutely LOVE caramelised onions. I can never get enough of them, and to put them in a dip with yogurt…..mmmmm yum! Oh yes please!!
Thanks Elizabeth – it’s such a simple idea, but so effective.
great recipe! i love caramelised onion 😀
Thanks Nicol, I made some more caramelised onion last night.
How utterly clever and balanced this recipe is! Wonderful and it makes total sense that the sweet onion, lightly sour yoghurt and bitter sweet chocolate should be totally in balance. I need to try this one x
Thank you Deena – would love to know what you think if you do try it.
This looks really delicious and tasty.I ma glad you got inspiration from my post.
Thanks Nayna, I doubt I would have thought of this if I hadn’t seen your blog.
I love onions cooked this way!
I bet the combo onion + cocoa yogurt dip is made in heaven.
Thank you for sharing
Thanks Manu. I rarely have the patience to cook the onions slowly and for long enough, but it is worth it and I should do it more often.
OMG this looks so so so tasty! You have made me hungry now 🙁
Thanks Latoyah – I try 😉
I often make mezze meals especially in the warmer months so this is a really creative addition. I would never have thought of mixing yoghurt with chocolate but will give this one a try.
Thanks Madeleine. It’s the caramelised onions that make this dish, but the chocolate adds an additional something which does make it extra pleasing.
Just ‘Mmm’. I really should stop reading your posts as they make me so hungry!!!
Louise x
Haha, Louise, that’s what I like to hear. Thank you 😉