Baked Potatoes Are Off-The-Charts More Flavorful With This Store-Bought Dip

French onion dip is typically served with potatoes — potato chips, that is. But chips aren't the only way you can use the savory dip to jazz up a bland spud. Spoon French onion dip on top of baked potatoes for a creamy, tangy twist on a classic.

Sour cream, the main ingredient in French onion dip, is already a go-to baked potato topping. The onion flavor adds an extra element, and pairs well with old favorites. Sprinkle the dip-topped potatoes with crispy onions, chives, or bacon bits. It even works well spooned on top of chili. 

French onion dip is cheap and readily available, but you don't have to use ready-made dip. The classic method — the recipe that introduced French onion dip to the world — combines a can of French onion soup with sour cream. It's the ultimate mid-century American recipe: simple, dinner-party ready, only vaguely inspired by its namesake country, and found on the back of a can. For a more modern method that lets you adjust the flavor to your own taste, combine sour cream or Greek yogurt with onions (either fresh, caramelized, or dehydrated), garlic, salt, and parsley.

Sure, French onion dip is a fun addition to a weeknight dinner and an easy way to round out a loaded baked potato bar. But the combo can make for an elevated meal, too. Use Alton Brown's go-to baked potato method for the perfect potatoes. If baked potatoes are on the menu for your next barbecue or cookout, try making a smoked onion dip to serve on top. Or, if you want to go the significantly more complicated, true-to-French-tradition route, you could caramelize onions for a sweet-meets-savory topping.

Keep experimenting with the combination with other recipes, too. Use French onion dip to load up fries, or use dehydrated onion soup mix as seasoning to upgrade your roasted potatoes. The flavor's many forms — soup, both canned and dehydrated, ready-made dip, and actual caramelized French onions — provide near-endless possibilities. French onion dip isn't the only chip-aisle classic that plays well with baked potatoes, either. If you're a fan of that creamy, onion-forward flavor but don't have French onion dip on hand, try topping your potatoes with ranch.