Onion Soup Mix - A DIY Homemade Onion Soup Mix Recipe (2024)

This dry onion soup mix is perfect to throw together in 3 minutes or less and have on hand to use whenever you want. All you need are some spices you probably already have in your kitchen pantry.

Onion Soup Mix - A DIY Homemade Onion Soup Mix Recipe (1)

What's In This Article

You will love this recipe for Onion Soup Mix

This seasoning secret will add a savory note to lots of dishes. Here are a few reasons why we love it:

  • Versatile – This favorite dry soup mix isn’t just for soup! Use it to add an extra flavor boost to lots of your flavorful family meals. It’s great for sour cream dips too.
  • Easy to make – The mix itself is as simple as mixing all of the dry ingredients together and storing it in a glass jar.
  • Basic ingredients – Most, if not all, of these ingredients are pantry staple seasonings.

Homemade Onion Soup Mix

I’m not going to lie and tell you that you will save oodles of money making your own onion soup mix recipe. A box of packets of Lipton onion soup mixcosts less than $2, but I will tell you that this one is a little tastier and works great in a pinch for a substitute.

I’ll also go out on a limb here and say 90% of my foodie friends already have all the ingredients they need to make this recipe in their pantry. No secret ingredient or hard to pronounce things in this onion soup mix substitute.

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Onion Soup Mix Recipe ingredients

The base for dry onion soup, sometimes called French Onion Soup Mix, is fairly basic. Made with simple ingredients found in your spice cabinet or easily at your local grocery store.

  • Dry onion flakes – It wouldn’t be onion soup without some onion, right? The flakes are important to add a little texture.
  • Powdered beef bouillon – Because this is a dry mix and we need it to be shelf stable, we need beef bouillon granules, not bouillon paste.
  • Onion powder – A little more onion flavor can’t hurt! Granulated onion is less potent, but still important for the rich onion flavor.
  • Garlic powder – No good soup is made without garlic. It just adds to the tasty onion broth flavor.
  • Parsley flakes – I didn’t use these the first time I made this soup mix and took pictures, but I do like to add them sometimes.
  • Celery salt – If you’d really like to step up the flavor, you can substitute this for celery seed instead.
  • Smoked paprika – I like the smoky flavor the best, but you can certainly use regular paprika if that’s all you have on hand.
  • Salt and pepper – I prefer to use freshly ground black pepper and fine sea salt. Coarse Kosher salt is a little too coarse.

I prefer mine to be extra onion-y (yep, I just made up that word), so I use more onion flakes than the store bought version and also add black pepper. Look for a very finely ground black pepper to make the smoothest mix.

You can even go a step further and use garlic flakes instead of onion or use both!

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Using Dry Onion Soup Mix

This is probably one of the most versatile items in the kitchen for seasoning. When I say that I always have it, I’m not joking. Whether is it a homemade onion soup mix or pre bought, it is a staple. Here are a few of my favoriterecipes to use it with:

  • Roasted potatoes and vegetables
  • Steak Rub
  • Chicken and pork marinade
  • Mixed into mashed potatoes
  • Mixed into gravy
  • Add to ground beef for meatloaf and hamburgers
  • French Onion Dip
  • Salisbury Steak
  • Cube Steak
  • Slow cooker pot roast
  • And of course, for making soups!

For most recipes, keeping it chunky and whole is perfectly fine, but if you are looking for all of the flavor, but a fine blend without large pieces of onion, try using a spice grinder to blend it up. This is my favorite spice grinder, cheap and easy to clean! You can also use it to grind coffee!

How to make Onion Soup from an Onion Soup Mix

One of the most common questions is how to make soup from dry onion soup mix. The process couldn’t be simpler! If you want to make soup, add 4 cups of water or low sodium beef broth in a large bowland allow to sit for 5 minutes.

Add caramelized onions, frozen veggies like green beans or even thinly sliced beef or chicken to make a whole meal. It’s sure to be a family favorite.

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How to store French Onion Soup Mix

Storage:This dry soup mix is very shelf stable and will last in a cool, dry place for up to a year. Store in an airtight container like a mason jar.

Freezing:You can also store it in the freezer or fridge to preserve it a little longer. Keep in mind that like most dry seasonings, it will start to lose its potency at about 6 months.

PRO TIP: Get a few small glass containers from the craft store and make these into gifts. Print out the soup instructions on cute labels and decorate with colorful string.

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DIY Dry Onion Soup Mix FAQs

How many tablespoons equals one packet of Lipton Onion Soup Mix?

There are about 3 tablespoons in a Lipton onion soup packet, give or take a smidge.In most recipes, you can eyeball the amount and use a little more or a little less without worry of ruining the recipe.

The only thing to be mindful of is salt content. If the recipe calls for additional salt, add the soup mix and then season with salt accordingly. Adding both could make it to too salty. Same goes for recipes using broth, opt for a low-sodium broth so you can control the saltiness.

What is the difference between dry onion soup mix and french onion soup mix?

There really isn’t a difference and honestly, I don’t even use it to make French Onion Soup, only just a basic onion soup.

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Dry Onion Soup Mix Recipe

4.33 from 195 votes

Onion Soup Mix is so easy that you already have all the ingredients in your pantry. Perfect as a substitute for Lipton's Onion Soup Mix.

Prep Time: 5 minutes mins

Total Time: 5 minutes mins

Servings: 4

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Ingredients

Instructions

  • Combine the onion flakes, powdered beef bouillon, parsley, onion powder, garlic powder, celery salt, paprika, black pepper and salt in a small mixing bowl and combine.

  • If you've tried this recipe, come back and let us know how it was in the comments or ratings.

Video

Notes

You can substitute garlic flakes for onion or use a mix of both.
If you want to make soup, add 4 cups boiling water and allow to sit for 5 minutes.

If you like a smoother soup, use a spice grinder to make it evenly fine.

Nutrition

Calories: 115 kcal, Carbohydrates: 26 g, Protein: 3 g, Sodium: 1129 mg, Potassium: 509 mg, Fiber: 2 g, Sugar: 11 g, Vitamin A: 125 IU, Vitamin C: 22.8 mg, Calcium: 82 mg, Iron: 0.6 mg

Author: Jessica Formicola

Calories: 115

Course: Soup

Cuisine: American, French

Keyword: homemade onion soup, onion soup mix

Did you make this recipe?I’d love to see your recipes – snap a picture and mention @savoryexperiments or tag #savoryexperiments!

Onion Soup Mix - A DIY Homemade Onion Soup Mix Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is dry onion soup mix made of? ›

Dry onion flakes, beef bullion granules or paste, onion powder, parsley, celery seed, paprika, black pepper. Just mix everything together and you're ready to go! Use in any recipe that calls for one package/envelope of dry onion soup mix, or use it to make a delicious dip for chips or veggies.

What is soup mix made of? ›

McKenzie's Soup Mix is a hearty blend of peas, barley and lentils perfect for creating wholesome and chunky soups. Peas (yellow split peas, green split peas), barley, red lentils. Contains: gluten.

What is onion soup broth made of? ›

French onion soup, or soupe à l'oignon gratinée, is a classic French dish made with caramelized onions and beef stock or broth. The soup is topped with bread and cheese, then gratinéed to rich, gooey perfection.

What is the difference between onion soup and French onion soup? ›

What is the Difference Between Onion Soup and French Onion Soup? French onion soup is always made with beef stock. Other onion soups can be made with chicken, vegetable, or beef stock. Additionally, French onion soup typically contains wine or sherry, which isn't typical or necessary in other onion soups.

How is instant soup mix made? ›

To make powder forms, instant soup processing equipment includes dryers for spray drying or freeze-drying process, depending on the drying process chosen by the manufacturer. Vegetables or meat need to be dehydrated before grinding and blending them with other spices to create a powder mix.

Do I need to soak dried soup mix? ›

It depends on the type of legumes in the mix. If it contains lentils and/or split peas, those require no soaking. Instructions on the packages of 10 bean (or some similar number) soup mix usually have instructions that do not call for soaking.

What is the secret ingredient in soup? ›

It may sound a bit strange and unusual for some, but vinegar is a common ingredient in some soup recipes, and there is a good reason for it. If you think about it, vinegar is really a flavor-enhancer (umami). That's why it is so often used in cooking, sauces, and salad dressings. The same is true with soups.

What makes soup soup? ›

By definition, soup is any cooked food that primarily contains a liquid base—so, no, cereal isn't a soup. This base can be made from any of the following: Broth. Made by simmering meat, vegetables, herbs, and spices in boiling water, broth is one of the most common base ingredients for soup.

What are the components in the mixture of soup? ›

At its most basic, soup is four components: a base, a thickener, a liquid, and a main ingredient. The liquid and main ingredient can be thought of as the essence: add 3 parts liquid to 2 parts main ingredient, and it's soup.

Why is onion soup so good? ›

French onion soup is the ultimate comfort food. Onions get slowly cooked until sweet and caramelized, then simmered in rich broth until they're practically falling apart. To finish it off, toasted bread is added to give it that lovable crisp-gone-soggy texture and a generous amount of Gruyère cheese is melted on top.

How do you deepen the flavor of French onion soup? ›

A few sprigs of thyme and a bay leaf elevate the soup even more, but I take it a step further, adding a splash of fish sauce for complexity and depth—don't worry, it won't taste fishy—and a hit of cider vinegar to balance some of that oniony sweetness.

Why is my onion broth bitter? ›

Things that *may* make broth bitter (avoid or use in moderation): onion skins, tough or woody herb stems, bitter greens like dandelion or mustard greens, too many bay leaves (more than 1-2), peppercorns, too many celery leaves, brassica or cabbage family trimmings - though we use broccoli stems all the time!

How to thicken onion soup? ›

Add flour or cornflour

Put a tablespoon of either into a small bowl and stir in 2-3 tbsp of the soup until you have a smooth mixture. Stir this back into the soup and bring it to a simmer. Cook for a few minutes to allow the starch granules to burst to thicken, and to cook out any flour flavour.

What kind of onion is best for soup? ›

When you are sauteing onions to build flavor as a base for your dish (soup, tomato sauce, you name it), the yellow onion is your friend. That being said, white onions are a totally acceptable substitute for yellow, especially if you're cooking them.

Why do French people eat onion soup? ›

The Onion Soup, a traditional and warming dish

It has even become a trendy dish that tourists are eager to try to experience French gastronomy. However, onion soup is in fact not part of French people's daily meals. It was originally meant to be eaten after a family reunion in the middle of the night to cure hangovers

What is dried onion made of? ›

Fresh raw onions are peeled, chopped, and made ready for dehydration. During the drying process, moisture is evaporated from the onions. After evaporation, we obtain onion flakes . The method of creating onion powder from onion flakes is simple.

What is the difference between dried onion and onion powder? ›

Additionally, onion powder is more potent than the other dried versions. For instance, if the recipe calls for ½ cup of chopped onions, instead of using ½ tablespoon of onion powder, you will have to substitute with 1 ½ tablespoons of onion flakes or dried minced onion.

What is onion powder made? ›

It's made from finely ground dehydrated onions that have been carefully dried and processed into a powder. This versatile ingredient is used in various recipes, including soups, stews, dressings, and marinades. One of the biggest advantages of onion powder is its long shelf life.

Can you substitute onion powder for onion in soup? ›

One tablespoon of onion powder equals one cup of fresh onion

Because onion powder is so potent, you'll need a greater amount of fresh onion as a substitute. If your recipe calls for one tablespoon of onion powder, you'll have to use an entire cup of fresh onion to achieve the same onion flavor.

References

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