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Maggie Ellery
Recipes

Dry Onion Soup Mix: Make the Envelope at Home

Five ingredients replace the onion soup envelope for dips, pot roast and meatloaf. Here is the exact amount that equals one envelope.

By Maggie Ellery · Jump to recipe
Homemade soup mixes in glass jars on a kitchen counter

Onion soup mix is one of those envelopes that shows up in far more recipes than soup: the famous party dip, pot roast, meatloaf, roasted potatoes, burgers. Making it yourself takes five minutes and five ingredients, and a pint jar covers several envelopes’ worth.

The number to remember

5 tablespoons = one envelope. Write it on the jar. Any recipe that says “1 packet onion soup mix” works with 5 tablespoons of this.

A note on salt

Most of the flavor, and nearly all of the sodium, comes from the bouillon. That’s why this mix is marked high-sodium in the book: about 720 mg per serving with regular beef bouillon. Two easy ways to bring it down:

  • Use low-sodium or no-salt-added beef bouillon granules.
  • Use half the mix and add a spoonful of dried onion and a pinch of pepper, so the dish still tastes oniony.

Check the bouillon label if you cook gluten-free: some brands contain wheat.

Five ways to use a jar

  1. The classic dip: 5 tablespoons stirred into 16 ounces of sour cream, chilled for 2 hours so the onion softens.
  2. Pot roast: rub 5 tablespoons over a chuck roast before it goes in the slow cooker with a cup of water.
  3. Meatloaf or burgers: 2–3 tablespoons per pound of ground beef, instead of salt and onion.
  4. Roasted potatoes: toss cubed potatoes with oil and 3 tablespoons of mix, then roast at 425°F until crisp.
  5. Quick soup: simmer 5 tablespoons in 4 cups of water for 10 minutes, then top with toasted bread and melted cheese.

Storage

Keep it airtight and dry. Bouillon granules pull moisture from the air and will clump if the lid is loose. It keeps its best flavor for about 6 months. If it clumps, shake the jar hard or break it up with a fork; it’s still fine to use.

This is one of the 54 recipes in The Dry Mix Pantry Cookbook that name the exact store product they replace, from taco packets to condensed cream of chicken soup.

Recipe

Dry Onion Soup Mix

Makes a scant 1¼ cups (about 3½ envelopes)Jar: pintKeeps 6 months

In the jar

  • ¾ cup dried minced onion
  • ⅓ cup beef bouillon granules
  • 4 tsp onion powder
  • ¼ tsp celery seed, lightly crushed
  • ¼ tsp granulated sugar

Add on cooking day

  • 16 oz sour cream (for dip)
  • 4 cups water (for soup)

Make the mix

  1. 1Crush the celery seed lightly with the back of a spoon.
  2. 2Stir everything together until the bouillon is spread through the onion, then seal in a dry jar.

To use

  • 5 tbsp of mix equals one envelope.
  • Dip: stir 5 tbsp into 16 oz sour cream and chill for 2 hours.
  • Soup: simmer 5 tbsp in 4 cups water for 10 minutes.

From The Dry Mix Pantry Cookbook by Maggie Ellery

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