Homemade Onion Soup Mix is the from-scratch version of the dry envelope so many slow cooker roasts, meatloaves and dips call for: dried onion flakes, beef bouillon granules, onion powder, parsley, celery seed, paprika and black pepper. It takes 5 minutes, and one batch replaces one store-bought envelope in any recipe.
How to make it: Measure the seven ingredients into a small bowl or a jar with a lid and stir or shake until evenly mixed. Use the whole batch wherever a recipe calls for one envelope of dry onion soup mix, or store it airtight for up to 6 months.
Why You’ll Love It
- 5 minutes, no cooking: measure, mix, done.
- Pantry spices: nothing you can’t find in the spice aisle.
- A one-to-one swap: one batch equals one envelope, so there’s no math.
- You choose the salt: use salt-free bouillon granules and you control the salt, MSG and gluten that go into it.
Ingredient Notes
Dried onion flakes: A quarter cup. They are the body of the mix and soften into little bits of onion as the dish cooks.
Beef bouillon granules: Two tablespoons, regular or salt-free. This is where the savory beef flavor and most of the salt come from. Bouillon paste or 6 chopped beef bouillon cubes can stand in.
Onion powder: A quarter teaspoon, for onion flavor that spreads through the whole dish.
Parsley flakes: A quarter teaspoon of dried parsley, for color and a little herb flavor.
Celery seed, paprika and black pepper: An eighth of a teaspoon each. Small amounts, but they round out the blend.
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup dried onion flakes
- 2 tablespoons beef bouillon granules, regular or salt-free
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
- 1/8 teaspoon celery seed
- 1/8 teaspoon paprika
- 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
How to Make Homemade Onion Soup Mix
1. Measure. Measure all of the ingredients into a small bowl or a jar with a lid.
2. Mix. Stir or shake until everything is evenly mixed.
3. Store or use. Use the whole batch in any recipe that calls for one envelope of dry onion soup mix, or keep it in the covered container in a cool, dry place for up to 6 months.
How to Use It in Place of an Envelope
The rule is simple: one batch of this mix replaces one envelope of store-bought dry onion soup mix. Add it at the same point in the recipe, in the same way, whether it’s sprinkled over a roast in the slow cooker, stirred into ground beef for meatloaf or whisked into sour cream for a dip.
Make a jar of it. One batch comes out to right around 1/4 cup. To keep more on hand, multiply every ingredient by the same number and shake it all together in a jar. When a recipe asks for one envelope, measure out 1/4 cup, and give the jar a shake first so the flakes and granules stay evenly mixed.
Keep it dry. Moisture makes the granules clump, so seal the container well and keep it away from the stove. It does not need to go in the refrigerator.
Watch the salt. Most of the salt comes from the bouillon. With salt-free granules, taste the finished dish and add salt at the end if it needs it.
| Your recipe calls for | Use |
|---|---|
| 1 envelope dry onion soup mix | 1 batch (about 1/4 cup) |
| Onion dip | 1 batch stirred into 1 pint of sour cream |
| A dish with less salt | 1 batch made with salt-free granules |
| No granules in the pantry | Bouillon paste or 6 chopped beef bouillon cubes |
Tips for Success
Can I use bouillon cubes instead of granules?
Yes. Chop 6 beef bouillon cubes and use them in place of the 2 tablespoons of granules, or use bouillon paste. Paste adds moisture, so a paste batch is best mixed right before you use it.
Why shake the jar before measuring?
The fine powders settle to the bottom of a jar over time. A quick shake mixes them back in, so every 1/4 cup tastes the same.
Variations
- Less salt: use salt-free beef bouillon granules and salt the finished dish to taste.
- With cubes or paste: 6 chopped beef bouillon cubes, or bouillon paste, in place of the granules.
- Onion dip: stir one batch into 1 pint of sour cream.
Storage
Keep the mix in an airtight jar or other covered container in a cool, dry place for up to 6 months. It doesn’t need refrigeration. Once it’s stirred into a dip or a dish, store that food the way its own recipe says.
What to Serve: Recipes That Use It
This mix drops straight into our recipes that call for an envelope of onion soup mix: slow cooker 4-ingredient onion beef brisket, slow cooker 3-ingredient dark beer beef roast, French onion meatloaf, slow cooker smothered pork chops, slow cooker Mississippi meatballs and slow cooker steak soup.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a substitute for onion soup mix?
This homemade mix. One batch of dried onion flakes, beef bouillon granules, onion powder, parsley, celery seed, paprika and pepper replaces one envelope.
What does onion soup mix have in it?
This homemade version has dried onion flakes, beef bouillon granules, onion powder, dried parsley flakes, celery seed, paprika and black pepper, and nothing else.
How much homemade mix equals one packet?
One full batch, which is about 1/4 cup.
Does homemade onion soup mix need to be refrigerated?
No. An airtight container in the pantry is all it needs.
How long does it last?
Up to 6 months in a covered container.
Can I make it with less salt?
Yes. Use salt-free beef bouillon granules, then taste the finished dish and add salt only if it needs it.
Final Notes
Mix a big jar once and you’ll never run out halfway through a slow cooker recipe again. If you make it, tell me in the comments which dish you used it in.
Homemade Onion Soup Mix
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Ingredients
- 1/4 cup dried onion flakes
- 2 tablespoons beef bouillon granules regular or salt-free
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon parsley flakes dried
- 1/8 teaspoon celery seed
- 1/8 teaspoon paprika
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper ground
Instructions
- Measure all of the ingredients into a small bowl or a jar with a lid.
- Stir or shake until everything is evenly mixed.
- Use the whole batch in any recipe that calls for one envelope of dry onion soup mix, or keep it in the covered container in a cool, dry place for up to 6 months.
