Why Make Your Own
If prepackaged dry rubs, soup mixes, and seasonings are so convenient and easy to find, why bother to make your own? That’s easy:
- Cost: You can make your own mixes for much less than the cost of a tiny packet from the grocery store.
- Health concerns: When you make your own you can control the amount of sodium. And, if there is a particular ingredient that you don’t like you can omit it easily.
- Portion size: Most prepackaged mixes make enough for a family of 4. What if you are cooking for 1, 2, or 6?
- Christmas gift-giving: Homemade mixes are a wonderful way of sharing your passion for good cooking with those you love. If someone on your gift-list lives in a dorm, lives alone or enjoys camping/traveling, a collection of soup or seasoning mixes would make a great stocking stuffer.
Can I Make A Smaller Serving To Make Sure I Like It
While my seasoning blend recipes are well tested and used every day in my home, everyones taste buds are different.
If youd like to make a smaller serving of this onion soup mix to make sure you like it before you make an entire pint, use these ingredients:
- ¼ cup dried onion flakes
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- ¼ teaspoons celery salt
- teaspoon black pepper
This simple recipe should make enough dry onion soup mix for 1-2 uses. Then if your family enjoys it, come back to this recipe and make a whole pint next time.
Tips For Making Burgers
Dont overwork the patties. This is the most important thing to keep in mind when making burgers.
Mixing breaks down the proteins in the beef, pushing the juices out of the meat. The more you handle the beef, the drier the meat gets!
The warmer your hands, the faster the proteins will break down. Wash your hands before working the beef so they stay cold.
The best meat for burgers is ground chuck steak. For the juiciest burgers, youll want the ratio to be 80-85% lean, 15-20% fat.
Be as careful as possible when forming the patties. This will ensure juicy burgers. Again, you dont want to overmix or mash the beef!
Form an indent at the center of the patty using your thumb. This will prevent the burgers from puffing up.
As the patties cook, the heat pushes the juice towards the center, causing the burger to bloat. But if they have a dent in the middle, the burgers will be flat when cooked.
Chill the patties for 10 minutes before cooking. This will seal all the beefs juices in!
Grill on high heat. This will give the patties that nice, crusty, seared surface.
Do not touch the patties once theyre on the grill. Dont press them with a spatula and dont flip them over and over. Just let them sit there, covered.
Otherwise, again, they will be tough and dry.
To check for doneness, gently press the surface. A medium-rare burger will be slightly springy. But for more accuracy, you can use a meat thermometer to test. Heres a simple guide:
| Doneness | |
| Well Done | 160 to 165 degrees |
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Copycat Lipton Onion Soup Mix Recipe
This homemade dry onion soup mix recipe is so easy to make and taste just like Lipton Onion Soup Mix.Made with basic pantry staple spices, its perfect for making classic onion dip and seasoning many other recipes.
Who doesnt love Lipton Onion Soup Mix? Especially, during the holidays. Its in every bowl of gravy, casserole, and the best dish of all classic french onion dip. That stuff is like crack. However, this tiny packet of seasoning is also loaded with fillers, preservatives, and tons of sodium. So, no Bueno.
But, you can make your own homemade dry onion soup mix thats much healthier. Its perfect for adding flavor to veggie burgers, roasted red potatoes, and making that coveted onion dip that everyone loves. This is not just one more copycat recipe its better! Dont let your pantry be caught without it. Ready? Lets make it!
Is Onion Soup Mix Gluten Free
One of the questions I get most often is how someone can tailor a recipe to fit their dietary needs. And I’m not gonna lie y’all, I really don’t like to go there. There are just too many factors in health-specific diets that there is no possible way I can be an expert in them all, and let’s be real, I’m just a cook – not a doctor or a certified nutritionist. Many store-bought onion soup mixes are not gluten free. But this recipe is!
Read Also: Lipton Onion Soup Mix Nutrition Information
What To Serve With Lipton Onion Soup Burgers
As hearty and delicious as burgers are, they arent as much fun to eat without the sides! The sides add excitement to the table, making your meal even more unforgettable.
Looking for ideas? Here are some dishes that complement burgers wonderfully.
- French Fries. Ah. The classic! Crisp on the outside, fluffy on the inside, and deliciously salty all over. Take it up another notch by drizzling truffle oil over your fries!
- Onion Rings. The subtle sweetness of onions gives your savory burgers a nice flavor contrast. Plus, who can resist that crunch?
- Coleslaw. Crisp cabbage and carrots are coated in a creamy, tangy dressing. Its a light, cold, and refreshing treat that tastes amazing with burgers!
Whats In Homemade Onion Soup Mix
Well, if youre buying it from the store, a whole bunch of weird stuff. However, making your own, you have the control! Heres whats in this recipe :
- dried onion flakes
- coconut sugar
- black pepper
- paprika
- celery seed
You might notice salt is not included in this list, either! I want you to be able to control the salt levels, and if youre adding this to soup with a beef broth, that may add all the salt you need. If you make dip, give it a taste and add salt as needed!
As soon as I first made this recipe and tried it as French onion dip, I immediately bought more onion flakes and filled up a whole jar with this mixture. I know you guys are going to do the same, too.
You can also use this onion soup mix as a handy and quick way to season recipes like homemade beef stew, vegetable soup, or pot roast.
More Homemade Spice Blends:
Don’t Miss: Potatoes Baked With Onion Soup Mix
Other Uses For Onion Soup Mix
- Classic Onion Dip Add 2 tbsp homemade Onion Soup Mix to 8 oz of sour cream and stir until completely combined. Chill until ready to serve.
- Chicken Marinade For a flavorful marinade, add 1 tbsp of Onion Soup Mix and 1 tbsp oil, per pound of chicken for maximum flavor
- Roasted Veggies Vegetables like bell pepper, squash, cauliflower, and broccoli can be tossed with Onion Soup Mix and oil and then baked on a sheet pan at 425F for 15-20 minutes for super flavorful and healthy side dish.
- Potatoes Add 2 tbsp onion soup mix and 3 tbsp oil to 2 pounds of red or yukon gold potatoes that have been quartered. Baked at 425F for about 30-40 minutes.
- Juicy Burgers Add 1 tbsp per pound of meat to your hamburgers for extra flavor and juiciness.
How Much Onion Soup Mix Is In A Packet
Each Lipton Dry Onion Soup packet has about four tablespoons. So if youre substituting for the packets then youll know how much of your homemade onion soup mix to add. Heres what I use in some of my favorite recipes.
- Meatloaf 2 Tablespoon / per pound of meat
- Roasting Meat 1 Tablespoon / per pound of meat
- Onion Dip 1 Tablespoon / per cup of sour cream
Every six months or so, I check the status of my mixes and freshen them up if needed. The options for a homemade mix are endless! They are also convenient, less expensive and lack all mystery. Enjoy!
Read Also: Potato Soup With Frozen Hash Browns
Ingredients In Gluten Free Onion Soup Mix
Dried Onion Flakes – This is our main ingredient – you can’t make onion soup without onion. Dried onion flakes have a sweet onion flavor like onions that have been slow roasted.
Beef Bouillon Granules – This gives a substantial, hearty flavor. Always check your labels to be sure the bouillon is gluten free. Not all are.
Onion Powder – More onion is not a bad thing here. The onion powder will distribute into whatever you mix it with, while the flakes will stay in larger pieces.
Parsley Flakes – Dried parsley adds color and flavor to the mix.
Celery Seed – I love the flavor of celery seed in savory things like soups. It’s a bright, herbal flavor.
Paprika – Paprika adds warmth and color to the mix.
Black Pepper – Gives the right amount of heat to our onion soup mix.
Cornstarch – Allows whatever you’re cooking with this mix to thicken.
If you have any questions, please leave a comment below and I will get back to you.
Additional Copycat Onion Soup Mix Tips
- If you use this recipe for instant soup, usehomemade stock or beef broth instead of beef bouillon and avoid the too-much-salt situation entirely.
- To make this dry mix vegetarian or vegan, substitute vegetable bouillon instead of beef.
- One ¼ cup serving is the equivalent to one envelope of dry onion soup mix.
- This recipe is a bigger batch. Not massive, but youll get at least 3 servings out of it.
- I like to make a big batch and store it in the spice cabinet in a re-purposed jar. Then I scoop out 4 Tablespoons for whatever recipe Im making .
Also Check: Red Potatoes And Lipton Onion Soup Mix
Lipton Onion Soup Burger Recipe
Looking for a fool-proof way to flavor your burgers? This Lipton Onion Soup burger recipe is the answer.
There are hundreds of ways to season burgers. Some stick to just salt and pepper, while some add other flavors, such as Worcestershire sauce and mustard.
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But the thing is, you wont find out if youve seasoned your burgers perfectly until after youve cooked them. If your burgers are too salty, theres no way to fix them!
Thats where Lipton Onion Soup comes in. With this nifty little packet, theres no need to worry about under- or over-seasoning. Youll get perfectly flavored burgers every time.
So what are you waiting for? Put on your apron and fire up the grill, its time to make burgers!
How Can I Use This Mix
Use this dip as a seasoning mix to flavor anything where you want some bold, onion type flavor. Meats, stews, hamburgers, meatloaf, casserole, soups, bean patties, etc.
Use it as seasoning in this Vegetable Quinoa Soup Mix.
And try it with sour cream or Greek yogurt to make this delicious onion soup dip.
Recommended Reading: Where To Buy Parks And Nash Bone Broth Soup
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.
How To Make Soup
One of the most common questions is how to make soup from dry onion soup mix. The process couldnt be simpler! If you want to make soup, add 4 cups boiling water or low sodium beef broth and allow to sit for 5 minutes.
Add caramelized onions, frozen veggies or even thinly sliced beef or chicken to make a whole meal.
Also Check: Campbell Soup Chicken And Rice Casserole
What Are Some Ways To Use Onion Soup Mix
This is a super versatile seasoning blend that has many uses:
How To Store Gluten Free Onion Soup Mix
To store your onion soup mix, simply place it in an air tight container such as a glass jar or a thick, well-sealing plastic bag.
You can store this at room temperature for up to three months.
This recipe makes about 1 ounce of soup mix, about the same as a packet of the seasoning mix you’d buy. Consider doubling or tripling the recipe if you know you’ll be using it.
I suggest that you keep it portioned out while storing so you don’t have to weigh it out later when you’re ready to cook with it.
You can make a variety of gluten free dishes with this gluten free onion soup mix. Gluten Free Onion dip and gluten free onion soup are two of our go-to’s.
You May Like: Lipton Onion Soup Roast
Homemade Dry French Onion Dip Mix
Ill admit it. I actually like the Lipton onion mix stuff. You know, the stuff in the envelope that can be used to make soup or dip? Ive never used it to make soup but as a dip it tastes pretty good. Tear open the envelope, pour the contents into a bowl of sour cream, stir, refrigerate for 30 minutes, pull out a bag of your favorite potato chips, sit back and *crunch, munch, crunch.*
BUT you know how it is with most pre-prepared food items. The list of ingredients always includes strange things that really just dont belong there. So if you can make the same thing without all the junk that tastes just as good or better, plus is way cheaper to make yourself, why wouldnt you make it, right? Right!
Heres a copycat recipe version of the dry French onion dip mix you can throw together in 2 minutes and youll love the results.
And it also makes a cute little gift idea.
Its as simple as combining a few dry ingredients together and then mixing it in with the sour cream. It only takes a couple of minutes to put together, but you can also make a few dried dip mixes in advance to have on hand when you need them. This recipe is the equivalent of one envelope of dried onion soup mix.
Lets get started!
Combine everything but the sour cream in a small bowl. I use msg-free beef broth granules.
Add the dip mix to the sour cream in a medium-sized bowl.
Stir to thoroughly combine and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, preferably an hour, before using.
Onion Soup Mix Ingredients
Once you have your spices on hand, you can start making your seasoning mixes! For onion soup mix the following 8 simple ingredients.
- dried onion flakes
- celery salt
- black pepper
If you prefer a more conventional mix, you can leave out the tumeric. If you like your mix on the sweeter side, you can add sugar. The beauty of a homemade seasoning mix is in the homemade!
I like to store my seasoning mixes in vintage jelly glass jars like this one because they dont have designs on the glass and the labels will adhere easily. Seal your mix with an airtight lid and store it in a cool, dry place. When ready to use, shake it up a little and use it.
Also Check: Campbell’s Cheesy Chicken And Rice
Beefy Onion Soup Mix Ingredients
Simple ingredients for superb tastes!
- Dried Onion: I prefer the chopped dried onion, more flavor and texture.
- Beef Bouillon: If you only have cubes, crush them into granules.
- Onion Powder: Gives that extra punch of onion.
- Dried Parsley: Flavor and color
- Paprika: Adds a nice mild flavor.
- Salt and Pepper: Add to taste.
How Does This Mix Compare To Lipton
Lipton Onion Soup Mix contains the following ingredients: Onions , salt, corn starch, onion powder, sugar, autolyzed yeast extract , caramel color, partially hydrogenated soybean oil, monosodium glutamate, corn syrup, disodium inosinate, disodium guanylate, sulfur dioxide .
Lipton onion soup mix is not gluten free. My recipe is gluten free and makes a great Lipton substitute.
Recommended Reading: Campbells Chicken And Rice Bake
How To Use Dry Onion Soup Mix
This simple and delicious seasoning can be used to add flavor tons of recipes. Apart from the most obvious, here are a few more ways to enhance your favorite recipes.
- Add 1 tablespoon to this Instant Pot Brown Rice
- Mix with this oil-free salad dressing to make a delicious marinade for veggies and tofu
- Add it to some hot veggie broth for a simple and healthy French Onion Soup
Gifting Your Dry Onion Soup Mix
You may notice my recipe doesnt have added salt!
It was salty enough for us with just the beef bullion. If you need to adjust it after making it once, feel free, but I wouldnt just add salt to this one.
You want the onion flavors to show, and salt will actually cover that up if youre using a lot of it in a seasoning blend.
Recommended Reading: Weight Watchers Hash Brown Potato Soup
Why Should I Make My Own Spice Mixes
As someone who cannot eat gluten, I learned that many spice blends and flavoring mixes contain gluten.
Making your own mixes allows you to control everything that goes in, so you’ll know that it’s safe for you and your family to eat, and that kind of peace of mind is priceless.
Speaking of price, making your own spice and soup mixes will save you money too. The markup on pre-mixed spices is can be significant.
