The first time I made a recipe that used onion soup mix as an ingredient, it seemed easy enough to buy, keep on hand, and use in recipes like meatloaf, brisket, and dips. It seemed to add a lot of flavor, and I figured there were a lot of flavors in the packet that I could not replicate on my own.
Um, how could I even begin to replicate this all-star list? ONIONS*, SALT, CORNSTARCH, ONION POWDER, SUGAR, AUTOLYZED YEAST EXTRACT (BARLEY), CARAMEL COLOR, PARTIALLY HYDROGENATED SOYBEAN OIL, MONOSODIUM GLUTAMATE, CORN SYRUP*, DISODIUM INOSINATE, DISODIUM GUANYLATE, SULFUR DIOXIDE (USED TO PROTECT QUALITY). *DEHYDRATED
Mmmm, Disodium Inosinate, “a naturally occurring precursor to DNA and RNA … that is completely ineffective without MSG.”
Now that I care about ingredients, I imagine I will not be buying such a product again. Especially when this mix is so easy to throw together from common items in my spice bucket. Granted, I have a sizable spice bucket, but these ingredients are pretty standard for most kitchens, and if for some reason you don’t have them – I recommend the small investment.
This Homemade Onion Herb Mix is very easy to make ahead and keep on-hand. Just a few herbs from your spice rack, mixed in a small bowl. When a recipe calls for an envelope of onion soup mix, substitute about 2 Tablespoons of this Homemade Onion Herb Mix. Don’t stress too much – you an use a bit more or less.
Some ideas for use:
If you are looking for an easy party snack, mix 2 Tablespoons of this Homemade Onion Herb Mix with 1/2 to 1 cup of fat free plain Greek yogurt, and serve with vegetables or chips or crackers. Stir the herbs with the yogurt and let the flavor will develop in your refrigerator for an hour if you have time. If it is not strong enough for you, feel free to mix in more!
I also used this mix for the Damn Meatballs – about 2 Tablespoons there as well.
Try it out in your favorite recipe and let me know how it goes! I did not add salt to this recipe, because it depends on the recipe for me, but just keep in mind that “salt” is the second ingredient on the packaged product, so if you are making a standby recipe for which you are used to the flavor, heads up that it won’t be as salty – but that can be a good thing!
This recipe makes 5 Tablespoons (1/3 cup) – that should last for about 2 recipes that each call for an envelope of onion soup mix.
- ¼ cup dried minced onion (not onion powder)
- 1 t dried thyme
- 1 t paprika
- 1 t mustard powder
- 1 t garlic powder
- ¼ t freshly ground black pepper
- Mix the ingredients together in a small bowl; feel free to double the recipe and store in an airtight container with your herbs for later.
Adapted from: http://goodcheapeats.com/2013/10/homemade-onion-soup-mix/
Thank you for this healthy alternative!