Homemade Onion Soup Mix Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What can I use in place of onion soup mix? ›

Stir onion flakes, beef bouillon granules, onion powder, parsley flakes, celery seed, paprika, and black pepper together in a bowl. Use as a substitute for a 1-ounce envelope of dry onion soup mix.

French onion soup almost always calls for beef stock or broth while English onion soup can be made with either beef, chicken, or vegetable stock or broth. Most French onion soups will also employ sherry, red wine, or (in Julia Child's case) cognac for flavor.

The easiest way to thicken your French onion soup is with flour. You can also use cornstarch if you don't have any flour. Remember to never add the flour or cornstarch directly to the soup – otherwise you run the risk of it clumping.

The caramelized onions for this soup cook more quickly due to a pinch of baking soda but still have that deep, slow-cooked flavor. Topping the soup with hot, cheesy toasts prepared while the soup simmers, eliminates the need to bake the soup in specialty French onion soup bowls.

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.

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.

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…

Onions: You can use white, yellow or red onions for French onion soup. But to make it the classic way, you will need 5-6 large yellow onions, peeled and thinly sliced. Butter: The tastiest (French) way to caramelize those onions.

Flour: a little all-purpose flour will help to thicken the soup. You can feel free to use gluten-free flour. Dry white wine: this helps to deglaze the pan and add a boost of flavor.

Add flour or cornflour

You can also use flour or cornflour to thicken a soup. 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.

Does Lipton dry onion soup mix go bad? ›

Typically, a package of dried soup mix will maintain its best quality for about 18 to 24 months if stored properly. The "expiration" or "best by" dates on the packaging are indicators of peak quality rather than safety, indicating that the product may still be safe to consume beyond these dates.

On the other hand, you can not caramelize onions for too long – they will be bitter. Salting the onions at the beginning of cooking helps to soften them more quickly. Photo 2 – this is how the onions will look like after 15 minutes of cooking time. Photo 3 – this is how they look like after 30 minutes.

While salt can be added to balance out this richness, using lemon instead will actually be more effective. This is because the acid from the lemon cuts through the fat and balances out the spices. Using lemon zest on top of each bowl is also a great garnish that provides a zesty punch in every bite.

Wine is optional to deglaze the pan and add flavour to the soup. I recommend a dry white or red wine, such as a good quality Pinot Grigio/Gris, Sauv Blanc, Sémillon, Chardonnay, Merlot or Pinot Noir. Generally, if you can't drink it, don't cook with it.

What can you use instead of onion powder? Instead of onion powder you can use: grated fresh onion, shallots, fennel bulbs, scallions, garlic powder, onion salt, or celery.

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.

Fortunately, there are a number of substitutes that can give the same effect, from other aromatics such as fennel and bell peppers to herbs and spices like ginger and horseradish. Oil infused with garlic and garlic powder are also possible substitutes.