This recipe for Homemade Dry Onion Soup Mix is a flavorful blend of everyday spices made without added bouillon or sugar.
Use this Dried Onion Soup Mix to add flavor to Slow Cooker Pot Roast, to create a quick Chip Dip, or to season Roasted Red Potatoes.

A Healthier Onion Soup Mix
Growing up, my mom always had Lipton Onion Soup Mix in her pantry. She used it to make rice pilaf and to season things like burgers and potatoes--and it really did add incredible flavor!
I use Dry Onion Soup Mix in my own kitchen now, but instead of Lipton Onion Soup Mix, I make my own homemade blend.
By making your own Dried Onion Soup Mix, you save money AND skip all the preservatives and additives that are added to make store-bought onion soup mixes shelf-stable.
My recipe also does not call for added bouillon, making this recipe vegan-friendly and free of MSG, caramel color, and MUCH lower in sodium.
And let me tell you, this homemade version still packs in a HUGE punch of flavor.
Spices Needed for Onion Soup Mix

- Onion: To pack in A LOT of onion flavor, this recipe calls for both dried onion flakes and onion powder.
- Garlic Powder: Every recipe is better with garlic powder!
- Celery Seed: This is not a commonly used spice in most homes and may not be one you typically keep on hand. However, it is necessary to achieve the same flavor found in Lipton Onion Soup Mix. It is also delicious in salad dressings and rubs, so it won't go to waste in your pantry!
- Dried Parsley: A little bit of dried parsley adds a bit of freshness to the blend.
- Salt and Pepper: Because this recipe does not call for bouillon, you need to add salt and pepper to enhance the flavors. I recommend kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper for best results.
How to Make Homemade Onion Soup Mix
- In a small bowl or shallow dish, mix together the onion flakes, onion powder, garlic powder, celery seed, parsley, salt, and pepper until well combined.
- Transfer to an airtight container and store in the pantry for up to 6 months.
Using Dry Onion Soup Mix
This homemade recipe for Onion Soup Mix can be used in any recipe that calls for Onion Soup Mix. For every packet of the purchased mix, use ¼ cup of this homemade blend.
Beyond using this blend as a replacement for Lipton Onion Soup Mix, you can also use it to enhance flavor in a variety of ways.
- Add a tablespoon or two to rice while cooking for incredible flavor, or use it to make Homemade Rice Pilaf or Instant Pot Rice Pilaf.
- Add 2-3 tablespoons of the to Slow Cooker Pot Roast in addition to other seasonings for an additional layer of flavor.
- Prepare a quick and flavorful marinade for meats or vegetables by mixing 2 tablespoons of the Onion Soup Mix with ⅓ cup olive oil and ¼ cup red wine vinegar. It is my go to marinade when preparing Vegetable Kabobs.
- Season meatloaf or burgers by adding 1-2 tablespoons of the onion soup mix to the meat mixture before cooking.
- Replace the salt in Air Fryer Potatoes, Baked Fries, or Roasted Red Potatoes for a delicous, savory spin.
Additional Homemade Spice Blends
- Homemade Taco Seasoning
- Homemade Cajun Seasoning
- Homemade Seasoned Salt
- Old Bay Seasoning Recipe
- Homemade Dill Seasoning
- Homemade Fajita Seasoning
If you tried out this recipe for Onion Soup Mix, I would love for you to leave a comment and review below.

Dry Onion Soup Mix
Ingredients
- ½ cup dried onion flakes
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp celery seed
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp dried parsley
- 1 tsp salt
Instructions
- Combine the spices together in a small mixing bowl, until well combined.
- Store in an airtight container for up to 6 months in the pantry.
Jess
Hi there, this is probably a silly question, but did you use white or black pepper?
Kristen Chidsey
For this recipe, I prefer black pepper. White pepper blends in better, but I feel a bit overwhelming in flavor.
Jackie Kramer
Hi there. Can I leave out the celery powder (do to food sensitivity)? Thanks.
Kristen Chidsey
Absolutely!
Dave
I think the celery powder is a typo, every else it is celery seeds.
Kristen Chidsey
Sorry about that! Everything should be updated to say celery seed.
Kara
Perfection! This is so good!
Kristen Chidsey
I am so glad you enjoyed Kara!
Louie
Noticed your recipe says 10 grams of sugar. But sugar is not an ingredient. Does this come from the onions (on keto and avoiding sugar)?
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Louie, yes this is natural sugars that come from the dried onions. However, the entire batch actually only has 5 grams, not 10. That means for each serving you would have less than .25 grams.
Suz
Hello. Can I use celery seed instead? We love French onion dip on the weekends and I cringe every time I look at the lengthy list of ingredients on the tub! Can’t wait to try this instead! Thank you!
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Suz! The celery seed will have more texture, but the flavor works! You can also grind up the celery seed in a clean coffee bean grinder if desired. I hope you enjoy!
Suz
Thank you so much for the quick response! All I could find was “minced onion” is this the same as onion flakes ? They also had chopped onion but was all sold out. No sign of onion flakes at the store I was at! Was just to looking online to see if minced onion was comparable but conflicting results. Thanks so much!
Suz
And I meant to add it’s minced onion that is dried and in a spice container not one that is contained in any liquid.
Kristen Chidsey
Yes, you can absolutely use minced onion (dried) with no change. Some brands call it minced onion 😉
Eileen
Why is there no beef flavoring? Does the packaged one have this?
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Eileen! In the original onion soup recipe, there is not beef added. They do have a "beefy" version, that is where you would add in bouillon if desired.
Jacqueline
Im wondering if Incould use celery salt ? I dont have plain cerlery powder. Thanks.
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Jacqueline! If you use celery salt, just cut the added salt in half in this recipe 🙂
Lesley
Yay! I have all the ingredients. Need this recipe to make a batch of oat burgers to taste really awesome. Thank you!
Georgiana Cave
I still after reading your replies to others, don't see where all that salt comes from just one teaspoon??
Kristen Chidsey
1 teaspoon of salt has 2,300 milligrams of sodium--so that is what people were referencing 🙂