Almost Lipton’s Onion Soup Mix – Easy Copycat Recipe

Create your own simple copycat Almost Lipton’s Onion Soup Mix to have on hand for a great last-minute appetizer or for use in casseroles and other main dishes.

Creating mixes ahead of time saves both time and money — particularly those last-minute trips to the store! This is one of our favorite mixes to keep on hand for whipping up dips, roasting flavorful potatoes, meatloaf, dump recipes in the crockpot, and so much more.

If you happen to have a hunter in the family, this mix can be a godsend — it helps reduce the heavy game flavor in wild meats while also tenderizing the meat at the same time.

❓ What Is Onion Soup Mix?

Onion soup mix is a dry blend of dehydrated onion, beef bouillon, and savory spices that dissolves easily into soups, sauces, and dips. The most iconic brand — Lipton — has been a pantry staple in American kitchens since the 1950s, famous for its role in French onion soup dip, pot roast, and countless casseroles.

This homemade version uses the exact same core ingredients you’d find in the original, but gives you full control over sodium levels, ingredient quality, and batch size. Make a big jar and skip the individual packet hunt every time a recipe calls for one.

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⚖️ Homemade vs. Store-Bought Lipton’s Onion Soup Mix

So how does this copycat stack up against the original? Pretty close — with a few perks:

Homemade wins on: cost per use, lower sodium options (swap to low-sodium bouillon), no preservatives, larger batch, and you always have it on hand. You also skip the MSG that appears in the commercial version if that matters to your household.

The original wins on: convenience if you don’t meal prep and absolute flavor consistency since it’s factory-calibrated. That said, most home cooks can’t tell the difference once it’s cooked into a dish.

The verdict? If you cook regularly and use onion soup mix even a couple times a month, making your own is a no-brainer money saver. A single batch made from bulk pantry staples costs a fraction of the name-brand packets.

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💖 Why You’ll Love This Copycat Onion Soup Mix

✅ 5 ingredients, 5 minutes. Combine, seal, done. No cooking involved.

✅ Incredibly versatile. Use it in dips, potatoes, meatloaf, sticky meatballs, pot roast, chicken, crockpot dump meals, and more.

✅ Budget-friendly. A big batch from bulk pantry staples costs a fraction of individual store packets.

✅ Customizable sodium. Swap in low-sodium or no-sodium bouillon and control exactly how salty your dish gets.

✅ Wild game friendly. Hunters swear by this mix to tame gamey flavor in venison, elk, and other wild meats while tenderizing at the same time.

✅ Gift-worthy. Jar it up with a recipe card and you’ve got a thoughtful, practical homemade gift.

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🛒 Ingredient Notes

Dried minced onion (¾ cup): This is the backbone of the mix. Look for it in the spice aisle or buy in bulk at warehouse stores for significant savings. We highly recommend making your own dried onion flakes. Don’t substitute fresh or powdered onion here — the dehydrated minced texture is what mimics the original packet.

Beef bouillon granules (⅓ cup): Provides the savory, umami-rich base. Standard beef bouillon granules work great. If you’re watching sodium, swap in low-sodium or no-sodium beef bouillon — same flavor, lighter salt load.

Onion powder (4 tsp): Layering both minced onion and onion powder is what gives this mix its full, rounded onion flavor. Don’t skip it.

Crushed celery seed (¼ tsp): A subtle but important note — it adds a faint herbal depth that rounds out the savory profile. Crush whole seeds with a mortar and pestle or use pre-ground celery seed.

Sugar (¼ tsp): Just a touch of sweetness balances the salt and sharpens the overall flavor. Don’t leave it out — you won’t taste “sweet,” you’ll just taste balanced.

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👩‍🍳 How to Make Almost Lipton’s Onion Soup Mix

This could not be simpler — no cooking, no blending, no special equipment required.

Step 1: Measure all five ingredients into a bowl: dried minced onion, beef bouillon granules, onion powder, crushed celery seed, and sugar.

Step 2: Stir together until evenly combined. Make sure the granules and powder are well distributed throughout the minced onion.

Step 3: Transfer to a zip-lock bag, a vacuum seal bag, or a clean glass jar with a tight lid. Label with the date and contents.

Measurement equivalent: Approximately 5 tablespoons of mix = 1 envelope (1¼ oz) of store-bought Lipton Onion Soup Mix. Use this as your conversion whenever a recipe calls for a packet.

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💡 Expert Tips

Buy your dried onion in bulk. The biggest cost difference comes from the dried minced onion. Buy an 8–16 oz bag at a warehouse store or online rather than those tiny spice-rack jars. Your cost per batch drops dramatically.

Seal it properly. Moisture is the enemy of dry mixes. Use a vacuum seal bag or a mason jar with a tight lid to maximize shelf life. Toss in a food-safe silica desiccant packet if you live somewhere humid.

Label everything. Write the date AND the conversion (5 Tbsp = 1 packet) right on the label so you’re not hunting for this post six months from now.

For wild game: Use this mix as a dry rub or dissolve it in broth for braising venison, elk, or wild boar. The salt and savory depth draw out gamey compounds while the sugar-celery balance tenderizes the meat. Let it marinate overnight for the best results.

Double or triple the batch. The recipe scales perfectly. Make a big jar and you’re set for months of dips, dump dinners, and potato nights.

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🎨 Variations & Ways to Use This Mix

The beauty of keeping a batch on hand is having a flavor-packed shortcut ready to go at any moment. Here are our favorites:

Classic Onion Dip: Blend 5 Tbsp of mix with 1 pint of sour cream. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving. Want to kick it up a notch? Stir in 2 tablespoons of Tabasco Chipotle Pepper Sauce for a smoky heat that pairs perfectly with chips and veggies.

Onion Roasted Potatoes: Wash 5–6 russet potatoes and cut into chunks. Place in a gallon zip-lock bag, add 1–2 tablespoons of olive oil, seal, and shake to coat. Add 5 tablespoons of seasoning mix, seal, and shake again. Pour onto a baking sheet and bake at 350°F for 35–40 minutes until golden and tender.

Easy Pot Roast: Sprinkle 5 Tbsp over a beef chuck roast in the crockpot along with 1 cup of water or beef broth. Cook on low 8 hours. The result is fall-apart tender, deeply flavored pot roast with built-in gravy.

Crockpot Dump Chicken: Place chicken thighs in a slow cooker, sprinkle generously with this mix, add a can of cream of mushroom soup diluted with ½ cup water, and cook on low 6–8 hours. Serve over rice or egg noodles.

Meatloaf: Replace packaged seasoning in your favorite meatloaf recipe with 5 tablespoons of this mix for incredible depth of flavor.

Savory Butter Spread: Mix 1 Tbsp into ½ cup softened butter and spread on rolls, baked potatoes, or grilled corn. Wildly good.

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🥗 Dietary Notes

Gluten-free: Most beef bouillon granules are gluten-free, but check your specific brand’s label since formulations vary. All other ingredients are naturally gluten-free.

Dairy-free: The dry mix itself is dairy-free. Note that the onion dip variation uses sour cream — swap for a dairy-free sour cream alternative to keep it compliant.

Low-sodium: Substitute low-sodium or no-sodium beef bouillon to significantly reduce the sodium content while maintaining the same flavor profile. This is especially helpful if you’re cooking for anyone monitoring blood pressure or heart health.

Vegan/vegetarian: This mix uses beef bouillon, so it is not vegan or vegetarian as written. Substitute vegetable bouillon granules for a plant-based version — it won’t be identical, but it will still be delicious in dips and potatoes.

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⏰ Make-Ahead & Storage

This mix was made to be made ahead — that’s the whole point! Here’s how to store it right:

Pantry / Dry storage: Store in an airtight zip-lock bag, vacuum seal bag, or sealed glass jar away from heat, light, and moisture. Properly sealed, the mix stays fresh for up to 1 year.

Signs it’s time to toss it: If the dried onion has absorbed moisture and clumped, or if the mix smells flat or off, it’s time to make a fresh batch.

Prepped onion dip: Once you’ve mixed the dip with sour cream, refrigerate in a sealed container and use within 5–7 days.

Batch tip: Make 3–4x the recipe at once and store in a quart mason jar. At 5 Tbsp per use, a big batch gives you 10+ “packets” worth of seasoning in one quick prep session.

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💸 Budget101® Price Breakdown: Almost Lipton’s Onion Soup Mix

Here’s what it costs to make a full batch (approximately 10–12 “packet” equivalents) using Walmart pricing:

Ingredient	Approx. Cost	Used in Recipe	Cost Used
Dried minced onion (8 oz bag)	~$3.48	¾ cup	~$1.05
Beef bouillon granules (3.5 oz jar)	~$2.88	⅓ cup	~$0.82
Onion powder (2.62 oz jar)	~$1.98	4 tsp	~$0.22
Celery seed (1 oz)	~$1.68	¼ tsp	~$0.04
Sugar (4 lb bag)	~$2.62	¼ tsp	~$0.01
Total batch cost			~$2.14
Cost per “packet equivalent” (5 Tbsp)		~10 uses per batch	~$0.21 each
Lipton Onion Soup Mix packet (store)	~$2.48/2-pack	$1.24 each	You save ~$1.03/use

Over a year of regular use, that adds up fast. A household that uses onion soup mix twice a month saves over $24/year just by keeping a jar of this in the pantry.

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🍽️ Serving Suggestions

Once you’ve got a jar of this mix on the shelf, here’s what to reach for it for first:

As a dip: The sour cream onion dip is the classic — serve with kettle chips, ruffled potato chips, raw veggies, or pretzel crisps at any gathering. It disappears fast.

With roasted potatoes: These are a crowd-pleaser side dish for practically any protein — serve alongside meatloaf, roasted chicken, or grilled steak for a low-effort, high-flavor pairing.

In a crockpot meal: Toss it in with chicken breasts or a chuck roast on a busy morning and come home to dinner already done.

As a burger seasoning: Mix 1–2 tablespoons per pound of ground beef before shaping patties for the most flavorful homemade burgers you’ve ever had.

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📦 Storage Tips & Shelf Life

Store the dry mix in an airtight container — a sealed mason jar, zip-lock bag, or vacuum seal bag all work well. Keep it in a cool, dry pantry away from the stove or any source of moisture or steam.

Dry mix shelf life: Up to 12 months when properly sealed. Beyond that, the flavor may fade but it’s not a food safety concern — just make a fresh batch.

Prepared onion dip: Refrigerate and use within 5–7 days. Keep it covered tightly so it doesn’t absorb fridge odors.

Pro tip: Write the batch date and the “5 Tbsp = 1 packet” conversion on the jar label so future-you doesn’t have to go searching.

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Frequently Asked Questions

📝 Printable Recipe Card

🛒 Walmart Grocery List

Everything you need to make this copycat Lipton’s onion soup mix is available at Walmart. Here’s your shopping list with approximate current prices:

• McCormick Dried Minced Onion, 2.62 oz — ~$3.48 (buy the larger bag for better value)
• Wyler’s or Herb-Ox Beef Bouillon Granules, 3.75 oz — ~$2.88
• McCormick Onion Powder, 2.62 oz — ~$1.98
• McCormick Celery Seed, 1 oz — ~$1.68
• Granulated white sugar (already in most pantries) — on hand
• Quart mason jar for storage — ~$1.25 (if not already on hand)

Prices are approximate Walmart estimates and may vary by location. Check the Walmart website or app for current pricing in your area.