Gluten Free Onion Soup Mix | Spinach Dip Recipe

5 from 6 votes

Prep Time : 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time : 5 minutes minutes

Use this easy gluten free onion soup mix recipe to make spinach dip, onion dip, and more! Save money and have more control over your gluten free recipes.

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This spinach dip is made with gluten free homemade onion soup mix. Serve it with fresh vegetables or corn chips for a crowd favorite appetizer.

The best gluten free onion soup mix

Everyone should keep gluten free onion soup mix on hand — it's so versatile! And while it's true that the stuff you buy at the store is relatively cheap, it's not always safe. As you know, gluten hides everywhere!

So rather than take the risk of contamination, I say make your own! It's quick, easy, and super cheap — much cheaper than what you'd pay for the prepackaged stuff.

Plus, you don't have to worry about preservatives and other added ingredients you may not be a fan of.

Wait… what about Lipton?

As I understand it, Lipton Onion Soup Mix, which I grew up using to make spinach dip, used to be gluten free–until they started adding a barley derivative to the product and since then has no longer been gluten free. But if you look at the ingredient list of the product, it's not much more than onion, salt, a touch of sugar, and starch.

It does boast dehydrated onions, in our homemade onion soup blend.

Oh, and in case you're wondering, I served it in one bread bowl made from the No-Rye “Rye” Bread from page 101 of GFOAS Bakes Bread—and another made from the Lean Crusty White Sandwich Bread on page 43. You really just want a crusty bread, and those are stellar examples.

Ingredients for DIY onion soup mix

• Onion powder – You can't have onion soup without the onions! Onion powder has the most concentrated onion flavor, so we begin with this.
• Minced dried onion – This makes up the most bulk in our homemade onion soup mix, much like it does in the packaged kind. It's an ideal way to add plenty of onion flavor and keep the mixture shelf stable.
• Garlic powder – The original mix doesn't actually have garlic, but a touch of this flavorful dried ingredient really adds so much, especially considering that you're used to tasting garlic when you taste onion.
• Salt – Just a bit for that savory flavor. We don't want to add too much, though, to allow you to add more salt to taste for your spinach dip.
• Cornstarch – This helps thicken up the mix whether you're making soup or using it as flavoring for a dip, and keeps the other ingredients from clumping together.
• Sugar – This might seem like an unexpected ingredient, but it really goes together well with and brings out the flavor of onion and balances the flavors similarly to salt.

How to make your own “Lipton” onion soup mix — without gluten

Probably one of my favorite things about this recipe is that it's so darn easy — just grab these few kitchen essentials, mix, and you're done!

How to store gluten free dry onion soup mix

Just like the dry soup mix you buy at the store, my gf onion soup mix is shelf stable for several months.

To keep is fresh, simply store it in an airtight container in a dry, cool place like your pantry for up to 3 months.

Tips for making the best gluten free onion soup mix

Use fresh ingredients

I know that's a funny thing to say considering that we're using powdered ingredients, but the point I'm trying to make is that gluten free onion soup mix isn't really the best solution for using up that onion powder that's been stuck at the back of the cabinet for months (or years?)

As the flavor of onion powder diminishes the longer it sits, try to use a brand new, fresh container when making soup mix.

Store your soup mix in individual containers

My gluten free onion soup mix recipe produces roughly the same amount of soup mix that you'd find in one packet of the store-bought stuff, so consider storing your homemade version in small zip-top bags or storage containers so that you can grab-and-go without having to measure the next time you need it.

Be sure to sure an airtight container

To maintain the flavor of your dry soup mix, be sure to use an airtight container.

If you're taking my advice and portioning the mix into individual servings, consider storing each serving in a snack-sized ziptop bag and then storing all of these smaller bags inside a larger airtight container for extra protection.

How to make your own gluten free spinach dip

Since we have plenty of minced dehydrated onions in our soup mix, plus some onion powder, there's no need to add any fresh onion to our spinach dip. To give the minced garlic more bite but prevent your spinach dip from having any larger pieces of minced garlic, I mince the fresh garlic very fine, and then use the flat side of a large knife to press the garlic into a paste

Since spinach dip really does get better if it sits in the refrigerator for at least an hour, and even better at least a day, this is a great make-ahead option. The longer you let it sit, the better the gf crusty bread it's sitting in will taste too.

What to serve with gluten free spinach dip

I typically serve my gluten free spinach dip in a gf bread bowl — it's really the perfect vessel for all that creamy goodness. Try using our recipe for gluten free artisan bread. Let the bread cool completely, then cut out the top, pull out as much of the fluffy inside as possible, and fill it with plenty of dip!

There are tons of other ways to enjoy this yummy dip, though. Here are some more suggestions:

• Hollow out some bell peppers and stuff them with the spinach dip
• Another healthy idea is to slice up carrots, celery, and other veggies for dipping
• Set out a spread of gf crackers — try my Ritz-Style Gluten Free Crackers or Gluten Free Parmesan Crackers
• If you're craving a salty treat, reach for some tortilla chips or corn chips

What else can you make with gluten free dry onion soup mix?

How to make your own gluten free onion dip

I love spinach dip, but my family also goes crazy for onion dip, which is even easier. Just combine mayonnaise, sour cream, and a batch of our gf onion soup mix. It's all described in the recipe card below.

How to make your own gluten free onion soup

In a rush? You can make a quick, simple gluten free onion soup using my mix.

Combine the powdered soup mix with 4 cups of cold water or broth in a medium saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil, and then reduce and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Depending on your tastes, you might want to add other flavors, such as a teaspoon celery seed, a few shakes of parsley flakes, and some paprika.

Looking for a gluten free French onion soup mix recipe? Just add beef broth in place of the water, and you've got it.

FAQs

Why should I make my own gluten free dry soup mixes?

When I decide to make my own gf recipes, there are two primary motivators: safety and cost.

We all know how hard it is to find gluten free foods on grocery store shelves, and we've all felt the disappointment of finding gluten in something you'd never think should contain it.

When it comes to dry onion soup mixes, I've found that it's also just easier and cheaper to make it myself. Why pay $1 a packet when you can make your own for mere pennies with ingredients you already have on hand?

Is Lipton onion soup mix gluten free?

Right now, Lipton dry onion soup mix is not gluten free. It didn't used to be that way, but the manufacturer changed its recipe to include a gluten containing yeast extract, and now this popular food item is not allowed in my gluten free home!

What's the difference between gluten free French onion soup mix and regular onion soup mix?

The primary difference between traditional onion soup mix and the French onion variety is that the latter is made using beef bouillon granules in the dry version and beef broth in the liquid.

If you're using my gluten free onion soup mix to make soup, just use beef broth in place of water.

How do I find gluten free onion powder?

Onions are gluten free, so pure onion powder is also gluten free. The same goes for garlic powder.

Where you may run into trouble is with manufacturers that use anti-caking agents in their onion powders to keep them from clumping.

To be sure you're picking up a container of gluten free onion powder, look for a gluten free label or review the ingredients list to be sure there aren't any gluten containing ingredients.

Do I need to add dehydrated onion flakes to my dry onion soup mix?

I've made this recipe with even more onion powder, but without minced dried onion flakes, and although it has a less authentic texture, the flavor is still there. I prefer to use the flakes, though, and I think you'll find that they're super useful to have in your pantry. Be sure your onion flakes are safe from gluten-containing ingredients, too, just like your onion powder.

How do I make gluten free onion soup mix if I only have onion flakes?

If you only have dehydrated onion in the pantry, don't worry! You can still whip up my gluten free onion soup mix recipe.

Just pull out your food processor or blender, and pulverize your flakes into a powder, then measure out the right volume.

Can I make spinach dip dairy free? How about dairy free onion dip?

Spinach dip and onion dip both call for plenty of sour cream. If you're avoiding dairy, and you can find a dairy free sour cream brand that you like, try using that. Mayonnaise is already dairy-free (even though it's creamy!).

How do I store dips made with gluten free dry onion soup mix?

Dips made using my gluten free dry onion soup mix taste amazing within 1 hour. They'll need that long, at least, to sit after mixing so the dehydrated onion flakes have a chance to soften.

If you have leftovers that you'd like to have later, transfer the dip to an airtight container and store it in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Can I use this gluten free onion soup mix to make slow cooker pot roast?

Absolutely! You can use my gf onion soup mix recipe in any other gluten free dishes that call for onion soup mix. This includes pot roast, meatloaf, burgers, and more!

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Homemade Onion Soup Mix & Spinach Dip

Use this easy gluten free onion soup mix recipe to make spinach dip, onion dip, and more! Save money and have more control over your gluten free recipes.

Course: Appetizer, Basics, Dips

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 5 minutes minutes

Resting time: 1 hour hour

Yield: 3 cups spinach dip

Author: Nicole Hunn

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Ingredients

For homemade onion soup mix

• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon (12 g) granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 teaspoons (6 g) cornstarch
• 3 tablespoons minced dried onions

For spinach dip

• 16 ounces chopped frozen spinach
• 2 cloves fresh garlic
• ⅓ cup (75 g) mayonnaise at room temperature
• 1 ½ cups (336 g) sour cream at room temperature
• 1 ½ teaspoons gluten free Worcestershire sauce Lea & Perrins brand is gluten free in the U.S.
• 1 recipe homemade onion soup mix
• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 ounces Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese finely grated
• 2 medium stalks celery heart chopped fine
• 2 medium carrots peeled and shredded
• Kosher salt to taste
• Gluten free chips, crackers, and/or celery or other vegetables, for dipping

For onion dip

• ½ cup (113 g) mayonnaise
• 1 ½ cups (336 g) sour cream
• 1 recipe homemade onion soup mix

Instructions

Make the dry onion soup mix.

• In a small bowl, combine all the ingredients for the homemade onion “soup mix,” and whisk to combine. Set the bowl aside.

To make spinach dip.

• Defrost the spinach according to the package directions.
• Place the thawed spinach in a tea towel with a flat weave, and squeeze it until as much of the moisture as possible has been removed. Set the spinach aside.
• Place the garlic and salt on a flat surface, like a cutting board, and press down on each clove with the flat side of a large knife (like a chef’s knife). Peel the garlic, and mince it as finely as possible. With the flat side of that knife, again, press the minced garlic into a paste, and set it aside.
• In a large bowl, place the mayonnaise, sour cream and Worcestershire sauce, the “soup mix,” black pepper, and garlic paste, and whisk to combine well.
• Add the Parmigiano-Reggiano, celery, shredded carrots, and prepared spinach, and mix to combine, breaking up any clumps in the carrots or spinach.
• Taste the dip and add salt to adjust for taste.
• Cover the bowl and place it in the refrigerator to chill for at least an hour (to allow the dried onions to soften) and up to 3 days.
• Serve in a gf bread bowl or serving bowl, with chips or celery for dipping.

To make onion dip

• Place the mayonnaise and sour cream in a large bowl, and whisk to combine well.
• Cover the bowl and place it in the refrigerator to chill for at least an hour (to allow the dried onions to soften) and up to 3 days.
• Serve in a gf bread bowl or serving bowl, with chips or celery for dipping.

Notes

Originally published on the blog in 2014. In 2022, new photos, video, text resources, an updated onion soup mix recipe, a simplified spinach dip recipe, and a new recipe for onion dip.

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Thanks for stopping by!

Hi, I’m Nicole. I create gluten free recipes that really work and taste as good as you remember. No more making separate meals when someone is GF, or buying packaged foods that aren’t good enough to justify the price. At Gluten Free on a Shoestring, “good, for gluten free” just isn’t good enough! Come visit my bio!

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