"Clean" Onion Soup Mix

{If you're new here, read this post to see why I'm trying out "clean" recipes - and welcome!}

I use onion soup mix a lot, as I'm sure many of you do, too. A lot of my crockpot recipes call for it, as well as a few casseroles that I make. I could also eat dip and veggies every day of my life, if needed, and I frequently combine 3 T reduced-fat sour cream with some onion soup mix and veggies for a 1-point WW snack. However, store-bought onion soup mix (OSM because I'm lazy!) contains quite a few chemicals, the most notrious being MSG:

Again, I count 12 ingredients and only recognize 4.

The problem with trying to make your own substitute for OSM is that all of the online recipes I could find also called for beef or chicken bouillon cubes, which are chock-full of chemicals themselves. I can buy 2 packs of OSM for only 49 cents at Aldi's - price really isn't the factor here!

I finally had some luck when I took a trip to my local health food store, where I found these:

(Sorry about the horrible glare - it contains 6 cubes in case you can't read that part.)

It says "chicken" on the outside, but is only a composite of spices - which also happens to be gluten-free, in case you're interested. It smells *just* like a health food store (if you've been in one you know what I mean), but don't let that scare you!

Enter the new recipe - 3 ingredients! Just onion powder, onion flakes, and "chicken" bouillon.

I found this original recipe online here: http://frugalmoneymanagement.blogspot.com/

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Onion Soup Mix

1/4 Cup dried minced onion

2 TBS instant beef bullion (or chicken bullion)

{I used one package of "chicken" bouillon" and found that to be flavorful enough. Again, you need to sub MSG-free bullion here for the recipe to be "clean."}

1/2 tsp onion powder

Combine all ingredients. This makes the equivalent of 1 package soup mix. Just sprinkle on meat or add to soups or stews and cook as usual.

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Here's what it looks like combined into sour cream for dip -you'll notice it's not as dark as the normal OSM:

Word of warning: I didn't realize there was a difference between "instant" and "regular" bouillon cubes until I tried to chisel mine apart. Apparently I bought the kind that only dissolves in water! So I popped it in the food processor and blended it until it was ground.

I have to say, both Chris and I agreed that this tastes just like the real thing! Took all of 5 minutes - definitely worth my time to eat something made completely of spices.

If you try it yourself, let me know how it turns out for you! If you don't have a health food store near you, I found an online company that sells MSG-free bouillon cubes. (I've never ordered from them so I can't vouch for their security - just wanted to offer that information!)

If you've found any other great "clean" links I'd love to see them!

Happy eating! :)

Linked to the following foodie parties:

Tasty Tuesday @ Beauty and Bedlam

Tuesdays at the Table @ All the Small Stuff

Tempt My Tummy Tuesday @ Blessed With Grace