The 3-Ingredient Onion Dip That's So Easy It Feels Illegal

Here at Tasting Table, we're all about finding new creative ways to transform dry onion soup mix. Now, we're bringing simplicity-minded foodies what might be the easiest dip recipe in our oeuvre, and the star of the show is (you guessed it) dry onion soup mix. Simply combine that mix with sour cream and mayo for a mouth-watering, umami-bomb dip that's hard to stop snacking on once you start.

In the soup pot, dry onion soup mix is savory and aromatic. In the dip bowl, the same ingredient texturally functions as a rich, velvety thickener. To assemble the dip, add tangy full-fat sour cream, mayo, and onion soup mix into a mixing bowl and stir to combine using a rubber spatula. That's it. Feel free to adjust the proportions of each ingredient to your taste and textural liking. As a jumping-off point, 2 cups of sour cream, ½ cup of mayo, and 2 ounces of onion soup mix is a solid, well-balanced ratio. If the dip comes out too thick, add a little more sour cream or mayo. If it's too thin, add a few shakes of soup mix. 

Allow the mixture to chill before serving; this will give the flavors a chance to mingle and the consistency to firm up. For a finishing touch, reserve a pinch of the dehydrated onions from the dried soup mix and sprinkle them on top of the bowl as garnish. Chopped chives or fresh parsley also make a knockout garnish for this straightforward yet impactful dip. 

Not only is this dip ultra-easy to make, but it's also wicked affordable. A two-ounce packet of Lipton onion soup mix runs for just $2.75 on Amazon. It's also simple to throw together a bulk batch of homemade onion soup mix using dehydrated minced onion flakes, onion powder, beef bouillon granules, sugar, and celery seed. Plus, by making the mix yourself, you can adjust the proportions of each ingredient to customize the taste. For extra dimensionality, you could also add parsley flakes, paprika, and garlic powder. 

That flavorful soup mix isn't the only thing you can customize, either. Feel free to zhuzh up your onion dip by stirring in a half cup of shredded cheddar, red pepper flakes, and cracked black pepper. You could add a squeeze of Kewpie mayo for a rich umami kick, or make this dip dairy-free by using vegan mayo and swapping the sour cream with full-fat plant-based yogurt.

This crave-able dip is made for dunking crispy kettle chips, pretzel sticks, or homemade barbecue sweet potato chips. You could also serve it on a crudité tray with raw cauliflower florets, baby carrots, sliced bell pepper, and celery stalks. Or, smear it on a burger for a savory moisture component, or spread it across your go-to cold sandwiches for instant depth. Leftovers will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days.