Onion Powder
Onion powder is the quiet workhorse of the spice shelf: pure dried onion ground fine enough to disappear into any dish while leaving its flavor behind.
What It Is
Made from dehydrated onions milled to a fine powder, it delivers concentrated onion flavor without the chopping, the tears, or the texture. A cup of diced onion becomes about a tablespoon of powder, which tells you something about how much is packed in.
It is not a substitute for fresh onion in every situation, but it is the better choice in dry rubs, spice blends, and sauces where raw onion would stay harsh or fresh onion would add too much moisture. It dissolves cleanly into anything wet and coats meat or vegetables evenly in anything dry.
What To Do
Start with half a teaspoon where a recipe calls for one small onion, then adjust. It works in burger patties, meatloaf, potato wedges, roasted vegetables, salad dressings, and anything braised low and slow. Mix it with garlic powder, salt, and black pepper and you have a go-to all-purpose rub.
For dry applications, use it as-is. For sauces, soups, or marinades, stir it in early so it has time to bloom in the liquid. Store it in a cool, dry spot away from the stove. It will clump if it catches steam, so keep the lid off when cooking.
