Substitutes for onion
Onion substitutes
Fresh onion adds flavour, sweetness and texture. Dried onion covers the flavour; shallots cover all three.
What onion does
Gives sweet, savoury, slightly sharp flavour as a base for cooked dishes. Amounts here are per cup of chopped onion; the extension charts treat 1 small onion as about 1/4 cup chopped.
Quick reference
| Substitute | Amount |
|---|---|
| Onion powder Sources vary | 4 tsp onion powderper 1 cup onion |
| Dried (instant) minced onion Sources vary | 4 tbsp dried minced onionper 1 cup onion |
When the substitute matters
- Soups, sauces and meatloaf: onion powder or dried minced onion.
- Dishes that need texture: chopped shallot, same volume.
- Dried onion amounts vary between sources, so start low and taste.
The substitutes, in detail
Onion powder
Amount: 4 tsp onion powder per 1 cup onion
Sources vary
Per cup of chopped onion. The NDSU extension chart gives 1 tsp per small onion, which it equates with 1/4 cup chopped, so 4 tsp per cup. Others scale differently: McCormick 2 1/2 tsp per 1/2 cup (5 tsp per cup), Texas A&M 1 1/2 tsp per 1/4 cup (6 tsp per cup), Hungry Huy 1 tbsp (3 tsp) per cup, and Saskatchewan Health Authority 1/4 cup per cup. Start at the low end and taste.
Best for
- soups
- sauces
- meatloaf
- rubs
Not for
- dishes that need onion texture or the sweetness of browned onion
What changes
Concentrated flavour with no texture and no browned sweetness.
- vegan
- dairy-free
- egg-free
- gluten-free
Dried (instant) minced onion
Amount: 4 tbsp dried minced onion per 1 cup onion
Sources vary
Per cup of chopped onion. University of Nebraska–Lincoln, UC Cooperative Extension and Texas A&M give 1 tbsp per 1/4 cup chopped (4 tbsp per cup); the NDSU chart gives 1 to 2 tbsp per small onion. Saskatchewan Health Authority and Hungry Huy use 3 tbsp per cup; McCormick uses 3 tbsp per 1/2 cup (6 tbsp per cup).
- Rehydrate in water first if the dish has little liquid; UC says to check the package directions.
Best for
- soups
- stews
- casseroles
- dips
Not for
- raw dishes
What changes
Softens in liquid; less sweet than fresh onion.
- vegan
- dairy-free
- egg-free
- gluten-free
How we source this
Each swap is backed by at least two independent sources, including a test kitchen, university extension service or product maker. The amounts replace one unit of the original ingredient and do not work in reverse. See the full source list.
Sources
- North Dakota State University Extension — Ingredient Substitutions (FN198, reviewed Jan. 2023)
- McCormick — FAQ Information
- Texas A&M AgriLife Extension — Quick Ingredient Substitutions
- Hungry Huy — Onion Substitutes
- Saskatchewan Health Authority (provincial government health agency, Canada) — Ingredient Substitutions (Food Mentoring Toolkit)
- University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension (Lancaster County) — Ingredient Substitutions (Alice Henneman, 9/2010; PDF hosted by Virginia Tech Extension)
- University of California Cooperative Extension (San Joaquin County) — Ingredient Substitution (Nancy Feldman, April 2001)