This is French onion the old way, before the bouillon cubes and the MSG and the mystery powder. Just toasted minced onion, real aromatics, and a hit of shiitake for the deep, almost-beefy savor the packet versions fake with chemicals.

It runs two ways. Stir one packet into two cups of sour cream for a dip that actually tastes like onion, or simmer it into water or beef broth for a soup base with real backbone. Toasted onion leads, granulated onion and garlic carry it, celery seed sits quiet in the background, and the shiitake does the umami work bouillon usually takes credit for. The packet is dairy-free, so you add the real thing at home.

Onion dip that tastes like onions. Imagine that.