The $2 Ingredient I Have on Hand for Every Party I Ever Throw

When planning a party, most hosts have a standard checklist they like to start with: beer, wine, non-alcoholic drinks, hot dogs, hamburgers, extra trash bags. My checklist always looks like that — plus one other supermarket staple that people love but don’t often think about.

That ingredient? Lipton Onion Soup & Dip Mix. And it’s always the Lipton stuff. Sorry, Knorr fans!

Buy: Lipton Recipe Secrets Soup & Dip Mix Onion, $1.50 for two ounces at Target

I’m writing this story while sitting next to a friend (who has been to many parties at my place). She snuck one look at my laptop screen, saw the picture above, and said, “YUM!” And that’s the reaction I always get when I mix the contents of one of these pouches with a container of sour cream.

Yes, I know that we have a recipe for onion dip on this very site. We even have a healthy alternative recipe. (And they’re both good! I’ve made them!) There’s just something so nostalgic about this dip that makes it appeal to almost every person. Everyone I’ve ever had over tells me that they grew up eating this stuff. They’ve either had it recently and wish they could eat it every day, or they haven’t thought about it in a cool decade and thank me for the fun trip down memory lane. Plus, it couldn’t be easier to make: Tear open packet, open sour cream, mix the two ingredients together. Done!

Even when I’m serving $50 worth of cheese from Murray’s, fancy handmade nibbles, and a special signature punch, I still always have a small vat of Lipton Onion Dip on offer. (Often, two, if I’m being honest!) Returning guests have come to expect it. And, again, if I’m being honest, I want it too!

When was the last time you had onion dip made with mix from a pouch?