Everything Bagel Seasoning Uses: Breads, Crusts, Eggs, Fries and More

Everything bagel seasoning is the topping of the everything bagel in a shaker: poppy seeds, sesame seeds, dried minced garlic and onion, and sea salt.¹ That makes it three things at once: crunch from the seeds, savory flavor from the dried alliums, and salt. Every good use plays to that mix. The one thing to plan around is the salt. On the Trader Joe’s Everything but the Bagel label, which lists ingredients from greatest to least, sea salt flakes come second, right after white sesame seeds.² Season the rest of the dish lightly.

Quick guide

1. On bread, rolls and croissants

This is the seasoning’s home ground. Brush the dough with egg wash, egg white or water so the seeds stick, sprinkle the seasoning on, and bake: on sandwich bread, dinner rolls, hamburger and hot dog buns, breadsticks, pretzels and croissants. Those are standard bakery practice rather than sourced findings. Katzer notes that poppy seeds develop a nutty flavor during baking.⁴

For homemade hamburger buns, it can replace plain sesame seeds outright. Sesame is already its main ingredient in the Trader Joe’s version.²

2. As a crust for fish and chicken

Attributed: The Spice House’s everything salmon recipe brushes two 6-ounce salmon fillets with a glaze of 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard and 1 tablespoon maple syrup, presses the glazed side into 2 to 4 tablespoons of everything bagel seasoning, sears it seasoned side down for about 2 minutes on medium-high heat, then finishes it in a 400°F oven for 8 to 10 minutes until the fish reaches 145°F.³ The recipe warns not to burn the crust, and suggests patting the fish dry and pressing the glaze on so the seasoning sticks.³

The same approach works on chicken cutlets or pork chops (kitchen judgment). Cook to the federal safe minimum internal temperatures: 165°F for all poultry; 145°F with a 3-minute rest for pork chops; 145°F for fin fish.⁵

Katzer credits sesame’s toasted flavor at mild toasting temperatures, around 160°C, mainly to pyrazines.⁶ We found no source on the temperature at which the blend burns, so follow the recipe’s caution and keep the heat at medium-high rather than full blast.³

3. In breading for fried foods

Everything bagel seasoning adds crunch and savory flavor to the breading for chicken strips, pork chops, fish or catfish nuggets, whether deep-fried, pan-fried or air-fried.

Starting point (Method): about 2 tablespoons of seasoning per cup of panko or flour, and cut back the salt in the breading. No source gives a ratio.

4. On eggs

Sprinkle it over fried eggs, scrambled eggs, omelets or deviled eggs. Adding it near the end keeps the seeds crisp and the dried garlic from scorching in a hot pan; that is kitchen judgment, not a tested claim.

5. On hot dogs

Brush the outside of hot dog buns with a little butter or water and roll them in the seasoning before toasting, or sprinkle it on a finished hot dog like any other topping. It adds crunch and savory flavor to a mild sausage (kitchen judgment).

6. On fries and potatoes

Toss hot fries, potato wedges or roast potatoes with the seasoning as soon as they come out of the fryer or oven, while the surface is still oily enough to hold it. Because the blend already contains salt,² taste before adding more. This is kitchen practice.

7. In butter for vegetables

Stir the seasoning into softened butter and melt it over roasted Brussels sprouts, beets, squash, green beans or baked potatoes.

Starting point (Method): about 1 tablespoon of seasoning per 4 tablespoons (½ stick) of softened butter. Taste and adjust; no source gives a ratio.

8. On salads and slaws

Sprinkle it over a green salad, a cucumber or tomato salad, or coleslaw just before serving, so the seeds stay crunchy. A common description says the blend adds “seeds and nuts” to a salad; there are no nuts in the standard formula or the Trader Joe’s label.¹² Stirred into a vinaigrette, the seeds soften over time (kitchen judgment).

9. On avocado toast, cream cheese and dips

The obvious one: on avocado toast, on a bagel or toast with cream cheese, or stirred into sour cream or cream cheese for a dip. These are kitchen uses, not sourced claims.

Make your own

Chowhound suggests simply stirring the components together to taste.² A homemade blend lets you control the salt, which matters if you use it heavily. See the everything bagel seasoning profile for what goes in it.

Safety

Sesame allergy. Sesame is one of the nine major food allergens in the US.⁷ The FDA advises checking the label every time you buy a food product, since some manufacturers have begun adding sesame to products that did not contain it before.⁸ Anyone cooking for a guest with a sesame allergy should leave this seasoning off entirely.

Poppy seeds. Poppy seeds carry traces of opium alkaloids. Katzer puts the content at about 50 ppm, too low for any drug effect, but notes that morphine can be detected in urine after heavy consumption.⁴ The European Union caps opium alkaloids at 20 mg/kg in poppy seeds sold to consumers and 1.5 mg/kg in bakery products containing poppy seeds.⁹ Salt. Salt is a main ingredient.² We found no published sodium figure per serving for any blend, so check the nutrition panel on the jar you buy.

What isn’t known

• No published ratio for the seasoning in breading, butter or rubs; amounts here are Method.
• No sodium figure per teaspoon for any blend in the sources checked.
• No source on the temperature at which the blend scorches.

Related

• Everything bagel seasoning, the full profile
• Sesame seeds, black sesame seeds and sesame seeds substitute
• Poppy seeds and poppy seeds substitute
• Garlic powder and onion powder
• Other seed-and-salt toppings: gomasio, furikake, dukkah uses, zaatar uses