Homemade everything bagel seasoning is made using the classic bakery blend of seeds and spices to give you that iconic everything bagel flavor on anything you want. It comes together in 5 minutes or less and can easily be made to suit your flavor preferences, salt or no salt!
Sure, making your own seasonings seems kind of extra, but trust me, it’s worth it. Not only is it usually more economical to make your own blends, but you can get the exact flavors that you prefer. Even though I’m a big fan of finishing salts, I tend to like less salty food, so anytime I’ve purchased a store-bought everything but the bagel seasoning blend I find it’s far too salty for my taste. Enter this homemade everything but the bagel seasoning blend. 🤩
This easy seasoning blend is a perfect dupe for the ever-popular Trader Joe’s “everything but the bagel” blend. It’s also the ultimate way to add that iconic bagel shop flavor to literally everything, from your morning avocado toast to party-worthy appetizers and quick afternoon snacks like roasted cashews. This custom blend is super easy to customize, and honestly? Once you nail your personal flavor preference, you’ll never go back to store-bought blends again.
why this everything bagel spice blend works:
⚖️ balanced. By using the exact combination of well-known spices and seasonings as your favorite bagel shop, you can custom blend a seasoning mix that will be your absolute favorite for sprinkling on everything.
🧂custom salt level. You get to decide exactly how much salt goes in, so it won’t overpower the other flavors or other recipes.
♻️ versatile. This blend works on literally everything, and once you make it, you’ll find yourself reaching for it constantly!
🛒 ingredients
See the recipe card for the exact quantities.
🧂 selecting your salt
Flaky sea salt is super coarse in grain size and delicate in flavor compared to other salts available. That’s why coarse sea salt is the best option for this blend.
Do NOT use table salt, as it is too fine of a grain and will overpower the flavor.
You can use coarse grain kosher salt (like Morton’s) or fine grain kosher salt (like Diamond Brand), but you’ll want to use half as much to start, then adjust as needed.
🛍️ where to find ingredients
Both white and black sesame seeds are available in most grocery stores, either in the baking spices aisle or in the international aisle. You can also purchase them in bulk in a lot of specialty grocery stores like Whole Foods and Sprouts, and of course, you can find them online as well.
Poppy seeds are usually next to the baking spices and seasonings, though they might also be in the international section of your local grocery shops.
Minced onion and garlic are located right next to the powdered or granular seasonings.
Specialty flaky sea salt will be next to regular table salt in most grocery aisles, or available at specialty grocers like Whole Foods and Fresh Market.
🍳 how to make everything bagel spice mix
1: Measure your sesame seeds and poppy seeds into a small bowl or your preferred storage container.
2: If using large grain sea salt, give it a quick blitz in a food processor to help break up the biggest crystals.
3: Aim to break up bigger pieces to be about equal in size to sesame seeds.
4: Combine all ingredients, then use or store!
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💡tips & tricks for getting it right
🍽️ ideas for using everything bagel seasoning
- breakfast and snacks – top your popcorn, morning scrambled eggs, or avocado toast.
- baked goods and breading – bake it into homemade crackers or add it to breading ingredients for homemade chicken tenders.
- sandwiches and salads – sprinkle it on sandwiches or on top of salads as an extra layer of flavor.
- cooking ingredient – use it as an ingredient in other recipes like oven roasted nuts and homemade bread.
- quick appetizers – sprinkle it into store-bought hummus for a quick and easy appetizer, or on top of crostini or bruschetta toasts.
ℹ️ troubleshooting tips
- not mixed well – be sure to shake your container very well to distribute all the ingredients with each sprinkling. Certain ingredients can shift and sink to the bottom of your mix, especially when left in a jar container for a longer amount of time.
- too chunky – if the granules of onion, garlic, or salt are too chunky for your preference, you can give them a quick blitz in a mini chopper or food processor. A countertop blender with a smaller jar will work too. Heck, you can even put the spices in a Ziplock bag and hit them with a mallet or rolling pin to break up the size a little more.
- adjust to taste – when adjusting your blend, I find that tweaking the ingredients a half teaspoon at a time is a good ratio to start experimenting with, which is usually about 2g at a time by weight. I like more garlic, so I always add a bit more! 😛
♻️ customize your everything bagel blend
- everything seasoning without salt – skip the salt in your seasoning all together, and add salt after you sprinkle this seasoning on instead.
- make it smoky – use smoked sea salt in place of regular sea salt for a subtle smoky flavor in your seasoning!
- kick it up a notch – add red pepper flakes to give your seasoning blend a spicy kick!
- double it up – I love to double or triple this recipe! It’s easy to scale it up and fill a large jar so you always have it on hand!
🔥 to toast or not to toast?
I like everything bagel seasoning both ways: toasted and untoasted. Avoid burnt or bitter tasting spice blends by only toasting when you’re using as a finishing garnish, or in recipes that won’t be cooked further.
I opt to store it untoasted, because toasting releases a lot of the oils in the sesame seeds, which can lead the spice mix to become rancid quicker.
🧰 equipment needed & storage tips
🫙 how to store homemade spice blends
Store in an airtight glass jar at room temperature and out of direct sunlight. Your finished spice mix will last as long as each individual spice, so take note of their expiration dates as well.
For longevity purposes, I like to leave my spice blend untoasted, because I find the toasting releases a lot of the oils in the sesame seeds, which can lead the spice mix to become rancid quicker.
💬 q+a
What if I can’t find black sesame seeds?
If you can’t find where to buy black sesame seeds, you can just double the amount of white sesame seeds if you can’t find black ones.
Can I use garlic powder or onion powder instead of minced garlic and minced onion?
Nope. Minced garlic and minced onion are key here because they have more surface area or mass to stand up to the size of sesame seeds in this mix. Granulated onion or garlic, or onion powder or garlic powder, are too fine in texture and will immediately sink to the bottom of your mix. Not only that, they will overpower the flavor of your blend.
Easy Homemade Everything Bagel Seasoning Recipe
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Equipment
- 1 kitchen scale for measuring ingredients (or use measuring spoons)
- 1 mini chopper optional, for chopping larger onion and salt flakes
- 1 mixing bowl + spoon for combining ingredients
- 1 airtight storage jar
- 1 mini funnel optional, for bottling
Ingredients
- 9 g white sesame seeds 1 TBSP
- 9 g black sesame seeds 1 TBSP
- 10 g dried minced garlic 1 TBSP
- 7 g dried minced onion 1 TBSP
- 6 g poppy seeds 1.5 tsp, or adjust to 1 tsp if you prefer less poppy seed flavor
- 6 g coarse or flakey sea salt 2 tsp, or adjust to taste
Instructions
- Measure. In a small bowl, combine sesame seeds, black sesame seeds, dried minced garlic, dried minced onion, poppy seeds, and sea salt.9 g white sesame seeds, 9 g black sesame seeds, 10 g dried minced garlic, 6 g poppy seeds
- Chop. If desired, you can quickly pulse or chop your minced onion and flakey sea salt to help break up any pieces that are too large to incorporate into the mix.7 g dried minced onion, 6 g coarse or flakey sea salt
- Combine. Stir all ingredients together until well combined and evenly distributed.
- Store. Transfer the everything bagel seasoning to an airtight container or jar for storage.
Notes
ℹ️ troubleshooting tips
- not mixed well – be sure to shake your container very well to distribute all the ingredients with each sprinkling. Certain ingredients can shift and sink to the bottom of your mix, especially when left in a jar container for a longer amount of time.
- too chunky – if the granules of onion, garlic, or salt are too chunky for your preference, you can give them a quick blitz in a mini chopper or food processor. A countertop blender with a smaller jar will work too. Heck, you can even put the spices in a Ziploc bag and hit them with a mallet or rolling pin to break up the size a little more.
- adjust to taste – when adjusting your blend, I find that tweaking the ingredients a half teaspoon at a time is a good ratio to start experimenting with, which is usually about 2g at a time by weight. I like more garlic, so I always add a bit more! 😛
