Sometimes, the grocery gods give us a solution to a problem we didn’t even know we had.
Enter Trader Joe’s Everything but the Bagel Sesame Seasoning. This blend is a divine mixture of black and white sesame seeds, dried minced garlic and onion, sea salt flakes and poppy seeds. The concoction’s salty, savory flavors are reminiscent of your favorite bagel variety but jive with a lot more than the crusts of white bread.

Pictured Recipe:Cauliflower Everything Bagels
In fact, Everything but the Bagel has such mass appeal that it has garnered a cult-like following on social media (read: nearly 87,000 dedicated posts onInstagram).
EBTB’s just the thing for elevatingeggs,roasted veggies, anypanko-crusted protein, flatbreads and more. It’ll also add a satisfying subtle crunch to soft foods like avocado or creamy dips and dressings. It is, for lack of a better word, everything.
Look for Everything But the Bagel in a 2.3-ounce bottle in the spice aisle at Trader Joe’s for $1.99. Then, turn to this list of our 50 favorite ways to use it for endless inspiration.
Try These:Healthy Bagel Recipes
Jacob Fox

Pictured Recipe:Air-Fryer Hash Browns
- Hash Browns
Bagels aren’t the only breakfast food that pairs well with garlic, onion, sesame seeds and poppy seeds. The seasoning will make your next batch of crispy potatoes sing.
- Grilled Salmon
For a four-ingredient dinner in under 10 minutes, drizzle salmon fillets with olive oil, lemon juice and a generous amount of Everything But the Bagel before tossing on the grill.
- Shakshuka
Thissingle-skillet Middle Eastern breakfast dishcombines tomato sauce, poached eggs, onions and spices like chile pepper, cumin and paprika. Everything But the Bagel will marry its bright, spicy flavors and add a little extra crunch, too.
- Butternut Squash Soup
The nutty, garlicky bagel spice blend needs to be added to your arsenal of fast flavoring ideas for easy weeknight soup recipes, like butternut squash or zucchini basil.
Try These:Healthy Butternut Squash Soup Recipes
- Cornbread
Traditionalists can add a dash to cornbread batter before baking; adventurous eaters can add a layer of jalapeño cream cheese and then sprinkle EBTB over the top when it’s finished cooking.

Pictured Recipe:Everything Bagel Avocado Toast
- Avocado Toast

Pictured recipe:Homemade Chicken Tenders with Everything Bagel Seasoning over Salad
- Breaded Chicken Tenders
Here’s a way to take homemade chicken tenders up a notch: Bread chicken strips with a mixture of panko and Everything But the Bagel before crisping them up in the oven orair fryer. Dip in honey mustard or marinara, or finish with a simple squeeze of lemon juice.
- Cauliflower Rice
TJ’s seasoning will add a delicious dose of crunchy umami flavor to your nextcauliflower ricebowl. Pair with stir-fried veggies, tofu and peanut-ginger sauce.
Shortbread
Grits
Plain orcheesy gritsspiked with a bit of this seasoning make a killer side for fish sandwiches or grilled shrimp. They’ll also work as a breakfast in their own right.
- Pesto Zoodles
Pesto and Everything But the Bagel are a match made in garlicky, nutty heaven. Swirl intopesto saucebefore mixing with spiralized zucchini noodles, or sprinkle on top with extra Parm.
10 Vegetables You Didn’t Know You Could Spiralize
- Biscuits
Browned, buttery biscuits are the perfect base for Everything But the Bagel. Just make sure to use unsalted butter if you’re making them from scratch.

Pictured Recipe:Pumpkin Seeds with Everything Bagel Seasoning
- Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
Give this fall favorite a makeover with a hit of the salty spice. Find our super simple recipehere.
- Overnight Oats
For a savory breakfast idea, swirl bagel seasoning intoovernight oats. The coarse texture of the blend adds an extra crunch to the creamy oatmeal and is a welcome departure from basic brown sugar or blueberries.
Smoked Salmon Salad
Pizza Crust
Take pizza to the next level with a hit of the salty, garlicky goodness that is TJ’s seasoning. It works especially well on breakfast pizza or any white pie.
- Chili
Whip up a batch ofvegetarian chiliand top with shredded cheese, Greek yogurt or sour cream and a generous dash of Everything But the Bagel for a simple game day dish. Double the recipe and freeze if you like to meal prep for busy weeknights ahead.
- Coleslaw
This one has “unbeatable summer side” written all over it. Toss a spoonful of Everything But the Bagel into your favoriteslaw recipeto add an extra oniony crunch.
Try These:Healthy Coleslaw Recipes
- Bloody Mary
Cocktail game-changer: Wet the rim of yourBloody Maryglass with a wedge of lemon, then invert onto a plate of Everything But the Bagel seasoning to coat the edge.
- Cauliflower Bagels
Those looking for a low-carb, low-calorie swap for bagels will love this recipe forCauliflower Everything Bagels. It packs the same delicious garlic-and-onion flavor as the real thing, so you won’t feel like you’re sacrificing come breakfast time.
- Roasted Carrots
Coat carrots with olive oil and sprinkle the seasoning mix over top, then finish with fresh herbs. If carrots aren’t your favorite, this method works with any vegetable you’re roasting on a sheet pan for future lunches or dinners: beets, potatoes, broccoli, asparagus and more.
20 Sheet-Pan Vegetable Side Dishes to Make This Spring

Pictured Recipe:Garlic Shrimp & Asparagus Kebabs
- Shrimp Kebabs
Marinate skewers of shrimp in a mixture of vegetable oil, soy sauce, lime, ginger and TJ’s seasoning before grilling.
- Waffles
The only things better than from-scratch waffles are homemade Everything But the Bagel waffles. Just whisk a bit of the seasoning into your batter before pouring it onto the grates of your waffle maker. Top with butter, sliced avocado or crème fraîche.
- Macaroni and Cheese
This one’s a crowd-pleaser. Make a toasted breadcrumb topping for the comfort classic using a dash of Everything But the Bagel, or mix it into the cheese when incorporating sauce with the noodles.
Tzatziki
Granola
For a surprisingly delicious way to switch up your morning breakfast bowl, hit store-bought or homemade granola with a dash of Everything But the Bagel. Spoon on top of plain Greek yogurt as a savory topping.
- Hummus
Stir into any variety of store-bought orhomemade hummus. The sesame seeds in the seasoning and the tahini in the dip are a match made in heaven!
- Honey Mustard Vinaigrette
The pleasing pungency of Dijon mustard is an excellent complement to the garlic and onion in TJ’s seasoning.Make your ownor whisk into store-bought before tossing with salad greens, spreading onto sandwiches or using as a marinade for salmon.
- Eggs Benedict
Everything But the Bagel seasoning adds a pop of flavor to simple scrambled or fried eggs, but we’re partial to using it on the poached kind ineggs Benedict. Hollandaise’s creamy, lemony flavor works well with the oniony spice mix.

Pictured Recipe:Everything Bagel Crispy Chickpeas
- Crispy Chickpeas
Toss chickpeas in olive oil and Everything But the Bagel and roast. Cool and mix with toasted coconut flakes. Use this as your signature cocktail nut next time you host a dinner party, as a crunchy topping for stir-fried veggies or toss into a bowl of salad greens.
- Cream Cheese
For the most meta breakfast ever, toast an everything bagel and spread each half with a thick layer of cream cheese that’s been mixed with TJ’s seasoning. Because sometimes, more is more.

Pictured Recipe:Everything Bagel Microwave Popcorn
- Popcorn
Next time you make popcorn, skip the extra salt and sprinkle your kernels with Everything But the Bagel instead.

Pictured Recipe:Everything Bagel Cheese Ball
- Cheese Ball
Ourcheese ball recipehas it all: salty, creamy, spicy, cheesy. Serve with bagel chips, crackers or crudités.
- Homemade Pita Chips
Use it as a swap for za’atar. Brush your favorite pita bread with olive oil and add a good amount of Everything But the Bagel and bake in the oven until crispy.
- Tomato Soup
The perfect salty, crispy way to elevate your next bowl of tomato soup: Spoon a dollop of sour cream or Greek yogurt on top and finish with a sprinkle of Everything But the Bagel.
Try These:Our 12 Best Tomato Soup Recipes
- Portobello Mushrooms
Drizzle with olive oil and throw a few portobellos on the grill, then add a dash of Everything But the Bagel for a delicious, heart-healthy burger swap. Serve on toasted buns with plenty of summer’s ripest tomatoes.
- Poke Bowls
Everything But the Bagel is a perfect companion for every ingredient in yourgo-to healthy lunch bowl. From fish to brown rice and tamari, it’ll add a deliciously salty, garlicky flavor to every bite.
- Sweet Potato Toast
The best sweet and salty combo: toast a slice of sweet potato and top with crème fraîche and a dash of EBTB.
Try These:Sweet Potato Toast Ideas to Supercharge Your Breakfast Routine
- Guacamole
Mix into yourguacto add salty spice (and crunch) before topping tortilla chips or quesadillas. Everything Bagel guacamole also works on sliced cucumbers or other raw veggies like radishes or cauliflower florets.
- Grilled Cheese
In the sandwich, on the sandwich, around the crust of the sandwich—or all of the above.
- Roasted Eggplant
For a super simple vegetarian main, cut an eggplant lengthwise and brush it with olive oil. Roast face-down at 400°F for 35 to 40 minutes or until the back looks puckered. Top with a generous amount of ricotta cheese, bagel seasoning and fresh parsley.

- Shishito Peppers
The seasoning’s salty-spicy notes are a great complement to a skillet of sautéed (orair-fried) shishito peppers.
- Corn on the Cob
Give your corn on the cob a (literal) bath in Everything But the Bagel. Because life’s too short to worry about getting food stuck in your teeth.
- Frittatas
Try These:Healthy Frittata Recipes
- Trail Mix
Next time you’re packing trail mix for a hike or busy day, finish it with a sprinkle of TJ’s bagel blend. You’d be surprised how well the nutty, salty seasoning complements sweet-and-sour dried fruit and toasted nuts and seeds.
- Tuna Steaks
Use EBTB to crust a tuna steak before slicing and adding it to the top of a Niçoise salad.
- Hamburger Buns
Everything But the Bagel would be very welcome on top of a toasted burger or slider bun.
- Butter
Stir the seasoning into your favorite type of butter (make sure it’s room temperature for easy mixing) and spread on top of toasted baguettes or just-seared steaks.

Pictured Recipe:Hasselback Cheesy Garlic Bread
- Garlic Bread
Butter some thick slices of ciabatta or sourdough, then add a hefty dose of the spice blend before browning in the oven. The seeds and garlic will toast up and get deliciously aromatic.
- Half an Avocado
Sprinkle on top of an avocado half for the world’s simplest afternoon snack. Don’t forget a spoon!
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