As lifelong fans of sesame bagels, ordering an everything bagel at Zabar’s, our favorite specialty food shop in New York City, proved a no-brainer for me and my family. One bite and we knew we’d seek out those toasted sesame, garlic, onion, and poppy seed bagels at every opportunity.
Decades later, spice companies brilliantly bottled the chunky, aromatic topping from everything bagels into jars. We’ve tried nearly all brands. Flavors vary from very garlicky to a toasted sesame punch. Some taste saltier than others.
It’s easy to customize your own blend. Little flakes of dried minced onion and garlic, along with sesame seeds, form the backbone of the mixture. Lately, I’m in favor of using a garlic seasoning salt with parsley for a subtle garlic flavor. When I have them on hand, I use both white and black sesame seeds. You can toast the seeds briefly in a small skillet to bring out more flavor and be reminiscent of a toasted everything bagel.
Our family uses the seasoning blend on boneless chicken breasts and thighs destined for oven-roasting or the grill. The blend tastes great over a toasted, buttered plain bagel or English muffin in the morning. You’ll also enjoy it sprinkled over corn on the cob and baked potatoes.
For a savory muffin riff, I replace the salt in a muffin batter with everything bagel seasoning blend—either homemade or store-bought. Serve the muffins warm, with butter, as a side at your next cookout. Everything will be delicious.
Everything Muffins
You can use bottled Everything Blend if desired. I like the Simply Organic version available at large supermarkets. Or try the blend from TheSpiceHouse.com.Makes 12 muffins
