Delicious Shifts: 5 BEST Substitutes for Seasoned Salt

Trying to decide on a substitution for seasoned salt can be tricky, especially if you don’t know how and where to use it.

Seasoned salt can add flavor to dishes like roasts, grilled veggies, fish, beef dishes and French fries.

It’s a combination of regular table salt mixed with herbs and other spices but when you’re in a pinch and need that same flavorful effect without the specialized seasoning, what are your options?

Here’s an overview of five common ingredients used as substitutes for seasoned salt in all kinds of recipes.

What’s Seasoned Salt?

Seasoned salt is a combination of spices, salt and seasonings used to enhance the flavor of food.

The exact mix of ingredients depends on the brand or recipe, but usually includes spices like celery, garlic or onion powder.

Typically, seasoned salt is a much milder salt than table salt or sea salt and is enhanced with herbs or spices to add complexity to dishes.

It can be used on its own as a finishing salt, or as an ingredient in cooking and baking — adding flavor as well as subtlety.

Seasoned salts have also become popular in snacks and other food products, including chips and condiments like mustard.

Made from a blend of spices, salts and herbs, seasoned salts are very user-friendly — you don’t need to measure out multiple different ingredients when adding them to a dish.

Seasoned salts are available at many grocery stores; for more specialized recipes you may want to look for specialty stores that carry high-end salts.

Seasoned salts can be quite expensive compared to regular table salt, so if you don’t use them very often it might be worth buying them in smaller quantities to save money.

When cooking with seasoned salt it’s important to remember that it will bring out hidden flavors in foods — so start small when experimenting with new dishes or recipes.

You may also find that different brands of the same blend have powerful flavors that differ slightly— which can make all the difference in your finished dish.

The 5 BEST Substitutes for Seasoned Salt

If you’re in a pinch and don’t have seasoned salt on hand, here are five of the best alternatives that can lend the same flavor profile to your dish:

1 – Garlic Salt

Garlic salt is a mixture of table salt and ground up garlic.

It is perfect as a replacement for seasoned salt, as it adds a mild garlic flavor along with some extra saltiness.

It is great to use in dishes that require the zesty flavor of garlic without the hassle of having to mince fresh garlic.

This is especially useful for dishes where you want to add a nice punch of flavor but don’t have time to chop fresh ingredients.

The key with using garlic salt is that it doesn’t really replace finely minced fresh garlic, as its texture will not be quite the same – so you may still want to supplement with some freshly minced cloves for texture where appropriate.

2 – Onion Powder

Onion powder is a great substitute for seasoned salt as it contains similar flavor compounds that also deliver a slightly sharp and acidic taste.

In addition, it is abundant in significant amounts of important vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.

Onion powder can be easily combined with other spices to make a replacement for seasoned salt.

To make your own seasoned salt substitute with onion powder, combine onion powder with garlic powder, black pepper, paprika, turmeric and celery seed to create a flavorful alternative.

Alternatively, you can mix equal parts onion and garlic powders for a simple substitution.

3 – Celery Salt

Celery salt is a perfect substitute for seasoning salt because it includes other ingredients like thyme, bay leaves, oregano, and parsley mixed with salt.

The combination of herbs blended with the flavor of celery creates an unforgettable flavor in your cooking.

Just remember to cut down on the amount of celery salt used, as it can give dishes an overly salty taste.

You can also try adding a pinch or two of garlic or onion powder to balance out the flavors and make your food even tastier.

4 – Herbs de Provence

Herbs de Provence is an interesting mixture of herbs and spices, reminiscent of the flavors traditionally used in cooking in the Provence region of France.

It typically consists of savory, thyme, rosemary, oregano, marjoram, and lavender.

This fragrant combination can make an excellent substitute for seasoned salt.

Herbs de Provence is milder than some of the other substitutions mentioned here but still adds a floral depth to many dishes.

You might want to alter the combination depending on which flavor profile you are going for as some versions contain tarragon or fennel.

It takes only a pinch or two to enhance your dish’s flavor.

Try herbs de Provence in soups, sauces or fried foods for an excellent herby taste.

Be sure to adjust other seasonings when using this substitution — their flavors are much more intense than that of seasoned salt.

5 – Lemon Pepper

Lemon pepper is one of the best Seasoned Salt substitutes to have on hand because it’s readily available in the spice section or even pre-mixed in a store-bought blend.

This zesty seasoning offers a daring combination of freshly ground pepper, lemon zest, garlic, onion, and other herbs for an exceptional flavor.

Use this salt sparingly; too much will overpower the flavors you are trying to create.

The best way to enhance a recipe with lemon pepper is to add it right before serving so that the flavors stay bright and vibrant.

Conclusion

When it comes to flavoring dishes without adding extra sodium, seasoned salt is a great option.

It contains a combination of spices and herbs which can be used to add depth and complexity to any dish, without over salting.

However, for those who don’t have seasoned salt on hand or want an alternative that has more health benefits, there are a few good substitutes for this all-purpose seasoning mix.

The five best substitutes for seasoned salt include garlic powder and onion powder mixed with paprika and thyme; combination of cayenne pepper, black pepper and oregano; Worcestershire sauce mixed with garlic powder, black pepper and nutmeg; citrus zest mixed with garlic powder and smoked paprika; or taco seasoning mix.

Each of these alternatives will bring delicious flavor to your food while leaving out the unwanted added sodium.

It is important to experiment with different flavor combinations in order to find the one that suits your tastes best.

Alternatives such as lemon or lime juice can also be used as a substitute for seasoned salt depending on the recipe you’re preparing.

No matter what substitute you choose, it’s important to adjust the amount of seasonings you use so as not to overwhelm the other flavors in your dish.

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