What Exactly Is All-Purpose Seasoning?

When it comes to cooking, seasoning is the key to flavor. Experimenting with seasonings you've never used before can take your meals to the next level and expand your palate's horizons, and having staples on hand brings a delicious and comforting familiarity to the food you eat. One ingredient we don't talk about enough in the wide world of spices is all-purpose seasoning. Add a dash of this to your dish, and you'll see exactly what you've been missing out on. But what's inside this magic little blend?

All-purpose seasoning looks different from bottle to bottle. Typically, you'll find ingredients like garlic or onion powder, dried greens (basil, sage, thyme, and parsley are popular picks), and a bit of kick from ground cayenne or black peppercorns. Most come with a sprinkle of salt, too, though it's totally possible to find salt-free blends out there so you can adjust the sodium intake to your (or your health's) taste. All-purpose seasonings are pretty uniform in flavor since they're supposed to pair well with most meats and veggies, so they work with everything from pot roast to beef stew and then some.

With a name like all-purpose seasoning, you can expect to be able to use this stuff on a wide variety of dishes in your kitchen. The blend can be actually kind of intense, so it pairs well with meats like pork, beef, and chicken, which are sometimes bland on their own. Fish and seafood, on the other hand, often have delicate flavors, so another type of seasoning may suit them better.

As far as veggies go, tubers and thick veggies with mild flavors pair well with this seasoning — I personally love it on potatoes, leeks, onions, and Brussels sprouts. I've also used it on cabbage (both red and green), squash, kale, cauliflower, and broccoli with great success. If you're a fan of flavor bombs, definitely try the Brussels sprouts and broccoli; the seasoning gets all up in each little floret and leaf, so every bite is bursting with herbs and spices. Last but not least, you can also use all purpose seasoning on your grains. It's great sprinkled on rice, quinoa, or barley, but you can pair it with basically any grain bowl for an extra boost of flavor. Be as heavy or light-handed as you want according to your own preferences, and enjoy unlocking a whole new world of easy-peasy meal upgrades.