Everything bagel seasoning is keto friendly. A standard quarter-teaspoon serving contains 0g of carbohydrates, making it one of the easiest seasonings to fit into a ketogenic diet. Even if you use it generously, the carb impact stays negligible for most people.
What’s Actually in It
The classic blend is simple: sesame seeds, poppy seeds, dried garlic, dried onion, and salt. Some brands like McCormick add sunflower oil and natural flavor, but the core ingredients are the same across most versions. None of these contain sugar, starch, or other high-carb fillers.
That said, not every brand is identical. The McCormick version lists 0g carbohydrates per quarter-teaspoon serving, while the SE Grocers version registers 0.5g of net carbs for the same serving size. The difference likely comes down to the ratio of dried garlic and onion in the blend, since dehydrated alliums do contain small amounts of carbohydrate. Half a gram per serving is still trivially low, but it’s worth a quick label check if you’re tracking closely.
How Carbs Add Up With Heavy Use
A quarter teaspoon is a tiny amount. In practice, most people shake on far more than that. If you’re coating a piece of salmon or covering a sheet of cheese crisps, you might use a full tablespoon or more in a single meal. That’s roughly 12 times the listed serving size.
Even at a tablespoon, you’re looking at somewhere between 0g and 6g of carbs depending on the brand and its garlic-to-salt ratio. For a keto diet with a 20 to 50g daily carb limit, that’s manageable. It only becomes a concern if you’re already close to your carb ceiling for the day and using the seasoning very liberally. A quick rule of thumb: if you can see a thick visible crust of seasoning on your food, you’ve probably used a tablespoon or more.
Making Your Own Blend
A homemade version gives you full control over the ingredient ratios. The basic recipe is equal parts white sesame seeds, black sesame seeds, poppy seeds, dried minced garlic, dried minced onion, and flaky sea salt. You can adjust any of these to taste. Reducing the garlic and onion proportion slightly and increasing the seeds will lower the carb count even further, since seeds contribute mostly fat and protein.
Making it yourself also eliminates any chance of hidden additives. Some store brands occasionally include ingredients like cornstarch as an anti-caking agent, which adds unnecessary carbs. Homemade seasoning stored in a jar with a tight lid keeps well for several months at room temperature.
Best Keto Uses
The seasoning works on almost anything savory, which is why it became a pantry staple in keto cooking. Here are some of the most popular pairings:
- Cheese crisps: Sprinkle over small mounds of shredded cheddar or parmesan before baking at 400°F until golden. These work as a cracker replacement.
- Salmon: Coat fillets in avocado oil, press the seasoning into the flesh, and pan-sear or bake. The sesame and poppy seeds form a satisfying crust.
- Avocado: Slice a ripe avocado, drizzle with olive oil, and cover in the seasoning. This takes about 30 seconds and tastes far better than plain avocado with salt.
- Roasted vegetables: Toss asparagus, zucchini, or broccoli with olive oil and the seasoning before roasting.
- Eggs: Scrambled, fried, or deviled eggs all benefit from a generous shake. The combination of garlic, onion, and seeds adds texture and depth that plain salt and pepper can’t match.
- Cream cheese fat bombs: Roll softened cream cheese into balls and coat them in the seasoning for a high-fat snack that mimics the flavor of an everything bagel.
The seasoning is also popular as a coating for keto-friendly bread substitutes made from almond flour or psyllium husk. Brushing the surface with egg wash before sprinkling helps the seeds and flakes stick during baking.
Brands to Compare
Trader Joe’s “Everything but the Bagel” sesame seasoning blend is the one that popularized the trend, and it remains one of the most widely used. McCormick’s version is available at most grocery stores and explicitly markets itself as containing 0g carbohydrates. Store brands vary more in their formulations, so reading the nutrition label is the simplest way to confirm carb content before buying.
The differences between brands are small enough that no version of everything bagel seasoning will meaningfully interfere with ketosis at normal usage levels. Pick whichever tastes best to you and use it freely.