Did you ever wonder how restaurants make their French fries taste so good? I definitely have! And I recently discovered the answer- French Fry seasoning.
I never knew fry seasoning existed but now that I tried it, I am hooked! However, I can’t always find fry seasoning in my local grocery store.
So, I have come up with some easy and delicious fry seasoning substitutes that will make your fries taste incredible.
The best overall fry seasoning substitute is garlic salt. It is just as salty as fry seasoning and made with garlic powder, and ingredient often found in fry seasoning as well. Lawry’s seasoned salt is a great substitute that tastes very similar to any fry seasoning. Garlic powder is a wonderful low sodium alternative.
If you have ever tried the fry seasoning Hello Fresh sells, you know how incredible it is! There are quite a few brands that are very close to Hello Fresh fry seasoning.
You can find all of these in the grocery store, making them convenient, tasty alternatives.
If you also can’t seem to find McCormick fry seasoning or any brand of fry seasoning, give one of these easy fry seasoning alternatives a try.
Hello Fresh Fry Seasoning Substitutes
1. Salt
Fry seasoning is primarily made with a whole lot of salt. The number one ingredient in every fry seasoning out there is salt.
So, if you can’t find fry seasoning in a store near you, simply toss your fries in some regular old salt!
Salt enhances the flavor of fries. It makes them irresistible! A crunchy, salty fry is unbeatable.
Use kosher salt to season your fries as a fry seasoning substitute. Kosher salt has larger granules than table salt and will coat the fries better.
A quarter teaspoon of kosher salt has zero calories, fats or proteins but does contain 490 mg of sodium.
2. Garlic Salt
Garlic salt is a common ingredient in fry seasoning. You should be able to easily find plain garlic salt in the spice section of any grocery store.
Garlic salt is made with dehydrated, crushed garlic. The dried garlic is mixed with table salt to create a salty, slightly spicy seasoning.
Some garlic salt is made with an anti caking agent to prevent it from clumping in the bottle.
Garlic salt is another calorie free substitute for fry seasoning. It does contain more sodium than fry seasoning with about 490 mg per ¼ teaspoon.
3. Onion Salt
Onion salt is another common ingredient in fry seasoning. Plain onion salt is a great fry seasoning alternative. It is also a very common spice that you should be able to find just about anywhere.
Onion salt is made by dehydrating and crushing white onions. The onion powder is mixed with some table salt to create a salty, sweet and slightly spicy mix.
Onion salt contains zero calories, no carbs or fats. It is fairly high in sodium with about 380 mg per ¼ teaspoon.
4. Homemade Fry Seasoning
Learn how to make fry seasoning and you will never run out of this perfect spice ever again!
Having a great fry seasoning recipe on hand will also ensure you never need to search every grocery store shelf to find fry seasoning.
So, do you want a great fry seasoning recipe? I have one! Take a look below to learn how to make a perfect fry seasoning right at home.
Don’t be afraid to tweak it a little bit to suit your tastes.
Skip the spicy ingredients to make a more mild version or, do the opposite, and double the spice to turn up the heat on your fries!
5. Butter
French fries are typically fried in oil. Vegetable oil, canola oil and olive oil are the most common types of oil used to cook potatoes into crispy fries.
However, you can fry potatoes in butter to add more flavor.
Melt about 2 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet. Cut one potato into strips and then toss them in the hot, melted butter to fry. Enjoy the fries while hot!
A tablespoon of butter has 102 calories and about 11.5 grams of fat. Use unsalted butter for a low sodium option.
6. Lawry’s Seasoned Salt
Lawry’s french fry seasoning is a brand many people adore. Lawry’s also makes a regular seasoning salt that is multi purpose and may be easier to find.
If you can’t find Lawry’s french fry seasoning, try looking for regular Lawry’s seasoning salt instead.
Lawry’s seasoned salt is made with salt, sugar, paprika, turmeric, onion, cornstarch, gals and other natural flavors.
It is completely MSG free. Use one teaspoon of seasoned salt to replace french fry seasoning. ¼ teaspoon has zero carbs or calories and contains about 380 mg of sodium.
7. Morton Seasoned Salt
Morton is another big brand that you should be able to find. Many people love Morton classic salt so you will probably adore the seasoned salt as well!
Use Morton seasoned salt as a fish fry seasoning substitute, to add some flavor to chicken or just to sprinkle on fries.
Morton seasoned salt is a blend of salt, black pepper, chili pepper, celery seed, nutmeg and coriander.
It has a few more spices and herbs than classic fry seasoning. But that may be a good thing! More flavor is always a good idea.
Use the same quantity of Morton seasoned salt to replace fry seasoning. One quarter teaspoon has about 350mg of sodium but no calories, carbs or protein.
8. Garlic Powder – Great Low Sodium Fry Seasoning Substitutes
Garlic powder is made by dehydrating garlic cloves. The dried cloves are crushed into a powder.
The result is a slightly sweet, slightly spicy seasoning that is quite useful.
Garlic powder is in every grocery store.
You can find it alongside all the other dried spices. One bottle will last you quite a while!
Use ½ teaspoon of garlic powder to replace every ¼ teaspoon of seasoned salt.
Since garlic powder is salt free, you may need a little extra spice to make your fries super tasty.
One teaspoon of garlic powder has 9 calories and .5 grams of protein. It only has 1 mg of sodium which is much less than any fry seasoning out there!
9. Onion Powder
Onion powder is made by crushing dried onions. White onions are typically used to make onion powder.
White onions have a little bit of sweetness which is great if you are replacing a fry seasoning recipe with sugar.
No sugar needed here! Just natural flavor.
One teaspoon of onion powder has just 8 calories and about 1 mg of sodium. Use the same quantity of onion powder to replace fry seasoning.
Your fries will have a nice sweetness along with a little bit of spice!
10. Paprika
Paprika is a bright red powdered spice. It is made from the dried fruits of certain pepper plants. It has a smokey, slightly spicy taste.
Paprika is often a main ingredient in fry seasoning. This makes it a great substitute! It is also free of sodium making it ideal for those looking for flavor without the salt.
Use ½ the quantity of paprika to replace fry seasoning. It is a little bit stronger of a flavor so you only need a small amount.
Fry Seasoning Recipe
Hello Fresh Fry Seasoning Recipe
My fry seasoning recipe is very similar to the fry seasoning Hello Fresh uses.
It is kind of a mix between Hello Fresh fry seasoning, Lawry’s french fry seasoning recipe and has many of the delicious Dollar tree French Fry seasoning ingredients mixed in too! You will love it!
Ingredients
- 1 tsp garlic salt
- 1 tsp onion salt
- 2 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp dried basil
- ¼ tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
Instructions
- Add all of the ingredients to a small food processor or coffee grinder.
- Pulse the mix together, making a very fine powder.
- Store the fry seasoning in an airtight container in your pantry for up to one year.
Notes
You can simply stir the ingredients together in a small bowl instead of using a food processor. I have found that using the food processor makes a very fine powder that coats the fries even better. Just my little tip!
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 1 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving:Calories: 33Total Fat: 1gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 3383mgCarbohydrates: 7gFiber: 2gSugar: 1gProtein: 2g
What is Fry Seasoning?
French fry seasoning is a mix of herbs and spices that are meant to bring out the flavor of the fries.
Chopped potatoes can be tossed in fry seasoning before roasting. The fry seasoning can also be sprinkled over the fries after they cook. Both seasoning methods work well!
Fry seasoning has become increasingly popular thanks to meal delivery kits. Many of them include fry seasoning as a quick and easy way to make French fries even tastier.
What is fry seasoning Every Plate includes in their box? And what is that Fry Seasoning Hello Fresh uses?
I can tell you all about those secret spice blends and even how to make your own!
Ingredients in Fry Seasoning
If you are looking at a bottle of McCormick fry seasoning or the packet of fry seasoning Hello Fresh provides, you will likely see different ingredients.
Each brand of fry seasoning is a little different. However, here are a few of the spices and herbs that are in most fry seasonings:
- Garlic Salt
- Onion Salt
- Kosher Salt
- Paprika
- Sugar
- Chili Powder
- Turmeric
- Black Pepper
As you can see, there is quite a lot of salt in fry seasoning. But potatoes love salt! And that is one reason why fry seasoning is just so good.
Try this fry seasoning from The Cozy Cook and you will see why this spice is so great!
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Fry Seasoning Uses
Fry seasoning has a wide range of culinary uses. You can sprinkle it on French fries, of course, but you can also use it to liven up other foods.
Use French fries seasoning powder on onion rings, sweet potato fries or mozzarella sticks.It is great on fried fish or sprinkled over a simple steamed fish.
Seasoning salt for fries can be mixed into hamburger meat or even used to rim a bloody mary glass.
Anytime a basic seasoning salt would taste good, you can grab your favorite fry seasoning and put it to good use! It is, after all, mostly salt!
Is French Fry Seasoning Healthy?
French fry seasoning is not necessarily healthy but it is also not an awful, dangerous food. It is a highly salted spice that should be used in moderation.
Think of fry seasoning as salt and use it as liberally as you would use your salt shaker. Too much salt in a diet isn’t good but a little salt is amazing!
Here is a quick look at the nutritional info for a ¼ teaspoon of Lawry’s french fry seasoning recipe (one of the best fry seasoning brands on the market).
| Calories | 0 |
| Fats | 0 |
| Protein | 0 |
| Sodium | 260 mg |
Final Considerations
Tossing french fries with fry seasoning really does make them taste incredible. It makes homemade French fries totally restaurant-worthy.
Each of these fry seasoning substitutes will also help transform your fries. Give them all a try and see which you love best! Enjoy.
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