Add This Seasoning To Store-Bought Hot Sauce For More Flavor

Hot sauce is possibly the easiest way to perk up any meal. But, after using the same bottle on repeat for a while, it's good to change things up. Using the same flavors over and over again would bore anyone, but that's when something easy like simply mixing in a new seasoning can help. Just a sprinkle of a different and exciting flavor can totally change the profile of hot sauce, adding in more layers of spice and savoriness, and turning it into something new. And Old Bay is a great choice for that, that's a seasoning with a cult following for good reason.

If you've ever wondered what exactly goes into Old Bay seasoning, it's nothing too complicated — a blend of celery salt, paprika, and warm spices like black pepper.  It was originally created for seafood, but it's versatile enough to bring a kick to most dishes. And when mixed into some fiery hot sauce, it rounds out the sauce's sharper acidity and deepens the spice, giving the whole taste some new savory notes. Instead of just a fiery splash of heat, you get a whole new sauce that feels balanced, aromatic, and way more complex. And to make your own Old Bay hot sauce at home is incredibly simple — just stir in a couple pinches of Old Bay to your favorite brand of hot sauce (but don't go overboard) and enjoy however you usually do.

Once you have Old Bay in the mix, the places you can use your new hot sauce blend are pretty limitless. Try a splash of it over fried chicken or drizzle it over some crispy homemade french fries or stir it into a Bloody Mary for a smokier and more peppery twist that will have your brunch drinks at home feel like something a bartender curated for you. Other ways to use it include dripping it over popcorn for a spicier take on movie night snacks, whisk it with melted butter to brush over grilled corn on the cob for a hot twist at a cookout, or just use it to dunk pizza crusts and grilled cheese into. Trust us, you won't regret this upgrade.

And this will come as no surprise given Old Bay's history, but it'll work beautifully in seafood dishes, so try a few shakes of your new blend over shrimp, crab cakes, or at taco night (and don't get that fish tacos can be made even easier using fish sticks). But let's not stop there, it can be swirled it into a soup or ramen broth for an instant depth or you can use it to liven up roasted veggies. And bring it out at breakfast too and get it mixed into scrambled eggs or as the final drizzle on avocado toast for an extra punch. It's just a really easy way to take hot sauce to a new level, honestly the kind of hack that makes you wonder why you didn't try it sooner.