The Seasoning Blend You'll Want To Use In Every Meal And On Every Snack. (It's That Good!)

Though it's not usually top of mind when thinking of iconic cuisine, Canada has produced some truly delicious dishes and iconic flavors. Aside from jugs of sweet, amber-colored maple syrup, gooey butter tarts, and deliciously gravy-soaked poutine, there's a seasoning particular to the top third of North America that's truly good on everything: ketchup powder. This may seem like a disappointing reveal at first, but even certified ketchup-haters may have a change of heart once they've tasted this stuff.

Tangy and savory with a touch of sweetness and a whole lot of umami, ketchup powder is basically a freeze-dried, granulated combination of the main ingredients found in tomato ketchup. Tomato, vinegar, salt, pepper, and sugar are standard, though some brands jazz it up with ingredients such as garlic powder, paprika, and nutritional yeast for a true flavor bomb. This seasoning mix is also very versatile because it's a well-balanced blend of the five main flavors present in our food (sweet, salty, bitter, sour, and umami). It's not only what makes Canada's famous ketchup chips so delicious, but also the perfect way to flavor stovetop popcorn. It also adds that missing pop of flavor to breading mixes for chicken and fish.

Though there are dozens of different brands and styles of ketchup powder available online, you can also make your own by simply stirring together the aforementioned ingredients. This not only allows you to control your seasoning's flavor profile, but homemade seasoning blends are often cheaper than the premixed variety.

If you've never used ketchup powder before, trying to incorporate it into each meal and snack throughout the day is a great way to discover your favorite flavor combinations. At breakfast, you could whisk a little into your eggs before scrambling them and enjoy them with some melted cheddar on top. You might also add some to your hash browns before getting them crispy in the air fryer, or even whisking ketchup powder into maple syrup to create a sweet-and-savory topping for easy two-ingredient sausage-stuffed pancakes.

Lunch and dinner are relatively easy since ketchup (and thus, ketchup powder) is the perfect way to elevate the flavor of chili (or any other tomato-based stew). You can't taste the ketchup powder itself, but its brightness shines through and helps showcase the other flavors by making them really pop. You might even stir it into ranch, mustard, or mayo to create a nuanced, delicious spread for your favorite sandwich, or as a new favorite dip for veggie sticks and potato chips.

As for snacks, we've already mentioned popcorn, but you can also use it as seasoning on homemade baked snack mix or your favorite hummus recipe. While dessert may seem out of the question, vanilla ice cream is a shockingly delicious base for savory toppings, including barbecue potato chips. It's definitely worth giving ketchup powder and ice cream a try.