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I personally taste-tested a variety of Beau Monde seasoning substitutes to find the best one for every cooking occasion. Whether you’re on the hunt for the closest flavor match, in need of a last-minute pantry substitute, or want a swap that fits your diet, I’ve got the answers.

The best substitute for Beau Monde seasoning is to make your own blend with salt, sugar, onion powder, and celery seeds. If you want something ready-made try Penzey’s Prime Rib Rub. And if you don’t mind a flavor shift, try your favorite seasoned salt or Old Bay seasoning.

The Experiment

I mixed different Beau Monde seasoning substitutes with sour cream and taste-tested the dip to find the best substitutes.

Beau Monde seasoning is a classic and versatile blend whose name means “beautiful world” in French. Beau Monde is typically made from of a mix of salt, onion powder, celery seed, and sometimes other spices, and it has savory, slightly sweet, and somewhat earthy flavor profile. This seasoning is often used indipping sauces, spice rubs for meats, marinades, and even in burgers.

Here are the substitutes I tested and the verdicts:

Substitutes	Notes	Verdict
Homemade Beau Monde Seasoning	Easy to make	10/10
Penzey Prime Rib Rub	Best used as a rub for proteins	9/10
Old Bay Seasoning	Has a kick of heat	8/10
Seasoned Salt	Saltier than Beau Monde seasoning	7/10

Homemade Beau Monde Seasoning

Beau Monde seasoning may sound fancy, but you can make your own with only four ingredients:

1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp sugar
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp celery seeds

Once you’ve gathered the ingredients, mix them in a bowl until well combined, then store the seasoning in an airtight jar away from sunlight.

If you can’t find celery seeds, don’t worry. You can use celery seed powder instead, but you’ll need to use 3 times the amount. And four ingredients sound like too many for you, a cheat version is to mix equal parts celery salt and onion powder and call it a day.

Psst… some varieties of Beau Monde seasoning will also include extra ingredients like mace, nutmeg, allspice, cloves, and bay leaves.

How to Substitute: Replace Beau Monde seasoning in a 1:1 ratio with the homemade blend.

Penzey Prime Rib Rub

Not in the mood for the DIY route? Another spice blend that can stand in for Beau Monde is Penzey’s Prime Rib Rub. Its base ingredients are very similar to Beau Monde seasoning, but it also includes black pepper and arrowroot.

The black pepper adds a touch of heat while the arrowroot is flavorless. Arrowroot is a thickener, so helps the rub create a more viscous and consistent coating on the ribs.

This substitute really shines as a spice rub for proteins, but you can use it in all the same ways as Beau Monde seasoning.

How to Substitute: Replace Beau Monde seasoning in a 1:1 ratio with Penzey’s Prime Rib Rub.

Old Bay Seasoning

We’re moving away from the core flavors of Beau Monde with this substitute, but it’s a widely accessible alternative you can use. The celery seeds in the ingredient list gives a nod to Beau monde seasoning, but there are also a lot of other strong spices like paprika, cinnamon, and cloves.

These give it a robust, warm flavor with some spice.

Old Bay Seasoning is often paired with seafood, but it’s just as versatile as Beau Monde. Not only does it pair well with other proteins, but you can also mix it with mayo for a quick dipping sauce or even sprinkle it straight on a platter of crispy fries.

How To Substitute: Replace Beau Monde seasoning in a 1:1 ratio with Old Bay Seasoning.

Seasoned Salt

If you don’t mind not getting an exact flavor match and need something quick, your trusty seasoned salt can rise to the occasion.

Seasoned salt is normally made using salt, garlic, and onion powder, giving it a similar savory flavor to Beau Monde. But it can also include other spices like paprika, cayenne, and black pepper, which give it more complexity and spice.

Remember this is salt though! So don’t go overboard and oversalt your food. I recommend starting with 1/2 of the amount and then adding more to taste.

How To Substitute: Replace Beau Monde seasoning with ½ the amount of seasoned salt, and adjust to taste.

Substitutes To Avoid

I tried all the substitute options I found while I was researching, but not all of them worked out. Here are a few I don’t recommend using instead of Beau Monde seasoning:

Italian Seasoning: This seasoning is more herb-forward and lacks the savory and earthy tones that Beau Monde brings to dishes.
Greek Seasoning: Like Italian seasoning, this is more herbaceous and has citrusy notes that don’t match with Beau Monde’s savory, slightly sweet flavor.
Creole Seasoning: Creole seasoning has a boldly spicy, herby flavor that tends to be overpowering, unlike Beau Monde’s savory taste.