A Dressing Mix Will Take Your Snack Crackers To Another Level

You know those leftover, plain snack crackers that you might buy to dunk into tuna salad or serve on a charcuterie board? Well, there's quite an easy way to spruce them up with some more flavor with another common ingredient that might have also been in your pantry for far too long. All it takes is tossing the crackers in your go-to dressing mix for more flavor to create the ultimate crunchy snack. 

The best part of this cracker upgrade is that you'll likely already have most of the ingredients in the kitchen, and if you don't, the elements aren't challenging or pricey to secure. Oyster, saltine, club crackers, or any other variety in the pantry can work for this trick. For the flavor, the most obvious choice might be ranch dressing mix, which will pass on those herby flavors of the salad condiment onto the crackers. You'll also want some melted butter or neutral oil, spices like garlic powder, and even fresh or dried herbs to bring it all together. Then mix the crackers in those ingredients, and bake them at around 250 degrees Fahrenheit for no more than 20 minutes.

If you want to use a classic ranch dressing powder, combine it with garlic powder, black pepper, and dried herbs like dill. You can also toss in other options to give the crackers some heat, like chili flakes, paprika, or chili powder. Another option is to use Italian dressing mix if that's your desired flavor profile. Lean into the herbs of it with Italian seasoning or try something more out of the box, like dehydrated tomato powder. For more of a boost, toss grated Parmesan or your favorite cheese into the mixture. Another easy way to get more flavor with one sprinkle is with spice blends like everything bagel seasoning. Or lean into Mexican cuisine with some Tajín or chili powder, and use lime juice instead of oil or butter.

These snack crackers will be so delicious that you might just eat them as is, but there are some options. Depending on what flavor profile you want, pair it with a dip like guacamole instead of tortilla chips. Cheese and crackers go hand in hand, so try our creamy five-ingredient chevre cheese dip with these amped up crackers. And if you have any leftovers, crumble them up and use them as a crunchy topping on your next salad before they turn stale.