A Dozen Homemade Spice Mixes
I still remember when I first came up with my recipe for homemade taco seasoning. I proudly told my husband, “No more of those seasoning packets for us, I figured out how to make my own!” He said that was great but maybe next time I could work on something that would save us more than 50¢.
Well, OK. But as time has gone along, I’ve found that making my own seasoning blends really can be a money saver because it teaches you how to be resourceful and just mix together those spices that are probably already setting in your cupboard. So to inspire you all to be resourceful too, here are a dozen easy homemade spice blends that you can start mixing together to save money, even if it’s just 50¢!
A Dozen Homemade Spice Blends
Here are 12 of the homemade seasoning blend recipes I like to use that are very simple to mix together. I’ve included the link to the full blog post about each seasoning blend where you can also find a printable recipe. But I also have the measurements and ingredients for each recipe written out here as well so you can see what’s in each one. I hope you find one that becomes a favorite for you!
#1 Italian Seasoning
An easy blend of dried spices you can make when a recipe calls for Italian Seasoning
4 teaspoons oregano
3 teaspoons basil
3 teaspoons marjoram
2 teaspoons thyme
2 teaspoons rosemary
#2 Veggie Seasoning Blend
Our favorite mixture to use on grilled chopped vegetables
4 teaspoons celery salt
3 teaspoons parsley flakes
1½ teaspoon garlic salt
1 teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon thyme
½ teaspoon oregano
½ teaspoon black pepper
¼ teaspoon turmeric
¼ teaspoon sage
#3 Montreal Steak Seasoning
A tasty mixture to use for steaks on the grill
7 teaspoons salt
3 teaspoons black pepper
2 teaspoons onion powder
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon Ggound cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon ground thyme
1 teaspoon rosemary
#4 Taco Seasoning
A handy blend to use in any southwestern style recipes. You can also try my smaller size taco seasoning recipe that’s designed to replace a packet and season 1 lb of ground beef.
6 teaspoons chili powder
3 teaspoons cumin
2 teaspoons paprika
2 teaspoons garlic salt
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
#5 Cajun Seasoning
My go-to mixture for my jambalaya recipe
3 teaspoons paprika
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
½ teaspoon white pepper
½ teaspoon oregano
½ teaspoon ground thyme
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
#6 All Purpose 10-spice Blend
An all purpose blend I often use in homemade soups
4 teaspoons paprika
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons onion powder
2 teaspoons oregano
1 teaspoon basil
1 teaspoon ground thyme
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
#7 Chicken Seasoning
A nice combo of seasonings for flavoring poultry
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon dried mustard
#8 Southwestern Dip Mix
A handy mix for gift giving or to have in the pantry for a last minute appetizer
8 teaspoons dried parsley
6 teaspoons dried minced onion
6 teaspoons chili powder
4 teaspoons cumin
2 teaspoons dried chives
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
#9 Garlic Salt
This simple strategy might just save the day when you run out of garlic salt for a recipe!
1/4 cup salt
2 tablespoons garlic powder
#10 Dipping Spices for Bread and Oil
I put a pinch of each of these spices in small bowls and cover with oil for a restaurant style treat for dipping bread
parsley (dried or fresh)
basil (dried or fresh)
dried rosemary
dried oregano
red pepper flakes
garlic powder
black pepper
#11 Pumpkin Pie Spice
A tasty blend for any of your fall recipes that need a little pumpkin spice flavor. You can also check out my small size pumpkin spice recipe that makes just 1 tablespoon for a single recipe.
6 teaspoons ground cinnamon
4 teaspoons ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cloves
#12 Chili Seasoning Mix
2 tablespoons of this mixture can replace a store-bought packet of chili seasoning
6 teaspoons chili powder
5 teaspoons cumin
2 teaspoons paprika
2 teaspoons oregano
2 teaspoons garlic salt
2 teaspoons onion powder
I agree, Bev, there are many reasons why making our own spice blends is a good idea. Chief among them is having control over the things you eat. It wasn’t long ago that I learned about the zero-waste movement, so I am always looking for ways to reduce the amount of things I throw in the trash. Having our own beautiful jars of homemade spices cuts way down on all those little packages that the grocery store offers. Thanks once again for your expertise.
I just found your website today, and can’t wait to get started on all those lovely cleaning supplies. Especially the daily shower spray, nothing is worse than cleaning the shower tiles….ugh.
I see all your lovely spice blends and thought you might enjoy this one. I’ve made it many times, and while it seems odd to put nutmeg and ginger on meat, it truly is wonderful. I use it on buttered noodles, truthfully nearly anywhere I’d use salt and pepper.
I half the salt in the first recipe, it was to salty for us, but is our favorite and the one we use constantly.. Jamaica pepper is allspice.
https://savoringthepast.net/2017/02/02/kitchen-pepper-recipes/
Thank you – I’m eager to try these out.
I hope you find some spice blends you like Kate!
Thanks so much for sharing these. I’m moving towards organic spices when I can, and as you can guess, they cost more. So this could be a way of making up for it. I love the little jars in the photo!
Yes, with some basic spices you can mix and match to create your own blends and it does save you money!