How to Make Homemade Seasonings

Store-bought seasonings often lack a bold flavor punch whereas homemade seasonings are fresh and flavorful. Plus, you’ll save money by buying supplies in bulk and making these mixes at home. Read on for how to make popular seasoning blends.

Benefits of making homemade seasonings

Buying seasoning ingredients in bulk and then mixing them at home can lead to significant savings over time. Store-bought seasoning blends often come in small one to two-ounce containers. These usually cost $5, $10 or $15. By making your own at home, you will have a steady, more flavorful supply that costs a fraction of what you will find at the store. Additionally, the sky’s the limit when it comes to customizing blends to suit your personal taste preferences.

For instance, if you are sensitive to sodium, have a food allergy or are wary of additives and preservatives, making your own seasonings is the perfect way to have full control of the ingredients. You can cater to your needs and ensure your blends are free of anything you deem unhealthy or harmful.

Essential tools and ingredients

When building a seasoning-making pantry, you will want to keep certain basics on hand. Start with these basic spices:

• salt
• pepper
• garlic powder
• paprika
• cumin
• oregano

Certain tools will come in handy, especially if you plan on grinding whole spices to create blends. A mortar and pestle or a spice grinder can help break these down. You will also need accurate measuring spoons to make your blends perfectly again and again.

How to create your own seasoning blends

There is more than one approach that you can take when creating a seasoning blend. However, if you’re new to homemade seasonings, look at the ingredients of a favorite store-bought seasoning blend and try to recreate it. When looking at an ingredients list, keep in mind that the first ingredient is always the largest by volume.

You can start to make your seasoning blend with any amount you would like, but work your way down from there with each successive ingredient. Make sure you document the ingredients and the amounts of each so you can make it again and learn from your homegrown recipes. Having a recipe app on your phone can help you keep track of everything.

To ensure your seasoning blends are as potent as possible, purchase whole spices and herbs. Break them down using a mortar and pestle or a spice grinder before combining them for your homemade blends.

Always keep flavor profiles in mind to achieve a balance of flavors. Blends shouldn’t have one flavor note but rather depth and complexity by combining sweet, savory, bitter, smoky, umami, salty and spicy. If any one flavor is overpowering, adjust it by adding more of an ingredient that will counterbalance it and help create a harmonious blend. For instance, add a bit of sweetness if a blend turns out to be too bitter. If a blend is too sweet, add warmth and spiciness, which pairs well with sweet and can help achieve an overall balance of flavors.

Popular seasoning blends

Here are eight seasoning blends that are perfect for the home cook to start out with. These can be used in a large variety of dishes and are also super easy to throw together at home.

Homemade Taco Seasoning

Sharon Rhodes of The Honour System always makes her own taco season. “It’s so easy, and I already have all the spices on hand,” she says. “Plus, I avoid the unknown additives that can come with store-bought versions.”

Same, Sharon, same. Which is why I created a no-sugar homemade taco seasoning for people watching carbs. That way they can enjoy their favorite Mexican flavors without having to worry about added sugar.

Italian seasoning

Italian seasoning often contains a blend of basil, oregano, thyme, rosemary and marjoram. You can keep these dried herbs whole or lightly crushed for the best results. This is an excellent blend to add to pasta, pizza sauce, garlic bread and tomato soup.

Adobo seasoning

With Spanish and Filipino origins, adobe seasoning often consists of a blend of garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper, oregano, bay and turmeric. This savory blend is great to use as a dry rub for meat, mixed with juice or vinegar as a marinade or blended into sauces.

Curry powder

Curry powder is a seasoning invented by the British but inspired by the flavors of Indian dishes. This flavorful blend commonly uses a mix of turmeric, cumin, coriander, ginger, mustard seed, cinnamon, black pepper and cardamom. It is perfect for mixing with coconut milk or heavy cream to create the base of a curry or to make a flavorful sauce for stir-fried noodles or chicken tikka masala.

Garam Masala

Unlike curry, which is used for heat and flavor, garam masala is more aromatic and usually contains slightly sweet spices — all of which happen to start with the letter C. We’re talking cloves, cardamom, coriander, cumin and cinnamon. It’s a spice blend that Shruthi Baskaran-Makanju of Urban Farmie makes at home. “There’s no one right way to make this blend because it’s so specific to each household,” she says. “My recipe comes from my mom, and it reminds me so much of my childhood — plus it tastes fantastic.”

Guacamole seasoning

A good guacamole should be flavorful, and homemade guacamole seasoning outshines those little packets you can find at your local grocery store. A good blend usually contains salt, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, dried cilantro and some heat from red chili flakes. Apart from its obvious use, this blend is also delicious sprinkled into quesadillas, burritos or even baked potatoes.

Don’t shy away from guacamole while following a low-carb diet. Avocados are actually one of the low-carb fruits that are great to have from time to time and in moderation.

Herbs de Provence

Herbs de Provence is a French seasoning blend consisting of lavender, thyme, rosemary, fennel, marjoram and savory. It is a classic, all-purpose blend perfect for seasoning meat or fish or mixing into stews or marinades.

Baharat seasoning

Baharat spice mix is a Middle Eastern seasoning blend combining black pepper, coriander, cumin, cinnamon, smoked paprika, nutmeg, cloves, cardamom and sometimes dried mint. Its warmth enriches savory soups, stews, dips and spreads.

Ranch Dressing Mix

Making a seasonings mix for homemade ranch dressing is probably easier than you realize and definitely cheaper than buying the bottled version already made. It’s why Kristin King of Dizzy Busy and Hungry makes her own ranch seasoning at home. “I know what’s in it and I can tweak it to get it exactly how I like it,” she says. “I use it to make dips, sprinkle on popcorn or french fries, mix it into mashed potatoes, as a seasoning for grilled chicken or fish and more.”

What are the basics of ranch dressing mix, minus the mayo and buttermilk?

• dill weed
• parsley
• chives
• onion powder
• garlic powder
• sea salt
• black pepper

Storing and using your blends

Empty spice jars, Mason jars or simple food storage containers will come in handy for storing your seasonings. To ensure your blends maintain their flavor and last a good while, keep them stored in airtight containers away from bright, warm environments. A cool, shady corner of a pantry works best.

Portions of this article originally appeared on Food Drink Life.