The Best Homemade Italian Seasoning to Improve Your Meals
In any kitchen, seasonings are an essential. They bring a meal to life and make every meal unique. Although this delicious homemade Italian seasoning is great for spaghetti sauce and other Italian inspired dishes, I also add this to almost anything that needs a bit of complex flavor.
My favorite recipes to use this Homemade Italian seasoning include my homemade hamburger helper and ground pork for sausage on sourdough pizza!
Since my family uses this blend in so many delicious recipes, I like to make large batches when we run out.
To store large batches of Italian seasoning, I recommend using canning jars with an airtight lid. If you don’t have canning jars, (I recommend getting some) any airtight glass jar can be used.
Along with many other seasoning blends you get from the store, Italian seasoning tends to be expensive and have unneeded ingredients that claim to be for “anti-caking” and “preserving freshness”. In my whole foods journey, I’ve decided those added ingredients for “anti-caking” and “preserving freshness” do not have a place in my kitchen.
In an effort to keep delicious flavors in my cooking, I knew making my own seasoning blends was essential. With that determination, I put together my best homemade Italian seasoning blend!
What is in Italian seasoning?
Basil– As a stable herb in Italian cooking, it’s sweet but peppery flavors are a must in this blend.
Oregano– With a very strong and distinctive flavor, oregano provides a great early almost minty flavor.
Parsley– Although dried parsley tends to be subtle, it adds a great color and earthy flavor to the mix.
Rosemary- As a woody herb, I tend to gravitate to ground rosemary for a smoother flavor. It’s a hallmark Italian herb
Thyme – Another classic Italian herb ! It’s delicious with subtle mint and sweet notes.
Red chili flakes – Red pepper flakes do generally provide some heat to the seasoning blend. However, the amount I include in this recipe makes the heat subtle. The red chili flakes mainly provide a more complex flavor. If you prefer no spice in your Italian seasoning, it can be omitted.
Garlic powder – As a garlic loving household, adding it to this blend is essential. Since garlic powder offers a smoother flavor than many fresh garlic, it complements the earthy flavors of all the other spices included in this Italian mix.
In general, it does not matter which brand of spices you use to make your Italian seasoning. However, there are some brands that offer more flavorful herbs. Use whichever brands you can fit in your budget or taste preference.
You may also consider switching to organic herbs. This may not impact the flavor of the spice blend but some brands have been found to contain more than just the ingredient on the front or back label. If you’re interested or concerned, I recommend doing your own research into this topic.
How can Italian seasoning be used?
Italian seasoning can be used in many different culinary spaces. Its versatility spans many different dishes, Italian or not.
My family adds this seasoning to pasta sauce & salad dressing. This Italian seasoning is also delicious on roasted chicken, to make Italian breadcrumbs and to spice up a sandwich.
How should I store Italian seasoning?
As with any seasoning or spice blend, flavors will dissipate as they are exposed to air. Because of this, it’s best to store all spices in an airtight container.
My favorite airtight container for storing spices and seasoning mixes are glass canning jars. If you don’t have a canning jar, any glass container with an airtight seal will work great.
NOTE:
This Italian seasoning blend is definitely customizable. Want more garlic flavor? Add more garlic! Want a spicier flavor? Add more red pepper flakes! The possibilities are endless.
Ingredients and Tools
The spices – basil, oregano, parsley, rosemary, thyme, red chili flakes & garlic powder.
A storage container – I like using canning jars but any airtight container will work. I would advise using a big enough container that will allow you to shake all of the spices once measured out. For the measurements in this recipe, I recommend using a pint sized jar.
Measuring spoons
Funnel (optional)
The Italian Seasoning Recipe
1 Tablespoon Dried Basil
1 Tablespoon Dried Oregano
1 Tablespoon Dried Parsley
½ Tablespoon Dried Rosemary
½ Tablespoon Dried thyme
½ Tablespoon Red Chili Flakes
½ Tablespoon Garlic Powder
- Measure out all spices and place in a pint sized jar.
- Secure the jar lid onto the jar.
- Lastly, shake until well combined.
- Your seasoning is ready to use!
As mentioned, this Italian spice blend really works well in numerous dishes. It adds a well rounded flavor as well as enhancing the other flavors in the meal.
Enjoy !
If you like making your own seasoning mixes like this Italian Seasoning, you may also like THIS Homemade Fajita Seasoning and THIS Homemade Taco Seasoning.
FAQ:
Why make your own Italian seasoning mix?
Making your own Italian seasoning mix, or any mix, is the best way to ensure you know the ingredients in your seasonings. Not only does this relate to the quality of ingredients but also the amount of each seasoning. If you and your family like a more garlic-forward Italian mix, add more garlic. If garlic isn’t a favorite flavor for your family, you can reduce or remove the garlic.
Can I make this Italian seasoning mix in bulk?
YES! Since the process of measuring out each spice can be time consuming if you only do it as needed, I encourage you to double, triple or quadruple this recipe if you make a lot of meals with Italian seasoning.
What recipes can I use Italian seasoning in?
Aside from pasta or spaghetti sauce, I recommend using this Italian seasoning in many other recipes. It’s beautiful on roasted chicken, to make Italian bread crumbs or in Italian salad dressing. Italian seasoning is also a great addition to ground pork for a sausage pizza.
How Is Italian seasoning best stored?
As with any seasoning or spice blend, flavors will dissipate as they are exposed to air. Because of this, it’s best to store all spices in an airtight container.
My favorite airtight container for storing spices and seasoning mixes are glass canning jars. If you don’t have a canning jar, any glass container with an airtight seal will work great.
Does it matter what brand of spices I use?
In general, it does not matter which brand of spices you use to make your Italian seasoning. However, there are some brands that offer more flavorful herbs. Use whichever brands you can fit in your budget or taste preference.
You may also consider switching to organic herbs. This may not impact the flavor of the spice blend but some brands have been found to contain more than just the ingredient on the front or back label. If you’re interested or concerned, I recommend doing your own research into this topic.
Did you make this Italian seasoning blend? I’d love to know! Tag @MissysHomestead on Instagram.
