Italian seasoning is an easy homemade seasoning blend to keep on hand in your kitchen pantry. Its earthy, savory flavor is great on pizza or in a homemade alfredo sauce.
Making your own seasoning blend is a fun and easy kitchen project. I love making my own taco, chai, everyday, and ranch seasoning blends. It's easy to customize to suit your tastes and you'll know exactly what's in it.
This Italian seasoning is a flavorful blend of dried herbs like oregano, basil, marjoram, sage, rosemary, and thyme. The great part about cooking with a seasoning blend is that flavors are already balanced for you, making it easy to grab a single jar to season your next dish.
Add Italian seasoning to your next meal, like these crock pot Italian beef sandwiches or Italian sloppy joes. It adds an earthy, mild, and savory flavor that complements most proteins, roasted vegetables, and pasta.
Ingredients and substitutions
- Oregano - A bold herb that may remind you of the flavors of pizza or marinara sauce.
- Basil - Can taste sweet, earthy, and peppery. If you love pesto, you'll enjoy basil in your seasoning blend.
- Marjoram - Has a similar taste to oregano that's slightly sweeter and milder.
- Sage - Has an earthy, woodsy, slightly floral scent.
- Rosemary - Has a distinct earthy pine flavor. I don't recommend increasing the amount of rosemary in this recipe unless you really love a strong rosemary flavor.
- Thyme - Has a mild, peppery and slightly sweet flavor.
Tips and tricks
Optional additions - Want to add more flavor to your Italian seasoning? You could also add red pepper flakes, dried garlic, dried onion, or pepper.
Use new herbs - I recommend buying new herbs before assembling a seasoning blend like Italian seasoning. Ground herbs taste best within the first six months and continually lose their flavor over time.
Only make what you'll use in six months - If you don't cook with Italian seasoning frequently, I recommend making a smaller batch. To reduce the measurements in the recipe card, hover over the serving size and use the sliding bar.
Recipes with Italian seasoning
Looking for recipes to use your new Italian seasoning blend? Here are a few of my favorites:
- Crock pot Italian beef sandwiches
- Creamy pasta primavera
- Parmesan crusted chicken tenders
- Tuscan chicken mac and cheese
- Roasted zucchini and squash
- Tortellini pasta salad
- Classic pasta salad
- Homemade alfredo sauce
Frequently asked questions
Italian seasoning is most often made with a blend of dried Italian herbs. My recipe is made with oregano, basil, marjoram, sage, rosemary, and thyme. Some blends can also include other ingredients like red pepper flakes, dried garlic, or fennel seeds.
Ground herbs and spices are best used within the first six months (ideally 3 months) for best flavor, but will keep for 2 to 3 years in airtight containers. I recommend making a quantity of Italian seasoning that you think you'll use within about 6 months. This recipe can easily be scaled down by hovering over the servings in the recipe card and using the sliding bar.
Here's an article with more helpful information:
USDA: Will spices used beyond their shelf life be safe?
My recipe does not call for salt and most store bought Italian seasoning does not contain salt.
Recommended
📖 Recipe
Italian Seasoning
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon oregano
- 1 tablespoon basil
- 1 tablespoon marjoram
- 1 tablespoon sage
- 1 tablespoon rosemary
- 1 tablespoon thyme
Instructions
- In a bowl, combine all ingredients until well blended.
- Store in an airtight spice jar in a cool, dry, place.
Equipment Recommendations
Notes
- Seasoning blend will keep for 1 year or more in a sealed container. Flavor is best if used within six months when made with new herbs.
- This seasoning can be used in any recipe that calls for Italian seasoning as an ingredient.
- Don't have one of the listed herbs on hand? Italian seasoning can be made with any combination of the herbs listed above. I recommend using at least three herbs for best flavor.
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