Homemade Italian-Style Seasoning
Homemade Italian-Style Seasoning is made in just a few minutes. But it will add flavour to so many of your dishes, and not just Italian. Try it in burger mixes, meatloaf, vegetarian bakes, soups, stews, marinades, and more.
Buying dried herbs in bulk and making your own seasonings can save you money. And you can mix up your blends to suit your own taste perfectly.
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I’ve been cooking for nearly forty years, including dishes from all around the world. So it’s hardly surprising that I’ve built up quite a herb and spice collection. As well as a whole kitchen cupboard full of small jars, in the pantry off the kitchen I keep some big bags of those I use most frequently. Much cheaper bought in bulk, I use these to top-up my handy kitchen supply as needed.
Besides saving me money, buying the larger bags also means I have plenty in stock to create my own herb and spice mixtures. So much quicker and convenient than reaching for a series of jars, I can make blends that are completely bespoke to my taste. Some of my most used include a simple curry powder and the versatile Middle Eastern mix known as Za’atar.
A mix I find myself reaching for more and more these days is Homemade Italian-Style Seasoning. Mind you, although I call it Italian-Style, this seasoning goes well with all sorts of Mediterranean influenced dishes. In fact, almost anything savoury that might benefit from a little herby flavour boost. At the end of the post, I’ll give you a few ideas to get you started.
HOMEMADE ITALIAN-STYLE SEASONING
As I’ve mentioned, one of the reasons I make up blends like this rather than buy them is so I can create something perfectly matched to my taste. It’s in that spirit that you should approach my Italian-style mix. Use my suggestion of ingredients and ratios as a starting point, then come up with a blend that suits you.
As with all such herb and spice mixes, it only takes about five minutes to put together. So you can always make up a small amount (remembering to write down what and how much of each ingredient you added!), cook with it, then tweak it next time. You don’t need to be pinpoint accurate with amounts. So this is one of those occasions where I find it convenient to measure in tablespoons rather than grams. If you want to make a smaller amount and see how you like it, then use teaspoons instead of tablespoons. Or you could just halve everything.
INGREDIENTS
There are five different dried herbs in my Homemade Italian-Style Seasoning plus garlic.
- 4 tbsp oregano
- 3 tbsp basil
- 2 tbsp thyme
- 2 tbsp rosemary
- 2 tbsp sage
For the batch you see in this post I included 1.5 tbsp garlic powder. This can be substituted with garlic granules if that’s what you have. You can also omit any garlic if preferred. Other herbs and spices you might want to consider for your mix are marjoram, red pepper flakes or Aleppo pepper flakes, bay leaves, and parsley.
As you can see, there’s no need to include the same amount of each herb. I prefer more oregano, followed by basil, then slightly less of the other herbs for my Italian mix. I spoon the herbs straight into the jar I’m going to store them in. Then I screw on the lid, give it a good shake to combine everything, then stick on a label.
As with all herbs and spices, to preserve the flavour and aroma it should be stored in a cool, dark place. A kitchen cupboard away from heat sources is usually fine. Homemade Italian-Style Seasoning should keep for at least 6 months, providing the herbs you used had a shelf life of at least that long.
HOW TO USE HOMEMADE ITALIAN-STYLE SEASONING
I’ve called this herb mix Italian-style to give you an idea of its flavour notes. And there’s no doubt that the accent on oregano and basil does marry well with those dishes, often tomato-based, that non-Italians may immediately think of, e.g. pasta sauces and pizza toppings. But the truth is, you can use this seasoning in a huge variety of ways.
Here’s just a few to get you started.
- Vegetarian main courses. Just a teaspoon or two will add great flavour to dishes like Mediterranean Oat Bake, Savoury Oat Bake, and Lentil & Walnut Loaf
- Soups and stews. Add a subtle background flavour to Minestrone Soup or Mushroom, Lentil & Kale Stew, for example.
- Homemade croutons. Not just for soups, I make croutons for salads like Sausage Salad and Panzanella (Italian tomato and bread salad) and sometimes add a herby touch to them.
- Minced/Ground meat recipes. These can really benefit from a blend of dried herbs. Try this one in meatballs, burgers, Italian Pork Meatloaf, Bacon Wrapped Meatloaf, or Pork Kebabs with Fennel & Orange.
- Roasted Vegetables. A sprinkle of my Homemade Italian-Style Seasoning adds interest to all kinds of roasted veg. Toss a range (e.g. courgette, peppers, aubergines, or diced root veg like celeriac, carrot, sweet potato, and parsnip) with some of the mix, plus salt, pepper, and olive oil before roasting until nicely charred.
- Marinades. Pork chops or tenderloin, as well as chicken breasts or thighs, can be taken to the next level by marinating before roasting, grilling, or frying. Whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, chopped garlic, and some Italian seasoning, then marinate the meat for at least 30 minutes or leave overnight, turning occasionally.
QUICK, SIMPLE, VERSATILE
Taking just minutes to put together, I think it’s worth every home cook making up a batch of Homemade Italian-Style Seasoning. Buying individual dried herbs in larger packs is much more economical than the ready-made blends available in the shops. And I love that I can create my own bespoke mixes that fit my taste perfectly.
Whether I want to add flavour to soups, give a herby kick to bakes and burgers, or a subtle flavour to simple croutons, a shake of this versatile seasoning will do it in a flash.
If you’ve made Italian-Style Seasoning, let me know in the Comments.
Which herbs do you put in yours and what dishes do you use if for?
Homemade Italian-Style Seasoning
Buying dried herbs in bulk and making your own seasonings can save you money. And it allows you to mix blends to perfectly suit your own taste.
Made in just a few minutes, this seasoning mix will add flavour to loads of dishes - not just Italian. Try it in burger mixes, meatloaf, vegetarian bakes, soups, stews, marinades, and more.
The recipe makes quite a lot, so you may wish to halve the ingredients. Use it as a starting point to create your own bespoke mix.
Ingredients
- 4 tbsp dried oregano
- 3 tbsp dried basil
- 2 tbsp dried thyme
- 2 tbsp dried rosemary
- 2 tbsp sage
- 1 - 2 tbsp garlic powder or granules (optional)
Instructions
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Put all the ingredients in a jar, screw on the lid and shake well to mix.
Store in a cool, dark cupboard and use within 6 months (or less depending on the Best Before dates on your herb packages).
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