5 Easy to Make Seasoning Blends

These 5 easy to make seasoning blends taste fresh and are easy to store in your pantry for up to a year!

Have you ever made your own seasoning blend? It’s actually so easy and often taste better than buying an envelope of taco seasoning, for example. You can make these blends and then store them in little glass jars or any airtight container for up to a year. Another good thing about making your own is that you can adjust the ingredients to your own preference. Also, you could make these and give them as gifts! In addition to tasting great, they are a unique gift.

If you are thinking about making these, I suggest buying some spices in bulk to save money.

Taco seasoning. This is one of my favorites. In my opinion, it tastes so much better than buying a packet of taco seasoning. These measurements are for one pound of ground beef, so if you want to have extra, then double or triple it. You can also sprinkle this on grilled chicken or even stir it into sour cream to make a southwestern dip.

It’s so incredibly simple – just whisk all these ingredients together and you’re good to go! For making tacos, add the seasoning and 1/4 c of water and let simmer until the water evaporates.

• 1 T chili powder
• 1 t ground cumin
• 1 t paprika
• 1/2 t salt
• 1/2 t ground black pepper
• 1/2 brown sugar
• 1/4 t garlic powder
• 1/4 t onion powder
• 1/4 t dried oregano
• 1/4 t crushed red pepper flakes

Italian seasoning. Use this seasoning blend in pasta sauces, meatballs, roasted vegetables, etc.

• 1 T dried basil
• 1 T dried oregano
• 1 T dried thyme
• 1 1/2 t dried marjoram
• 1 1/2 t dried rosemary
• 1/2 t crushed red pepper flakes

Everything Bagel. Of course, you can sprinkle this on bagels with cream cheese, but you can also sprinkle this on eggs and pretty much anything else you’d like.

• 4 t poppy seeds
• 2 t toasted sesame seeds (spread onto a baking sheet and bake in a 350 oven for 5 minutes)
• 1 t dried minced garlic
• 2 t dried minced onion
• 1 1/2 t kosher salt

Cajun seasoning. Use in jambalaya or any other cajun dish. You can also sprinkle on shrimp or fish. Or you can even sprinkle it on popcorn or snack mix.

• 1 T sweet paprika
• 2 t garlic powder
• 1 1/2 t dried oregano
• 1 t onion powder
• 1 t black pepper
• 1 t kosher salt
• 1/2-1 t cayenne pepper (adjust to your liking)
• 1/2 t dried thyme
• 1/2 t white pepper

Dry rub for ribs. This mixture is so delicious on ribs, but can also be used for pork chops or chicken. This is enough for 4-6 lbs of baby back ribs.

• 1/4 c paprika
• 1 1/2 T freshly ground black pepper
• 1 1/2 T firmly packed dark brown sugar
• 1 T salt
• 1 1/2 t celery salt
• 1 1/2 t cayenne pepper
• 1 1/2 t garlic powder
• 1 1/2 t dry mustard
• 1 1/2 t ground cumin