7 Seasoning Spice Recipes You Can Make At Home

Nov 12 | Recipes

Nothing beats home-cooked meals and knowing exactly what you’re feeding your family. It’s even better when the spices you use are those you’ve made yourself. Rather than using store bought spices that have ingredients you can’t pronounce!

Let’s take a look at 7 seasoning spices you can make at home.

Homemade Ranch Seasoning

Ranch seasoning is a popular choice in many households. Ranch seasoning can be used to make dips, dressing, added to sauces, and as an ingredient in recipes from meatloaf to pasta salad.

Here’s how to make your own:

• ½ cup dry buttermilk
• 2 tablespoons dried parsley
• 1 tablespoon dried chives
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 2 teaspoons onion powder
• 1 teaspoon dried dill 
• salt and pepper

Mix it all together and keep in an airtight container, such as a mason jar or plastic container.  This mix can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 months.

Curry Seasoning

Curry has its origins in Asia and gives a flavorful and spicy twist to your recipes. Instead of using store bought curry mixes, you can make your own.

Here’s how to make curry seasoning:

• 2 tablespoons coriander
• 1 ½ teaspoons cumin
• 1 tablespoon turmeric
• ¾ teaspoon ground mustard
• ½ teaspoon cardamom
• ½ teaspoon ground cloves
• ½ teaspoon nutmeg
• ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper

Mix well and store in an airtight container.  This is enough for seasoning one meal, or you can multiply it and keep the mix for up to a year to be used in future recipes.

Taco Seasoning

Who doesn’t love tacos? Everyone likes their taco seasoning a little different, but being able to make your own, to your own taste ensures you will have the perfect Taco Tuesday each week.

Here's how to make taco seasoning:

• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon paprika
• ½ teaspoon cumin
• ½ teaspoon onion powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon ground pepper
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne
• ¼ teaspoon oregano

This recipe is enough for 1lb of ground beef.  Adjust the amount for more meat or multiply and keep in an airtight container for future use.

Jerk Seasoning

The Caribbean has given us dishes that have the mix of sweet and spicy flavors. This Jamaican jerk seasoning will add this great flavor to your next Carribean themed meal.

Here’s how to make your own: 

• 2 teaspoons allspice
• 2 teaspoons cumin
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 2 teaspoons cayenne
• 2 teaspoons onion powder
• 2 teaspoons dried thyme
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons dried parsley

This recipe will work for 2 lbs of meat. If you mix it ahead of time, be sure to put it in an airtight container and it will keep for at least 3 months. 

Chili Seasoning

What’s better on a cool fall night than a steaming hot bowl of chili? This recipe will work for 1lb of your choice of meat.  

As with the others, if you want to mix up a batch to keep for later use be sure to put it in an airtight container.  It will keep for up to a year.

• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• ½ teaspoon paprika
• ½ teaspoon onion powder
• ¼ teaspoon thyme

Cajun Seasoning

Getting Cajun flavor just right can be very tricky, but once you get the right mix, you’ll be set. Cajun seasoning can be used in chicken and seafood dishes, here’s the mix you need: 

• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• ½ teaspoon oregano
• ½ teaspoon onion powder
• ½ teaspoon thyme
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne

Mix well and make more if you want to store it,  The mix will last up to 1 year.

Italian Seasoning

Italian seasoning is another one that gets used in many dishes.

This Italian seasoning recipe is good to be used with your choice of meats, pastas, pizzas, and any other Italian dishes. 

• 1 ½ teaspoons oregano
• 1 teaspoon parsley
• 1 teaspoon thyme
• ½ teaspoon basil
• ½ teaspoon sage
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon ground pepper

Spices don’t really “go bad”, they might lose their flavor or potency, but they won’t make you sick.  Most spices last from 1-3 years.  

If you make a spice mix that incorporates things other than just spices, that would be what determines the shelf life.  For example: the Ranch above has dry buttermilk, so that would be what determines how long you can store it and where it needs to be stored.

Hopefully these recipes will help add some “spice” to your life in the form of delicious meals!