Name: Best Italian Seasoning
Prep time: 5 min
Total time: 5 min
Yield: 10 tablespoons
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons dried basil; 2 tablespoons dried oregano; 2 tablespoons dried parsley; 1 tablespoon dried thyme; 1 tablespoon dried rosemary; 1/2 tablespoon dried marjoram; 1 teaspoon dried sage; 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes optional

There’s no reason to settle for a bland Italian seasoning that’s been shoved in the back of your spice cabinet anytime a recipe calls for it. With this recipe, you can have an Italian seasoning that adds extra flavor rather than getting lost in the sauce. There’s no difficult or hard to find herbs and spices. You likely already have most of them in your cabinet!

Italian seasonings combined in a small bowl with a teaspoon in it.

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The BEST Italian Seasoning Substitute

There’s nothing worse than cooking a recipe and realizing your spice cabinet doesn’t have a certain spice blend you need.

But did you know you can make most from-scratch spice mixes at home, with herbs and spices you already have on hand? Making your own spice blends is a great way to save money at the grocery store.

If you need an alternative to Italian herb seasoning, this from-scratch herb mix comes in handy when you’re making classic Italian dishes like Meatballs, Spaghetti, Lasagna And Garlic bread.

It is filled with the flavors of fresh herbs from dried rosemary, basil, and oregano, to name a few of the satisfying herbs in this seasoning mix.

Pour it into a mason jar or refill your spice jar to keep this well-balanced spice mix in your pantry all the time. You can take a tablespoon of Italian seasoning out anytime you need it!

Love Italian food? You’re going to want to whip up this from-scratch Tuscan Seasoning Blend Too.

What is Italian Seasoning?

Italian seasoning is a dry herb and spice mixture that is used to flavor Italian dishes ranging from pasta sauces to salad dressings. It can even be used as a pizza seasoning.

It usually contains a combination of dried herbs. The main herbs are commonly basil, oregano, parsley, thyme, and rosemary. It can also include marjoram and sage, as well as red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper for added spice.

Why Italian Seasoning Mix stays in the rotation

From-scratch seasonings are the well-balanced addition to your spice rack. This is a house favorite Italian seasoning substitute and here’s why:

Straightforward. This Italian herbs mix is super straightforward to cook. Stir all the ingredients together and you’re ready to go.
No Salt. There’s no salt added, so you can salt your dishes to your liking rather than being stuck with a salty mixture.
Flavor. It’s absolutely packed with flavor and Italian aromas, thanks to the eight herbs and spices mixed in.
Accessible. The key ingredients for your own blend come from basic herbs most likely already in your spice cabinet.

Ingredients needed to make from-scratch italian seasoning.

From-scratch Italian Seasoning Ingredients

If you want to make your own Italian seasoning at home, you can with a few ingredients that may already be on your spice rack. You’ll need these dried herbs:

Basil
Oregano
Parsley
Thyme
Rosemary
Marjoram
Sage
Red pepper flakes (optional)

If you are in a pinch and don’t have one or two of the ingredients, don’t sweat it. It will still taste great.

This recipe doesn’t contain salt or black pepper — we prefer to season each dish individually to taste, but feel free to add them if you like. White pepper is great in this.

You can also add a small amount of garlic powder or onion powder to the mixture for added flavor, if you like.

Only have fresh herbs on hand? Fresh basil is straightforward to grow and usually results in a lot of extras! You green thumb, you! Try Drying herbs in the microwave To use in your from-scratch spice blends.

Tools You’ll Need

Measuring spoons

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Glass mixing bowls

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Spice jars with labels

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How to cook Italian Seasoning

A full, printable recipe card with the exact measurements and detailed instructions is at the bottom of this post.

From-scratch seasoning blends are straightforward to put together. This Italian blend is a house favorite substitute for Italian seasoning.

Get out a mixing bowl or a large jar (so there’s enough room to shake the mixture around).
Next, add all of the herbs to the container. Mix it well with a spoon or shake it up well if you’re using the jar.
Store sealed in an airtight container in A cool, dry place. We like to use a spice jar so it fits in nicely with the others in our collection. These Spice funnels Are super handy for getting the mixture into a small jar without making a mess.

From-scratch italian seasoning combined in a bowl.

Best Italian Seasoning Recipe Tips & Tricks

Did you know that herbs and spices don’t last forever? They can lose flavor over time or even go rancid (yuck!). Check the expiration dates to be sure that your spices aren’t expired for a house favorite taste. (we make a point to check ours twice a year.)
Feel free to use less or more of each individual ingredient to tailor it to your taste. Although not traditionally in Italian seasoning, you can add garlic powder for added flavor.
Store your herbs in an airtight container in a cool, dry place to preserve the flavor.
A satisfying flavor to add to Italian Seasoning that isn’t normally in traditional Italian seasoning blends is fennel seed. It’s a distinct earthy flavor that is excellent in a variety of dishes.
This is your own version, so if there’s a flavor you like more than others, add that to your from-scratch Italian seasoning blend.
Add some tablespoons of from-scratch Italian seasoning to a big jar of store-bought marinara sauce to get it even more of those Italian flavors.

Spoon of from-scratch italian seasoning in a bowl.

How to Use From-scratch Italian Seasoning Mix

Italian seasoning is a common ingredient and is so good in so many Italian recipes! You’re most likely to use it in pasta dishes with Meatballs, Meat sauce, or marinara sauce.

Chicken cacciatore And Lasagna soup Are on regular rotation at our house in the winter. In the summer, we like to make Italian Pasta Salad For barbecues.

Sprinkle it on from-scratch pizza or even on Frozen Pizza to jazz it up. It’s great on Breadsticks Too!

Adding Italian seasoning is a great way to make a plain dish like Green beans Taste a little more like you’re eating them in Rome, Venice, or Florence.

You can also use it as a good substitute for Greek seasoning In a pinch.

How to keep Italian Seasoning

A pro tip for making sure your from-scratch version of spice mixes stays fresh is to keep them stored in an airtight jar at room temperature. This will ensure that they stay fresh for a long time.