Simple Homemade Italian Seasoning

5 from 4 votes
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A simple 7-ingredient Italian seasoning blend – perfect for pasta, pizza, burgers, and as an Italian sausage seasoning. Combine these Italian spices in minutes and enjoy the flavors of this mix for months!

A small bowl with Italian seasoning

Use it within marinades, dressings, pasta dishes, grilled veggies, sprinkled over pizza, in soups, burgers, meatballs, mixed into bread dough, or even over rice, etc. I’ve recently used it for these delicious pumpkin burgers

Having a single jar of this seasoning means not having to reach for seven separate jars every time you want to make a dish with a mixture of Italian spices. Plus, with Italian seasoning being so versatile, it’s so worth spending just a few minutes to pull together a large batch of this Italian seasoning mix once or twice a year (or more often, if you’re obsessed with the blend!). 

A hand holding a small bowl with Italian seasoning

Spice blends are also great for anyone who has a herb garden too – not only is it incredibly cost-efficient, but the mix will be super-fresh and perfect for making for yourself as well as mixing and giving as gifts. 

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What is in this Italian seasoning?

Italian seasoning mix commonly includes several herbs such as basil, oregano, coriander, rosemary, thyme, and/or sage. The interesting thing is – most Italian blends are slightly different, so every recipe is slightly different.

Italian seasoning ingredients

Within this blend, I’ve included: oregano, basil, thyme, sage, marjoram, parsley, and bay leaf.

Optional Add-ins:

  • Garlic powder
  • Onion powder
  • Red pepper flakes
  • Rosemary
  • Cilantro 
  • Black pepper
  • Paprika/smoked paprika

I tend to leave many of the “extras” like garlic, onion, and chili flakes aside and just add them into individual recipes. This is because those ingredients can overwhelm/ruin certain recipes – by omitting them from the main blend, you end up with a mix that is far more versatile.

Likewise, while used in many Italian blends, I’ve found that cilantro doesn’t really make sense to me personally. However, if it’s something you’re used to using for Italian dishes, then – go for it. After all, the beauty of homemade Italian seasoning is in its versatility. 

Side note: funnily enough, I’ve heard that this blend isn’t actually popular/typically sold in Italy. I don’t actually know its origin or why it’s specifically called Italian Seasoning.

How to use it

There are tons of ways to use this versatile herb blend. Here are just a few examples:

Use it within marinades, dressings, pasta dishes, grilled veggies, sprinkled over pizza, in soups, burgers, meatballs, mixed into bread dough, or even over rice, etc. I’ve recently used it for these delicious pumpkin burgers

The best thing is, if you use it during cooking or baking at all, the smell is amazing! It meanders its way through your house while you cook – enough to make everyone’s mouths water. 

How to make Italian seasoning

First, if you’re using bay leaves, then begin by crushing them into smaller pieces. Either do this by hand, with a mortar and pestle, or blitz in a blender or a spice grinder for a couple of seconds.

Breaking bay leaves by hand

Then, mix all the herbs in a bowl (or directly in a jar) and give it a good mix/shake.

A bowl with seven different dried herbs, not mixed

Transfer to an airtight jar (if it’s not already in one) and store in a cool, dark place (like a cupboard). Make sure to keep away from direct heat and sunlight and any moisture.

How to store

One of the best things about spice blends is their long shelf life. This Italian seasoning is no different. Keep it stored in an airtight glass jar for up to 6 months.

It will last longer, though the quality will deteriorate, and it depends on the freshness of the herbs that you begin with – so I aim to use it up within that time and then refresh it with new herbs. If you dry your herbs at home from fresh, then the blend can last even up to 2-3 years!

A jar with Italian herb blend

You can also freeze this Italian spice mixture in a freezer-friendly glass jar for up to a year. This will help to keep it fresh for longer (as long as it’s 100% airtight so no moisture can enter the jar!).

Recipe notes

  • You can leave this Italian spice blend chunky or use a coffee/spice grinder (or even a blender) to blend into a finer powder.
  • Feel free to omit the bay leaves, if wanted. You can also tweak the amounts of any if you prefer certain herbs to dominate more within the blend.
  • If you want to use it as an Italian sausage seasoning – or burgers/meatballs (meat or meat-free), then you can leave the mixture slightly chunky or blend into a slightly finer product.

More homemade spice blends

If you try this Italian Seasoning recipe, let me know your thoughts in the comments. I’d also really appreciate a recipe rating. And, feel free to tag me in your recreations @AlphaFoodie.

Simple Homemade Italian Seasoning

5 from 4 votes
By: Samira
A simple 7-ingredient Italian seasoning blend – perfect for pasta, pizza, burgers, and as an Italian sausage seasoning. Combine these Italian spices in minutes and enjoy the flavors of this mix for months!
Prep Time: 3 minutes
Total Time: 3 minutes
Servings: 21 teaspoons

Ingredients 
 

  • 1 Tbsp oregano
  • 1 Tbsp basil
  • 1 Tbsp thyme
  • 1 Tbsp marjoram
  • 1 Tbsp sage
  • 1 Tbsp parsley
  • ½ Tbsp bay optional

Instructions 

  • If you're using bay leaves then begin by crushing them into smaller pieces. Either do this by hand, with a mortar and pestle, or blitz in a blender for a couple of seconds.
  • Mix all the herbs in a bowl (or directly in a jar) and give it a good mix/shake.
  • Transfer to an airtight jar (if it's not already in one) and store in a cool dark place (like a cupboard). Make sure to keep away from direct heat and sunlight and any moisture.

How To Store

  • Keep it stored in an airtight glass jar for up to 6 months. If you dry your herbs at home from fresh, then the blend can last even up to 2-3 years!
    It will last longer than six months too, though the quality will deteriorate, and it depends on the freshness of the dried herbs that you begin with – so I aim to use it up within that time and then refresh it with new herbs.
    You can also freeze this spice mixture in a freezer-friendly glass jar for up to a year. This will help to keep it fresh for longer (as long as it’s 100% airtight so no moisture can enter the jar!).
Course: Spices
Cuisine: Italian
Freezer friendly: 1 Year
Shelf life: 6 Months (airtight container)

Nutrition

Serving: 1tsp, Calories: 3kcal, Carbohydrates: 1g, Protein: 1g, Fat: 1g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Sodium: 1mg, Potassium: 10mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 1g, Vitamin A: 28IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 16mg, Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

5 from 4 votes (2 ratings without comment)

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3 Comments

  1. Kathryn says:

    5 stars
    Love this site

    1. Support @ Alphafoodie says:

      Thank you, Kathryn. 🙂 x

  2. Veggies_babies says:

    5 stars
    Thank you Samira!