Easy Italian Seasoning Recipe

4.77 from 13 votes

Total 5

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Make a savory Italian seasoning substitute with only 5 dried herbs straight from your spice rack. Use this homemade Italian seasoning in pasta, soups, sauces, and marinades just like you would use any store-bought version.

Italian seasoning on metal scoop next to jar of seasoning

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Table of Contents hide

1) What is Italian seasoning?

2) Why you'll love this seasoning recipe

3) What's in Italian seasoning?

4) How to make this recipe

5) Uses for Italian seasoning

6) Recipe variations

7) Frequently asked questions

8) 📖 Recipe

9) Easy Italian Seasoning Recipe

What is Italian seasoning?

Italian seasoning is a dried herb blend used for flavoring Italian-inspired recipes. It's a common grocery item, but it's expensive. So when you run out unexpectedly, which happens, you need a substitute. Surprisingly, dried Italian seasoning is not common to authentic Italian kitchens, but it is a pantry staple in the American kitchen. So, it pays to know how to make Italian seasoning the easy way.

Why you'll love this seasoning recipe

As flavorful as any store-bought version.
You save money because you utilize what you have on hand.
There's no sugar or salt added to this recipe.
It's customizable - Alter this 5-ingredient recipe by using herbs and spices I've included in the recipe footnotes.

It pays to have a substitute for Italian seasoning, or any seasoning. When you make your own Italian herbs, you cycle through your spice rack items in a timely manner. As a result, these dried herbs don't suffer the loss of potency and flavor from a long-term lack of use.

Also, store-bought seasonings are expensive, so every time you make this blend from your dried herb base, you'll get a return on those purchases.

Italian seasoning in glass jar and metal scoop

What's in Italian seasoning?

Parsley, oregano, thyme, basil, and rosemary are combined to make this Italian seasoning substitute equally as good as any store-bought version. This simple blend adds savory and earthy flavors with a hint of spice and sweetness to all your foods. My herb notes, sourced from Deluxe Food Lover's Companion, should give you an idea of why we love and rely on Italian seasoning so much.

oregano - This herb, along with marjoram, belongs to the mint family. Both are often used interchangeably, but oregano is less sweet with more intense flavor.
thyme - Garden thyme is the most commonly used herb in this family. It has a minty flavor and a subtle lemon aroma.
parsley - This brings a slight pepper flavor and bitterness to the seasoning blend, which is necessary for balancing flavors.
basil - One of the most common Italian herbs and known for its fragrant, peppery, and sweet flavors.
rosemary - This is another mint family herb that adds a bold piney flavor to everything it touches.

dried herbs for Italian seasoning in labeled jars and ramekins

How to make this recipe

To make Italian seasoning, it's as easy as combining dried herbs in a mixing bowl or airtight storage container. You can store the seasoning for up to 3 months in a cool, dry place.

spices for Italian seasoning in glass mixing bowl

Italian seasoning in glass mixing bowl with spoon

Pro tip: Create a finer texture of this Italian herb seasoning by grinding the mixture in a mortar and pestle or your preferred grinder. I also do this with my taco seasoning recipe because grinding herbs and spices releases flavors in a way that stirring doesn't.

Italian seasoning is ground with mortar and pestle

spoon lifts Italian seasoning from glass jar

Uses for Italian seasoning

You won’t find a more versatile seasoning than this Italian herb blend. Here are my favorite ways to use it.

Soups: Minestrone Soup, Lasagna Soup, Homemade Vegetable Soup, White Bean and Kale Soup, Italian Sausage Soup, Stuffed Bell Pepper Soup, Sausage White Bean Kale Soup

Pasta and Pizza: Instant Pot Spaghetti, Penne Alla Vodka with Chicken, Pepperoni Tortilla Pizza

Sides: Season Air Fryer Mushrooms, Grilled Portobello Mushrooms, Roasted Cherry Tomatoes, and my Marinated Mushrooms Recipe.

Sauces: Tomato Sauce Recipe, Marinara Sauce Recipe

Other: Use for chicken thighs or chicken breast seasoning, homemade croutons recipe, garlic bread, bread crumbs, or Italian vinaigrette.

Recipe variations

Sage, marjoram, and savory will enhance the bold flavor of this blend, however these herbs are not required to make a great seasoning.

You can really personalize this seasoning mix by adding spices like garlic powder, onion powder, and red chili flakes. The combinations are endless – I've included suggested amounts in the recipe footnotes below.

Frequently asked questions

What is an Italian seasoning alternative?

If you don't have all five dried herbs to make this Italian seasoning substitute, use any combination such as thyme and oregano, basil and thyme, or parsley and oregano, etc. – any combination will work!

Can I make Italian seasoning with fresh herbs?

Yes! Use any combination of the recommended herbs for this recipe in fresh form and in larger quantities. This will also deliver a more authentic Italian cooking experience.

Can I dry my own herbs for this recipe?

Yes. You can dry or dehydrate any fresh herbs to make this recipe. Once the herbs have completely dried, strip the leaves from the stems and follow the recipe accordingly.

📖 Recipe