Multi-Purpose Seasoned Salt

If you have a batch of homemade seasoned salt on hand, you know you’ll always have a quick way to spice up dishes – whether it’s dinner, a veggie side dish, or even snacks (hello, fresh and buttery stovetop popcorn!).

Making homemade spice blends is 100% the way to go, too. Store-bought is great in a pinch, but making them yourself is both much more cost-effective and there’s no need for added ingredients or preservatives. This also means you know it’s going to go be gluten-free, too, if that’s important for you.

What is Seasoned Salt?

Walk down the spice aisle and you’ll find a variety of seasoned salts. Whether you look at the popular Lawry’s seasoned salt blend, McCormick, or Mortons, you’ll see they all have some combination of salt and paprika with a few other flavorful additions.

In general, seasoned salt is a blend of table salt, spices, and sometimes herbs. It’s a way to season foods, whether while cooking or afterward, with a hint of flavor. The spices are what make it different from regular table salt. It gives the salt another layer and depth of flavor.

Ingredient Spotlight

The beauty of DIY spice blends (or anything homemade, really), is that you can customize it exactly to your needs! This seasoned salt recipe is quite simple with few ingredients and mostly takes after Lawry’s version.

• Fine Salt: making a spice mix on your own allows you to use the highest quality ingredients for the best flavor, which is why I absolutely recommend using excellent salt, it’s the star of this show, after all! Say goodbye to regular table salt and instead use fine sea salt for the best flavor.
• Paprika: generally quite mild and a little sweet, paprika adds color and a hint of flavor to seasoned salt. If you prefer smoky flavors, try smoked paprika, but keep in mind that it won’t pair with all foods.
• Garlic and Onion Powder: again, added flavor and they both bring a good balance. To keep this mixture uniform, use powder, not granules.
• Cayenne Pepper: totally optional, but a little bit adds a subtle heat to the blend with a little added spice.
• Sugar: it might seem unexpected, but just a little bit of sugar helps to balance out the flavors. You can leave it out if you prefer a sugar-free version.

Not convinced salt type makes a difference? Try a little table salt, then taste sea salt or mineral salt for comparison! I first did this when tasting Redmond Real Salt and was amazed!

Let’s Make Seasoned Salt

Just like making homemade cajun seasoning, this spice blend is easy peasy to make at home!

There’s no need to use a spice grinder like in lemon pepper seasoning, either, because the spices we’re using are already fine in texture. If you prefer to give them a once over in a grinder to make sure they’re uniform though, feel free.

All that’s left to do to make seasoned salt is to combine the ingredients in a jar and stir to combine. You can even just put the lid on and shake them together if you have enough room. Like I said, easy, peasy!

Variations

I did mention this already, but its really easy to customize homemade seasoned salt, and you can easily adjust it depending on the vibe you’re going for.

• Sugar-Free: omit the sugar.
• Old Bay: a type of seasoned salt that is celery based and mostly used on seafood.
• Add Turmeric: found in many seasoned salt recipes on the shelf, it adds an earthiness to the blend. I recommend starting small if adding it in.
• Garlic Salt or Onion Salt: these varieties have just salt and the respective aromatic powders without additional seasoning.
• Black Pepper can be added for an additional kick of spice.

Ways to Use Seasoned Salt

Oh, let us count the ways! This is such a versatile seasoning and is truly multi-purpose.

• Spice Up Veggies! You’re going to salt roasted veggies anyway, so why not use seasoned salt to jazz them up? There’s no limit to the veggies you can use, whether it’s Instant Pot steamed carrots, easy oven-roasted broccolini, or quick air fryer frozen vegetable recipes – the list goes on and on!
• Potatoes & Fries: ok, so technically vegetables too, but this seasoning blend is excellent on any form of potato, whether it’s crispy oven-roasted potatoes, breakfast hashbrowns, frozen tater tots, or french fries!
• Popcorn! As if my favorite snack of all time couldn’t get any better. In place of regular ol’ salt, spice up homemade buttery popcorn with this seasoned version!
• Season Soups: you’ll definitely add salt to layer in the flavor of soups, so use this for an added boost of flavor instead. It will work well in already super savory soups like vegetarian tortilla soup, or hearty vegetable barley soup.
• Roasted nuts: Toss a variety of roasted nuts in seasoned salt for a savory and satisfying snack.
• Eggs: Sprinkle a pinch of seasoned salt on scrambled eggs, omelets, or frittatas to add extra flavor.
• Meats & Seafood: for those who enjoy grilled meat like steak, chicken, burgers, or seafood like shrimp and fish, sprinkle it on before cooking it up!
• It’s also great on vegetarian grilled mains like portobello mushrooms or cauliflower steaks!

Remember, seasoned salt is already a blend of various spices, so taste your dish as you add it to ensure the right amount of seasoning, especially if the recipe already calls for specific spices and herbs.

Storage Tips

Store homemade cajun seasoning as you would any other spices or spice mixes, in an airtight container in a cool, dark place. A cupboard away from the heat of your oven is a great choice!

How long will it last? Spice blends will last for several months, usually up to 6 months, if stored properly. Keep in mind that dried spices will lose their intensity over time, so it’s best to use it sooner rather than later.

Prevent Caking: due to humidity and time, seasoned salt can have a tendency to clump together. To prevent this, stir in about 1 teaspoon of cornstarch before storage.

Did you make this recipe? Please leave a star rating and review in the form below. I appreciate your feedback, and it helps others, too!