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    Home ยป Recipes ยป Kitchen Tips

    Homemade Poultry Seasoning

    November 14, 2023 By Sam 5 Comments

    This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Please read my disclosure policy.
    Jump to Recipe
    collage of poultry seasoning, top image with measuring spoon full of spice above glass spice jar, bottom image of spices in white bowl before blinding

    Why buy poultry seasoning when it’s so easy to make your own? My quick and simple recipe comes together in minutes and can be used on everything from roast chicken to Thanksgiving stuffing.

    Overhead view of a small jar of homemade poultry seasoning with a gold measuring spoon inside.

    Make Your Own Poultry Seasoning

    Did you just run out of poultry seasoning, right in the middle of a recipe? Don’t panic, because you can easily make your own!

    This recipe has saved me so many times when I couldn’t find or didn’t have any seasoning on hand (especially when I’m in the middle of making my turkey chowder!). It’s made with just 6 simple spices and takes seconds to whisk together.

    Why you should try my homemade version:

    • Cheaper than store-bought: Just like my everything bagel seasoning. Who doesn’t like saving money?!
    • Includes conversions for using dried vs ground herbs.
    • Easily doubles, triples, etc.
    • Long shelf life, so you can make a batch and let it hang out in your pantry until you need it next.
    • Salt free seasoning: add the salt separately (just like you would with store-bought!)

    What You Need

    You’ll need just 6 spices to make this homemade seasoning. Let’s go over them briefly before we begin!

    Overhead view of six spices in small, individual wood dishes.
    • Sage. One of the most predominant spices in sausage gravy and Thanksgiving dishes, sage is a cozy, homey spice. Either rubbed or ground sage will work here, but if you use rubbed sage, you may need to add more than what I have listed, as it tends to be milder.
    • Thyme. Similar to rosemary, thyme is woody but also a bit floral and minty. You can buy ground thyme or thyme leaves in most grocery stores; however, I recommend you stick with ground if you can find it.
    • Marjoram. Marjoram has an earthy, slightly citrusy flavor. If you can’t find it, you could use oregano instead, but you won’t need quite as much (oregano is very similar but has a stronger flavor!).
    • Rosemary. Rosemary has a slightly woody flavor to it. It’s not easy to find in ground form, so I typically grind it myself.
    • Black pepper. Freshly cracked is best, if you have it!
    • Nutmeg. Just a small amount of nutmeg rounds out the flavors of the herbs. You could skip this if you really don’t like nutmeg or don’t have any on hand, but I recommend adding it if you can.

    That’s right, no salt! Classic poultry seasoning is just herbs; if you were expecting salt here, you might be thinking of bouillon (more on this below).

    SAM’S TIP: I usually can’t find ground marjoram or rosemary, so I just grind it myself. If you can’t, you can use double the amount of the herb in dried leaf form.

    Remember, this is just an overview of the ingredients I used and why. For the full recipe please scroll down to the bottom of the post!

    How to Make It

    Overhead view of a mini food processor that's been used to grind herbs into powder.
    1. Grind any whole herbs into a fine powder, if needed. You can use a mini food processor, mortar and pestle, or coffee grinder for this.
    Overhead view of a small white bowl of different spices.
    1. Whisk together all ingredients until completely combined, then use as desired.

    SAM’S TIP: This recipe makes 6 teaspoons (2 Tablespoons) of seasoning, so if you need more, feel free to double, triple, or quadruple it. The measurements scale up easily!

    Gold measuring spoon scooping seasoning out of a small glass jar.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    What’s poultry seasoning used for?

    So many things! Seasoning chicken and turkey, for one, but it can also be used in sausage stuffing or my stuffing recipe, on pork, in soups like chicken noodle soup, over roasted veggies, and even in chicken pot pie. Get creative with it!

    Is poultry seasoning the same as bouillon?

    No! Bouillon is dehydrated chicken stock. It can contain some or all of the seasonings we use here, but it also contains meat, vegetables, salt and fat.

    While you can add bouillon powder to your poultry seasoning and vice versa, do not substitute one for the other!

    What’s the shelf life of poultry seasoning?

    Typically homemade seasonings made with dried herbs will last quite a long time, a year or more. To be sure, check the shelf life of the spices you are using to make this seasoning–that will tell you how long yours will be good for.

    Small jar of homemade seasoning with a gold measuring spoon inside.

    Do you have any special requests for homemade seasoning recipes? Maybe taco seasoning or cajun seasoning? Let me know in the comments!

    Enjoy!

    Let’s cook together! Subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on YouTube where I have over 500 free video tutorials! 💜

    Overhead view of a small jar of homemade poultry seasoning with a gold measuring spoon inside.

    Homemade Poultry Seasoning

    Why buy poultry seasoning when it's so easy to make your own? My quick and simple recipe comes together in minutes and can be used on everything from roast chicken to Thanksgiving stuffing.
    5 from 2 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Prevent your screen from going dark
    Course: ingredient
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 2 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 2 minutes minutes
    Servings: 2 Tablespoons (6 teaspoons)
    Calories: 5kcal
    Author: Sam Merritt

    Ingredients

    • 2 teaspoons ground thyme
    • 2 teaspoons ground sage
    • 1 teaspoon ground marjoram see note
    • 1 teaspoon ground rosemary see note
    • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
    • ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg

    Recommended Equipment

    • Mixing bowl
    • Spice grinder, if applicable

    Instructions

    • Combine all ingredients in a small dish and whisk until completely combined.
      2 teaspoons ground thyme, 2 teaspoons ground sage, 1 teaspoon ground marjoram, 1 teaspoon ground rosemary, ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper, ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
    • Use as desired. Recipe may easily be halved, doubled or tripled.

    Notes

    Trouble finding ground herbs?

    I sometimes have trouble finding herbs like marjoram or rosemary that are already ground in my small local grocery store. When that happens, I just buy the herb in whatever dried form I can find and grind it myself with a spice grinder.
    Alternatively (less desirable), if you can only find dried leaves for any spice, use double the amount called for (ex: 2 teaspoons crushed rosemary leaves instead of 1 teaspoon ground rosemary).

    Storing

    Check the expiration date on your herbs, the poultry seasoning will keep that long. Typically poultry seasoning can be stored in a cool dark place, like a pantry, for months or even over a year.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1Tablespoon | Calories: 5kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 0.1g | Fat: 0.2g | Saturated Fat: 0.1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.01g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.01g | Sodium: 1mg | Potassium: 14mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 0.1g | Vitamin A: 51IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 24mg | Iron: 1mg

    Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered an estimate only. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods, cooking method, portion sizes, and more.

    Tried this recipe? Show me on Instagram!Mention @SugarSpun_Sam or tag #sugarspunrun!

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Stewball

      November 19, 2024 at 4:14 pm

      I’ve kept my Indian spices in my freezer for YEARS with no problems. it’s also where I keep my rice and flours because of crawleys in the very hot summers.

      Reply
    2. Janna

      November 15, 2024 at 12:54 pm

      Making your own spice and herb blends (and even extracts) is so simple. And you know exactly what is in your food. I’ve heard of some spices coming from overseas that contain lead, etc. to make them heavier in weight. (More weight, more money, right?) If you can grow your own herbs and spices all the better. These things are not complicated and you will be so happy you took the next step to self-sufficiency and good health.

      Reply
    3. Daryl

      July 29, 2024 at 9:24 am

      5 stars
      This is so good! I love how simple it is to make and it tasted wonderful. I used it in a recipe I reviewed on my YouTube channel, The Real Deal Recipe Reviews. The recipe was for One Pot Gnocchi Chicken Pot Pie and it was the star of the show!

      Reply
    4. Jeanette

      June 17, 2024 at 12:52 pm

      5 stars
      Yet another seasoning I didnโ€™t realize you could make from home๐Ÿคฏ. But itโ€™s so simple and tastes just like the stuff I get from the store! This is going in the pantry right next to the homemade pumpkin spice.

      Reply
      • Emily @ Sugar Spun Run

        June 17, 2024 at 12:56 pm

        So easy, right? We’re happy you found our recipe Jeanette!

        Reply
    5 from 2 votes

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