Homemade Seasoning Blends: Three Recipes for Easier Weeknight Cooking

A small collection of homemade seasoning blends can make dinner feel more manageable. Instead of opening six jars while vegetables roast or a skillet heats, you reach for a mix you already know and like. The flavor is still yours; the measuring simply happened earlier.

Start with three blends matched to meals you actually cook: a warm Mexican-style mix for tacos and beans, an Italian herb blend for tomato sauce and vegetables, and a ranch-style blend for dips, potatoes or popcorn. Make a small batch, cook with it, then adjust the next one.

Jump to: Taco blend · Italian herbs · Ranch-style blend · Labeling · Storage · FAQs

Why make your own seasoning blends?

DIY spice blends let you adjust the heat, increase the garlic or leave out an herb your household does not enjoy. You can also keep salt separate and season the finished dish to taste. Check packaged ingredients, especially chili powder, if avoiding added salt matters to you.

Give each blend a clear job. “The mix we use on black beans” is more useful than a jar with an appealing name that never leaves the cupboard. Three reliable mixes can be a better starting point than a shelf full of unfamiliar recipes.

Before you begin

• Use dried herbs and spices for these dry mixes, not fresh ingredients.
• Start with completely dry bowls, measuring spoons and jars.
• Use level measurements and make one recipe at a time.
• Keep the ingredient and allergen information from each packaged ingredient.

The ingredient ratios below come from North Dakota State University Extension’s seasoning-blend guide. The ranch-style recipe is half its original batch. Approximate yields are the sum of the measured ingredients; the final volume can change as powders settle between herb pieces.

1. Mexican-style weeknight taco blend

Makes approximately 3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon.

• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1½ teaspoons ground cumin
• 1½ teaspoons dried parsley
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon onion powder

1. Measure all the ingredients into a dry bowl.
2. Stir thoroughly, sweeping across the bottom so the fine powders mix evenly with the herbs.
3. Transfer to a dry jar, close the lid and handwrite “Weeknight Taco” on a blank label. Add the mixing date separately.

Use it for: taco filling, black beans, soups and enchiladas. Start with a little, taste the cooked dish and add more as needed.

Use chili powder intended for dishes such as chili and tacos; do not substitute the same quantity of cayenne. Heat and ingredients vary by brand. After cooking with the first batch, try smoked paprika or adjust the cumin in the next one, recording the change.

2. Italian herb blend

Makes approximately 7 tablespoons plus ¼ teaspoon.

• 2 tablespoons dried basil
• 2 tablespoons dried oregano
• 1 tablespoon dried thyme
• 1 tablespoon dried rosemary
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• ¼ teaspoon onion powder

1. Gently crush coarse rosemary with a mortar and pestle if you prefer smaller pieces.
2. Combine all the ingredients in a dry bowl and stir until evenly distributed.
3. Transfer to a dry jar and add a handwritten “Italian Herbs” label and mixing date.

Use it for: tomato sauce, roasted vegetables, stuffed peppers, pasta or garlic bread. Add gradually and adjust to taste.

This is the largest of the three batches. Check the usable space beneath the lid or shaker insert before filling. Leave room to redistribute the mixture, and put any excess in another airtight container.

3. Ranch-style herb blend

Makes approximately 4 tablespoons plus 1⅛ teaspoons.

• 1 tablespoon onion powder
• 1 tablespoon onion flakes
• 1 tablespoon dried parsley
• 1½ teaspoons garlic powder
• 1½ teaspoons dried dill
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• ⅛ teaspoon dried thyme

1. Measure the herbs, flakes and powders into a dry bowl.
2. Stir well, lifting the fine powders from the bottom of the bowl.
3. Transfer to a dry jar. Handwrite “House Ranch” on a blank label and note the mixing date.

Use it for: yogurt or sour-cream dips, potatoes, cooked chicken or popcorn. Begin with a modest amount, taste and increase gradually.

This dry formula contains no buttermilk powder. Once you add it to yogurt or sour cream, refrigerate the prepared dip and follow the storage guidance for those ingredients. Advice for storing the dry blend does not apply to the finished dip.

Mix one batch at a time

Finish and label one blend before starting the next. It is easy to confuse similar-looking powders when several recipes are in progress. A funnel helps with finely ground ingredients; a spoon may work better for coarse herbs.

Choose a jar that leaves some headroom and closes securely. Clear glass makes it easy to see when a favorite blend is running low. The us_spiceset_bambooitalian_24 combines 4-fluid-ounce glass jars with bamboo lids and blank labels suited to custom mixes. The jars are supplied empty.

Each jar measures 10.5 cm tall × 4.5 cm wide × 4.5 cm deep, including the lid. Measure your shelf or drawer before choosing a layout, allowing space to lift the jar out and remove its lid.

Label the jar—and keep the recipe

Handwrite a recognizable name on a blank front label: “Weeknight Taco,” “Italian Herbs” or “House Ranch.” Add the mixing date on a small back or bottom label. Use a pen suitable for the label surface and let the ink dry before handling.

Keep the full formula in a notebook or phone note, including any adjustments and the brand of ingredients such as chili powder. If a household member has food allergies, retain the original ingredient and allergen information rather than relying on the blend’s name.

The mixing date does not reset the age of older spices. Note the oldest ingredient date as well, so a newly labeled jar does not disguise a blend made from ingredients that have already lost much of their flavor.

Store homemade spice mixes away from heat and steam

Keep dry blends in airtight containers in a cool, dry, dark cupboard or drawer. Avoid a sunny windowsill or a shelf above the range. Clear glass does not protect spices from light, so the storage location matters.

Penn State Extension recommends protecting dried herbs from heat, light and moisture. Keep measuring spoons dry, measure away from rising steam and close the lid promptly. Gently redistribute a closed jar before measuring if the finer powders have settled.

Homemade seasoning blend FAQs

How long do homemade seasoning blends keep their flavor?

Flavor depends on the age of the ingredients and how the blend is stored. Make small batches, date them and check their characteristic aroma before use. A weak aroma can signal fading flavor; it is not a food-safety test. Follow the storage guidance on the original ingredients.

Can I use fresh herbs in these recipes?

These recipes are for dry storage and use dried herbs. Fresh herbs introduce moisture and need a different preparation and storage method.

Are these salt-free seasoning blends?

No salt is added in the recipes, but packaged ingredients may contain it. Check every ingredient label, especially chili powder. “No added salt” does not mean a blend contains zero sodium.

Why has my homemade spice mix clumped?

Moisture can make powders clump. Use dry utensils, avoid measuring over a steaming pan and close the lid after use. Do not try to rescue a mixture showing mold or known moisture contamination.

How do I adjust a seasoning blend to my taste?

Make a small batch and try it in a familiar meal before changing the formula. Adjust one ingredient at a time, such as adding more smoked paprika or reducing the heat, and record the new measurements. Keep salt separate if you prefer to season each finished dish individually.

Build a collection you will actually use

Cook with each blend before making a larger batch. Try taco seasoning on beans one night and in soup another; use Italian herbs in tomato sauce, then on vegetables. The recipes you reach for naturally are the ones worth keeping.

When you are ready to organize the collection, explore the available jar-set options and check the current sizes, label styles and included accessories. Start with a few useful blends and leave room for the next recipe you want to make your own.

Lifestyle images are AI-generated illustrations based on real product photographs. Spices, handwritten recipe names and styling accessories illustrate possible uses; jars are supplied empty.

Sources

• North Dakota State University Extension: seasoning blends, publication FN1826 — ingredient ratios and suggested uses.
• Penn State Extension: Let’s Preserve—Drying Herbs — storage guidance.

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