Season your meats, veggies, and more with these easy spice blends that’ll instantly add bold flavor to your dishes.
Jazz up taco night or make homemade curry with spice blends you can use as rubs, marinades, or specialty seasonings. They’re great to have on hand when meal prepping and can be made in larger batches to use in a pinch. Simply choose the blend that best pairs with your meal – or meat of choice – and season away!
The beauty of making your own spice blends at home is that you can control the amount of ingredients like sodium, sugar, and unwanted additives. Each blend listed below seasons one pound of meat or can easily be doubled to serve larger crowds.
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You’ll find different flavors like smoky coffee rub or tangy herb seasoning for the grilling and seafood aficionados. There’s also plenty of vegan-friendly dishes you can season with spicy Cajun or earthy curry. Whichever one you choose, you can be sure to find something enjoyable for every palate.
Coffee Rub
This smoky rub adds toasty flavor to any kind of meat, making it especially great for grilling or smoking. For best results, rub it as a dry marinade on your meat eight hours before grilling.
Flavor: smoky and sweet
Use on: beef brisket, rib-eye, flank steak, pork tenderloin, chicken legs
Poultry Seasoning
Poultry seasoning is a blend that’s a classic staple in many Paleo pantries. It’s extremely versatile and adds a home-cooked flavor to all types of chicken, turkey, and veggies. For seasoning meats, sprinkle on top and pat with fingers to help it adhere to the skin. You can roast, sauté or grill it for best results.
Flavor: garlic, herb
Use on: turkey, whole chicken, chicken thighs, chicken breast, vegetables
Seafood Seasoning
This bright and tangy blend adds the perfect balance to fresh seafood. Lemon zest and grassy dill adds a bit of zing that pairs perfectly with the natural flavors of fish, shrimp, and crustaceans. To prep, simply sprinkle it on before cooking and sauté or grill to finish.
Flavor: tangy, bright, zesty
Use on: salmon, white fish, shrimp, lobster, crab
Curry Seasoning
Skip the takeout and season your homemade curry with this exotic blend. Inspired by traditional Indian flavors, it includes an aromatic spice combo that includes turmeric, cumin, and cardamom. Add it to your meals before cooking for an instant flavor upgrade.
Flavor: earthy, spicy, savory
Use on: chicken or beef kabobs, curry sauce, broths
Taco Seasoning
This spicy blend is great for seasoning tacos or adding smoky flavor to chili. It can even be used as a rub on grilled chicken and beef. Add it to your favorite Mexican recipes for a spicy blend of cumin, paprika, and chili powder.
Flavor: smoky, spicy
Use on: ground beef, ground turkey, ground chicken, to season chili
Cajun Seasoning
This bold spice blend tastes best with spicy-smoky recipes. It also works well with grilled meats and veggies. A touch of heat from pepper and cayenne make this a must-have for spice lovers.
Flavor: spicy, smoky, hint of herb
Use on: fish, chicken, shrimp, on vegetables
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Total time:3 mins
Prep Time:3 mins3 minutes
6 Easy Homemade Spice Blends
Recipe by:
Jennafer Ashley
Season your meats, veggies, and so much more with unique spice blends that’ll instantly upgrade all your meals.
Tools
- Small spice jar
Ingredients
Coffee Rub:
- 2 T finely ground coffee
- 2 t coconut sugar
- 1 t sea salt
- 1/2 t smoked paprika
Poultry Seasoning:
- 1 t dried rosemary
- 1/2 t marjoram
- 1/2 t dried thyme
- 1/4 t garlic powder
- 1/8 t onion powder
- 1/4 t sea salt
- 1/8 t ground black pepper
Seafood Seasoning:
- 1 T lemon zest
- 1 t ground old bay leaf
- 1/2 t dried dill
- 1/4 t garlic powder
- 1/4 t sea salt
- 1/8 t ground black pepper
Curry Seasoning:
- 2 t ground turmeric
- 1/2 t ground cumin
- 1/4 t garlic powder
- 1/8 t ground cardamom
- 1/8 t ground fenugreek
- 1/8 t ground ginger
- 1/2 t sea salt
Taco / Chili Seasoning:
- 1 T ground cumin
- 2 t chili powder
- 1/2 t smoked paprika
- 1/2 t dried oregano
- 1/2 t sea salt
Cajun Seasoning:
- 2 t paprika
- 1 t dried thyme
- 1 t sea salt
- 1/4 t onion powder
- 1/4 t garlic powder
- 1/8 t cayenne pepper
- 1/8 t ground black pepper
Instructions
- Combine the ingredients for your blend of choice in a small spice shaker and stir to combine.
- Apply to recipes before grilling or roasting. You can also add to soups, curries, and sauces while simmering.
- Store in a dry location for up to six months.
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