This homemade all purpose seasoning recipe or “house seasoning” is the best way to jazz up meat, seafood, salad, or veggies. The perfect balance of kosher salt, dried parsley, dried minced onion, garlic powder, and dried basil works with almost any dish!
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The seasoning mix is fantastic!! Love it on baked chicken. I use it on most meats. I have to make it for one of my sons. He also puts it on vegetables, especially on sautéed spinach and scrambled eggs…
– Delorse
Y’all…I’ve finally devoted an entire post to the “recipe” for our favorite all purpose seasoning. It only took me how many years?!?! When readers started sending me messages requesting the “house seasoning” recipe that they couldn’t find on my blog, I knew it was time to solve that problem. (Be sure to check out my blackened seasoning recipe, too!)
After all, I’ve included this homemade all purpose seasoning recipe in various posts (such as my grilled salmon recipe and my grilled pork chops recipe), and the simple blend has garnered somewhat of a cult following! So many of you have told me that you keep a bulk supply of it in your pantry and add it to just about everything that you cook — just like we do.
What Makes This Homemade All Purpose Seasoning Recipe So Good
All credit for this recipe goes to my mom, who created it years ago when she was trying to duplicate a seasoning blend that she purchased when we were vacationing on Martha’s Vineyard. The original blend that she bought was called “By the Sea,” and one glance at the ingredients made it clear that she could easily reproduce the mixture at home.
Mom gifted jars of her “all purpose seasoning” to family and friends one year for Christmas, and we were all instantly hooked. She began purchasing the spices in bulk at Costco because her neighbors would repeatedly request refills on their supply. I’ve since learned how to make my own, and it has become a staple in our home as well.
The simple blend of basic herbs and spices isn’t overpowering, is appealing to almost every palate, and highlights the natural flavors in everything from chicken and steak to fish, shrimp, roasted vegetables, and cold salads. It’s a healthy way to add flavor to your food, without adding fat or calories.
The 5 Simple Ingredients You’ll Need
- Garlic powder (also called granulated garlic)
- Kosher salt (not table salt, sea salt, or other varieties). I use Diamond Crystal brand.
- Dried parsley flakes
- Dried minced onion
- Dried basil leaves
How to Make All Purpose Seasoning
It only takes about 5 minutes to stir together these five simple ingredients, and then you can keep a stash of the homemade blend in your pantry for up to a year.
Just combine the ingredients in equal proportions. Use a giant bowl or a quart-size mason jar for a bulk batch (and just shake!). You can make as much or as little of the seasoning as you like.
Storage Tips and Gift Tags
Store the seasoning blend in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 year. We make a batch in bulk and store it in a large mason jar. You can also use smaller spice jars or jelly jars if you prefer.
For neighbors and friends around the holidays, I like to gift the all purpose seasoning in these little spice jars with bamboo lids and include this printable card. I have the postcards printed inexpensively on Canva. I’m sure there are other places that will print it for you as well. Feel free to download the PDF file for the printable gift card!
How to Use All-Purpose Seasoning
It’s seriously good with just about anything! For instance, we love the seasoning blend on a baked salmon fillet, shrimp pesto pasta, or other seafood, grilled steak or other beef, this pork sirloin roast, oven fried pork chops, on roasted veggies (like this roasted cabbage), smoked turkey breast, cast iron skillet chicken breast, in potato salad, pasta salad, or a regular green salad, or on grilled potatoes and baked potatoes. The options are endless. Enjoy the blend — I hope it becomes your new “house seasoning” as well!
So so happy I found this recipe! I’m using it on everything. Most of my ‘meat’ recipes are for chicken or fish and I have many favorites. I’m using this House Seasoning on all I’ve done since finding it. Last evening it was a large salmon fillet and YUM! Going to experiment with my egg salad recipe next, Thank you Blair (If I could, I’d give more than 5 stars.)
– Shirley
Did you make this recipe?
If you enjoyed this recipe, please leave a comment with a 5-star review at the bottom of the post. Thank you!
All-Purpose Seasoning (House Seasoning)
Ingredients
- ¼ cup garlic powder
- ¼ cup kosher salt
- ¼ cup dried parsley flakes
- ¼ cup dried minced onion
- ¼ cup dried basil
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in a jar and shake to mix. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 year.
Notes
Nutrition
This recipe was originally published in May, 2020. It was updated in January, 2025.
Sounds really good will try
Excellent! Enjoy, Penny!
The seasoning mix is fantastic!! Love it on bake chicken. I use it on most meats. I have to make it for one of my sons. He also put it on vegetables especially on sauté spinach and scrambled eggs. I found the recipe while looking for baked salmon recipe. I am hooked!!
I’m so glad that you love it as much as we do, Delorse! Thank you for your note1
Since my husband is on a sodium restricted diet, I made your House Seasoning without the salt. Delicious. So far I’ve used it on meats before cooking and I put some in my “ dump whatever is in the refrigerator” macaroni salad. It gave great flavor to the pasta salad.
Thanks, Debbie! I’m so glad that it worked well for you — even without the salt. Great to know!
Great combo! Thank you!
Sorry…….forgot to rate. Oh my!
Thank you, Jane! I’m so glad that you enjoy this seasoning!
Thanks. This had become my go-to seasoning for all kinds of things, from fish to beef stew. It’s nice to have it all made to throw on whatever!
We’re so glad you enjoy it, Katherine!
Simple and delicious. I seem to add it to a lot of recipes. I especially like it in roasted potatoes. I used some house seasoning , canola oil and the cubed fresh potatoes. Another time I added in Franks Red hot seasoning powder to the potato combo and it added a nice twist.
Thanks, Chloe! I agree — it’s so good on roasted potatoes. I bet the added spicy seasoning is also a great touch!
This was a big hit with my family. Thank you.
Yay! So glad to hear that, Kari!
Hoping that you can help me figure out why my strip steaks are tough. I purchase them at my local meat market where I pick my uncut loin. They then cut it for me, the thickness that is the norm. I then freeze them I a vacuum sealed bag, individually. When I am ready to enjoy, I remove one from the freezer, let it thaw, then grill. So disappointed that it is tough. When I first began this, they were great, I don’t know whatI am doing different. Maybe you can set me on the right path. I am going to follow your recipe for both the seasoning and your process. Well off to the store for ingredients, then try again. Hoping…….
Hi, Bonnie! It’s hard to know for sure, but you might check with the butcher to see if he/she has any ideas as to why they might be tougher recently than before. In general, the meat gets tougher if you cook it for too long — but it doesn’t sound like that’s your issue if you’re doing everything the same. I hope that you enjoy this recipe and that the steaks come out tender and juicy! 🙂
So so happy I found this recipe! I’m using it on everything. Most of my ‘meat’ recipes are for chicken or fish and I have many favorites. I’m using this House Seasoning on all I’ve done since finding it. Last evening it was a large salmon fillet and YUM! Going to experiment with my egg salad recipe next, Thank you Blair (If I could, I’d give more than 5 stars.)
Thank you so much, Shirley!!! 🙂
Stubble on the recipe while now searching for something else. It is now our go to seasoning. Make everything taste better.
Thank you, Frederick! I’m glad to know that it has become your “house seasoning,” too! 🙂
I found this recipe with the grilled salmon recipe about 6 months ago. Since then, I have used it for so many things! I use it for the grilled salmon, chicken, pasta salad and veggies. I get compliments ALL the TIME. So many people have asked me for the recipe and I have replied, “You’ll get it for Christmas” ha ha! Thank you so much for sharing! My friends and family think I’m a genius!
Thank you, Jen! It definitely makes a great holiday gift. Thanks for your kind note!
Sounds amazing! Can it be ground altogether rather than leaving spices chunky?
Hi, Linda! Yes, I think that would work fine!