Poultry Seasoning

You can find poultry seasoning next to the spices in the grocery store. But it’s a snap to make at home. You likely have the ingredients for poultry seasoning in your cupboard (since it only uses essential spices), and, honestly, it’s a great way to save money on spices. This recipe yields about 1/2 cup of poultry seasoning, so it should last quite a while.

Include savory homemade poultry seasoning in your chicken and turkey dishes, of course, but you can also use it to dress up roasted vegetables (poultry seasoning is plant-based, after all!), or to add extra oomph to winter or spring soups.

What is poultry seasoning?

Poultry seasoning is a six-ingredient blend of dried herbs and woody, piney spices. It is used to add depth to any recipe, including vegetarian dishes. It’s also one of our must-know spice blends that will change the way you cook.

What is in poultry seasoning?

Poultry seasoning contains ground sage, dried thyme, dried rosemary, dried marjoram, ground nutmeg and ground black pepper. These herbs all pair well with poultry (like chicken, turkey, duck, geese, squab, quail and pheasants), but you can introduce other herbs and spices to the mix as you’d like. Just make sure that all the herbs are dried, not fresh, or your poultry seasoning will turn moldy.

Ingredients for Poultry Seasoning

• Ground sage: Ground sage has a peppery, earthy flavor. It brings warmth and complexity to fatty dishes.
• Dried thyme: Thyme has a minty, lemony taste. Its brighter flavor balances woody, piney herbs and spices.
• Dried rosemary: Rosemary is earthy and piney. Dried rosemary leaves are long and can be a bit of a nuisance to eat, so grind them with a mortar and pestle before blending them into the seasoning.
• Dried marjoram: I find marjoram to be such an underrated herb. It’s sharp, warm and truly excellent on a roast chicken, which makes it such a great addition to poultry seasoning.
• Ground nutmeg: Woodsy, warming nutmeg adds depth to the seasoning. I like to grate my nutmeg fresh for the most powerful flavor, but preground nutmeg is totally fine here.
• Ground black pepper: Sharp and a little spicy, black pepper awakens the poultry blend.

How to Make Poultry Seasoning

Step 1: Mix the seasonings

In a small bowl, whisk together the ground sage, dried thyme, dried rosemary, dried marjoram, ground nutmeg and ground black pepper until they’re evenly dispersed.

Step 2: Store the blend in a jar

Transfer the poultry seasoning blend to an airtight container, and store it in a cool, dry place for up to six months.

How to Use Poultry Seasoning

The best way to use poultry seasoning is to add it to all your best chicken recipes or an impressive roast turkey. But there are so many other great ways to use poultry seasoning, including in vegetarian recipes. Sprinkle poultry seasoning on roasted vegetables, add it to a veggie burger mixture, or blend it with oil to make a salad dressing. I always add a spoonful to my soup broth for a delicious savory flavor, sans salt. Add it to the coveted Thanksgiving stuffing, mix it into marinades, or use it to season roast potatoes. Pork is also excellent with poultry seasoning.

How to Store Poultry Seasoning

Store poultry seasoning in a glass jar or other airtight container. Keep it in a cool, dry place, like a cabinet or pantry, and away from heat and humidity that may come from the fridge or stove. Storing a ton of spices can feel like playing Jenga, so implement a genius spice-storing idea to save space in your kitchen.

How long does poultry seasoning last?

Poultry seasoning lasts for up to six months. Spices don’t expire, but they do lose potency over time. I like to write the date I made my blends on a piece of masking tape and tape it to the container.

Poultry Seasoning Tips

What else can you add to poultry seasoning?

Other types of herbs and spices that can be added to poultry seasoning include garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, ground celery seeds, coriander, ginger, allspice and dried parsley. I recommend playing around with your spice blend in small quantities, adding the new spices after measuring out what you need from the original blend.

Why is my poultry seasoning getting clumpy?

Your poultry seasoning is getting clumpy because water and humidity are getting inside. Keep the seasoning blend in a cool, dry place, and never shake the container directly over the food you’re cooking; the steam from the food will go right inside, causing the poultry seasoning to clump. Measure the poultry seasoning into a separate vessel, then add it to the food.