How to Make Seasoned Salt with Fresh Herbs
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Seasoned salt is basically salt that has been flavored with herbs or spices. It can be used for a variety of purposes, and is very easy to make. I love to make homemade seasoned salt with fresh herbs from my garden when they are in-season. By combining different herbs you can make a unique seasoning all your own.
Seasoned salt also makes an excellent homemade gift. Your final product can be placed in a cute jar like these ones for a nice presentation and table-top seasoning. Pair it with some homemade infused olive oil to give the gift of seasoning to a loved one!
Once made, homemade seasoned salt should be stored in an air tight container. Assuming you have removed all of the moisture from the herbs, it will keep quite a long time. Like most herbs, it can lose its flavor over time, so don’t be shy about using it frequently! This great kitchen staple can be used when cooking, or as a finishing touch on a served meal. It looks great on your table, too!
Seasoned Salt Frequently Asked Questions
The simplest way to make seasoned salt, when using fresh herbs, is to chop all of the herbs in a food processor, combine them with a flakey or large sea salt, then bake them at a low temperature
I typically use salt that is larger in size and strength for my seasoned salt – like a kosher salt or large flake sea salt. These salts will hold their own when lightly blended, and will also make for a nice “finishing salt” when used on the table.
The sky is the limit when it comes to choosing herbs for seasoned salt. Any green, leafy herb that can be chopped up will work. That said, there are some combinations that work really well together. For example, sage and rosemary are great fall flavors that go well with a variety of roasted veggies or meats. Basil, oregano, thyme, and parsley make a nice italian combination that is great sprinkled on bread, pizza, or pasta. Be creative and try a few different variations for fun – test them yourself to see what you love?
Yes! We prefer making our seasoned salt with fresh herbs because you can be sure that they are combined at their peak flavor. In addition, when making a seasoned salt combination recipe, cooking all of your herbs and salt together will infuse the flavor throughout the finished product.
Of course! You can always combined already dried herbs with salt to make the blend of your choice. This also works for spice blends. We feel like using our fresh herbs make the seasoned salt uniquely ours because they come right from our garden and are blended on the spot. But a dry herb seasoned salt blend is also yummy. If you do this, you really do not need to bake the blend. A mix of spices can be yummy when gently roasted on the stove top, such as this middle eastern spice blend – toasting the spices or cracking them allows their flavor to emerge. The recipe we include here is for when you are using fresh herbs that need to be dried out.
You can used seasoned salt on vegetebles, meats, or even in (or on top of) bread. The key to using seasoned salt it to not overthink it! Try your salt on practically anything you’re making for dinner and see if you like it. That said, some seasoned salt blends are better on different foods, depending on the theme of your dinner. If you are eating italian, go for a blend that includes things like basil, oregano, and thyme. If you are cooking meat or roasted veggies, you can go bolder with things like rosemary and sage. A seasoned salt with middle eastern notes (like coriander, cumin, etc.) would be delicious in curry or on roasted chicken.
Once you’ve made your seasoned salt, download these cute labels to add your ingredients and make your own labels for gifts!
Seasoned Salt with Fresh Herbs
Equipment
- Food Processor
- Sheet Pan
- Oven or Toaster Oven
Materials
- 1 cup salt preferable chunky or flaky sea salt with plenty of texture
- 3/4 cup fresh herbs as leaves
Instructions
- Preheat your oven or toaster oven to 250 degrees.
- Pick your herbs when they are fresh and dry and at their prime flavor. For this recipe you'll use about 3/4 cup of fresh herb leaves. Some great combinations include: sage + rosemary (for a fall-like flavor); basil + oregano + thyme + parsley (for an italian blend). Remove from the stem to use mostly leaves.
- Place your fresh herb leaves in a food processor, blender, or mini chopper. Pulse about 10 times till you have nice, small chopped up pieces. Don't pulse too long, or they will get mushy.
- Add your salt to the food processor and pulse about 5 times to blend the salt into the herbs. Again, don't pulse too much or you risk losing the texture of your chunky or flakey salt. Just make sure the herbs are well distributed throughout the salt.
- Pour the seasoned salt mixture onto a sheet pan (or half sheet pan) and gently shake the pan to distribute into a wide, thin layer.
- Bake your seasoned salt for about 15 minutes, giving it a little shake or stir half way to avoid getting chunks. Check to be sure the salt is dry; if it still feels damp, give it 3-5 more minutes in the oven.
- Allow the seaseoned salt to cool, then pour into air-tight jars using a funnel.
