Italian seasoning substitutes

Italian seasoning is a versatile American mix of Mediterranean seasonings that you can use to make Italian dishes. It’s an amalgamation of the herbs and spices most commonly used in Italian cuisines, such as basil, oregano, thyme, marjoram, etc. 

You can use Italian seasoning to create a wide array of savory dishes. You can also use it in spaghetti sauce, pizzas, lasagna, soups, stews, bread, and eggplant parmesan. 

If you’re wondering what to do if you finally run out of this trusty blend of herbs and spices, our brief yet essential discussion below should be able to walk you through all mighty and ready with only the best alternatives!

Substitute Blend	Ratio to Replace Italian Seasoning	Ideal Usage
Herbes de Provence	1:1	Dishes with a Mediterranean flavor profile
Herbes de la Garrigue	1:1	Recipes needing a savory, Mediterranean touch
Dried Oregano and Basil	1/2 tsp basil + 1/2 tsp oregano for 1 tbsp Italian seasoning	Italian dishes, especially where these flavors are key

Italian seasoning substitutes

Here are three seasonings that you can use when you run out of Italian seasoning:

Herbes de Provence

It’s a French spice blend that incorporates a wide array of flavors widely used in Provencal cooking. It’s an ideal replacement for Italian seasoning because it contains most of the same herbs used in an Italian seasoning blend, such as marjoram and thyme. 

Try to use a Herbes de Provence blend that contains fennel seeds and does not contain lavender flowers as it will be closer in flavor to Italian seasoning. 

You can substitute the same amount of herbes de Provence for the amount of Italian seasoning required in a recipe.

• Ratio: Use the same amount of Herbes de Provence as you would Italian seasoning.
• Usage: Good for dishes where a blend of Mediterranean flavors is desired.

Herbes de la garrigue

This is a spice and herb blend from the southwestern part of France. It’s a savory spice blend that typically incorporates thyme and rosemary. 

These are ingredients that are readily found in many Italian seasoning blends. It also includes ingredients such as bay leaves and mint, which aren’t traditionally used in Italian seasoning, but they will work well in a dish that requires this type of seasoning. 

This is why herbs de la garrigue is an excellent Italian seasoning substitute. You can use the same amount of this spice mix as the amount of Italian seasoning required in a dish.

• Ratio: Substitute Herbes de la Garrigue in a 1:1 ratio with Italian seasoning.
• Usage: Suitable for recipes requiring a savory, Mediterranean touch.

Dried oregano and basil

A combination of basil and oregano is another great Italian seasoning replacement. These herbs are quite commonly used in Italian cuisines. What’s more, they have the most pungent odor and overpowering flavor when it comes to Italian seasoning blends. 

This is why using a combination of these two ingredients will work exceptionally well as an alternative for Italian seasoning. If you have dried thyme, then you can use that in this blend as well. 

For 1T Italian seasoning, you can use a combination of 1/2t dried basil and 1/2t dried oregano. Alternatively, you can use 1/2t dried oregano and 1/4t of dried thyme and basil each instead of 1T of Italian seasoning.

• Ratio: For 1 tablespoon of Italian seasoning, use a combination of 1/2 teaspoon dried basil and 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano, or use 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano and 1/4 teaspoon each of dried thyme and basil.
• Usage: Perfect for Italian dishes where these flavors are prominent.

What does Italian seasoning taste like?

The exact taste of Italian seasoning depends on the herbs used to make that mix of spices and the ratio of each herb. 

However, most Italian seasoning spice mixes boast an earthy, savory, and piney taste, with subtle notes of sweetness and mint.

How to make homemade Italian seasoning

There are many ways in which you can make an Italian seasoning blend at home. 

You can either go for an elaborate mix with many herbs and spices or stick to a simple blend with essential herbs and spices. Let’s explore two recipes of homemade Italian seasoning.

Easy homemade Italian seasoning blend

This is the most basic Italian seasoning blend that you can make with herbs and spices in your kitchen cabinet. You can also skip any of the ingredients that you don’t have on this list. 

For this recipe, all you need are the following ingredients:

• 2Tof dried oregano
• 2T of dried basil
• 2T of dried rosemary
• 2T of dried marjoram
• 2T of dried thyme

Put all the spices in a food processor and blend them for 1 minute. This spice blend will produce 10T of Italian seasoning.

Elaborate homemade Italian seasoning blend

If you want to prepare a more complex Italian seasoning blend, you’ll need a wide variety of ingredients. 

This recipe has a more complex flavor profile than an essential blend. However, it will provide your dish with a zesty, earthy flavor. 

Here are the ingredients that you need to prepare this blend:

• 1T of dried basil
• 1T of black pepper
• 1T of garlic powder
• 1T of dried oregano
• 1T of dried marjoram
• 1T of dried red pepper flakes
• 1T of onion powder
• 1T of dried rosemary
• 1T of dried thyme

Put all the herbs and spices in a food processor and mix them until they are well blended. This spice blend will produce nine tablespoons of Italian seasoning.

The bottom line

With only the best of blends I’ve managed to uncover as an Italian seasoning substitute, the route to making Italian dishes is suddenly made more fun, readily available, and ultimately versatile.

If anything, this discussion fortifies the adage that you don’t need Italian seasoning to make the most authentic Italian dishes.