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Whether you’re out of the mix or scoured the internet for a recipe and realize it calls for poultry seasoning, right before you want to make it, I’ve got you covered.
In this post, I share my simple poultry seasoning substitute and everything you need to make your bird-centric recipes taste great!
Missing an ingredient? Don’t X out. Make sure you read the section on substitutes, and you’re good to go!
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What is Poultry Seasoning
Poultry seasoning is a mix of finely ground dried spices, including sage, thyme, rosemary, and marjoram, that complement chicken and turkey dishes well.
The texture of poultry seasoning is finely ground, making it perfect for soups, stock recipes, and stuffings without finding leaves or twigs in each bite.
Poultry Seasoning vs. Poultry Flavoring
Poultry seasoning is finely ground spices, while poultry flavoring is a concentrated paste or cube to give a dish the flavor of chicken -also called chicken bouillon.
Poultry seasoning and flavoring are not the same thing and cannot be substituted for each other in a recipe.
Ingredients
The ingredients for poultry seasoning are similar to spices you’re already using in other recipes. The first four ingredients are the base of all poultry seasoning mixes and most essential. They include:
- Dried Sage
- Dried Thyme
- Dried Marjoram*
- Dried Rosemary
- Ground Nutmeg
- Ground white or black pepper
Don’t have Marjoram? No problem. Keep reading.
Poultry Seasoning without Marjoram
If you don’t have Marjoram, use dried oregano instead. Make sure to cut the quantity in half since oregano is a stronger spice.
Ex: 1 teaspoon Marjoram = ½ teaspoon dried oregano
Poultry Seasoning Substitute
Both dried sage and dried thyme make the best substitutes for poultry seasoning when you don’t have the four main spices needed to make a homemade mix: sage, thyme, marjoram or oregano, and rosemary.
Another option is to use Herbs de Provence, Italian seasoning, and Za’atar in place of poultry seasoning. Those will get you close.
All you have to do is substitute the amount of poultry seasoning the recipe calls for with either dried sage or dried thyme or a combination of both.
How to Make Poultry Seasoning
What gives poultry seasoning its fame is the fine texture, almost pulverized, that incorporates itself well in any recipe. Here is how to make it:
- Measure Spices
Measure out your seasonings in a medium bowl or directly inside a spice grinder, coffee grinder, mini chopper, or small blender jar. - Combine
Either mix your seasonings well in a bowl or begin to blend to pulverize the spices in the grinder. - Store
Transfer the finely ground mixture into a lidded jar or zip jar and keep it in your pantry for up to 6 months.
Watch this video to see how this seasoning blend comes together.
Got your mix? Learn everything you need to know about seasoning chicken here.
How to Grind Spices
The powder-like texture of poultry seasoning is what helps it seamlessly incorporate itself into recipes. More than likely, the spices in your pantry needed to make this recipe have a leaf-like texture. Don’t worry!
You can grind your spices several ways:
- In a spice grinder
- In a coffee grinder
- In a blender (you’ll need to double the recipe or more)
- In a mini chopper (double the recipe)
- With your hands, by rubbing your palms together with the seasonings inside.
How to Store Homemade Seasonings
Once mixed and ground, simply store the poultry seasoning in a lidded jar or spice jar in your pantry for up to 6 months.
The refrigerator is not a good place to store your seasonings since it contains moisture and it can “cake up” your spices.
Is this Poultry Seasoning Good for Turkey?
Yes! Turkey is poultry, and poultry seasoning is great to use in turkey dishes too! You’ll often find it in turkey soups, stuffings, and rice dishes.
Recipes with Poultry Seasoning
Poultry seasoning can be used with chicken or turkey recipes, and here are some of my favorites:
- Old Fashioned Chicken and Rice Soup
- Sausage Apple Stuffing
- Cornbread Sausage Stuffing
- Turkey Noodle Soup
- Chicken Pot Pie Soup
Simple Poultry Seasoning Recipe
Watch how it’s made:
Ingredients
- 4 teaspoons ground dried sage
- 3 teaspoons ground dried thyme
- 2 teaspoon ground dried marjoram*
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground dried rosemary
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon finely ground pepper
Instructions
- In a bowl, combine your seasonings.
- Transfer the poultry seasoning is into to a lidded jar and store in your pantry or spice drawer for up to 6 months.
Bri says
I was in the middle of a recipe and realized I was out of poultry seasoning! This homemade substitute worked perfectly.