What Is Italian Seasoning Made Of?

Italian seasoning is a mix of dried herbs: basil, oregano, rosemary, thyme and marjoram. Many blends add garlic, onion, parsley, black pepper or a pinch of red pepper. It has no single official recipe, so every brand is a little different. Use it anywhere you want that pizza-parlor smell: tomato sauce, meatballs, chicken, roasted vegetables, soup and salad dressing.

That is the short version. Below is what each herb does, what to check on the label, how much to use, and what to reach for when the jar is empty.

The five herbs that do the work

Nearly every Italian seasoning starts with the same five dried herbs.

• Basil. Sweet and a little peppery. It is the one that makes tomato sauce taste like tomato sauce.
• Oregano. Bold and earthy. This is the pizza smell.
• Rosemary. Piney and strong. A little goes a long way, which is why it sits further down most ingredient lists.
• Thyme. Gentle and woodsy. It ties the louder herbs together.
• Marjoram. Oregano's milder cousin, a bit sweeter and softer.

From there, blends go their own way. Some add sage or fennel seed. Some add garlic and onion so you do not have to. Some add red pepper for a little warmth.

Is Italian seasoning actually from Italy?

Not really. The herbs are the ones Italian cooks have always used, but the all-in-one shaker is generally thought of as an American pantry idea. In Italy a cook is more likely to grab a handful of fresh basil or a sprig of rosemary, one at a time.

That does not make the blend any less useful. It is five jars in one, and on a Tuesday night that counts for a lot.

What to check on the label

Turn the package over. Ingredients are listed from most to least, and two things are worth a look.

Is there salt? Some Italian seasonings are herbs only. Others include salt. Neither is wrong, but it changes how you cook. With an herbs-only blend, you salt the dish yourself. With a blend that has salt, taste the food before you add any more. We walk through reading the salt line in How to Read a Spice Label.

Is there anything that is not an herb or spice? Some blends carry flow agents such as silicon dioxide, or fillers that stretch the herbs. If you are curious what those are, we explain them in What Is an Anti-Caking Agent?

Our Italian blend is The Godfather. The whole ingredient list, in order: organic basil, organic garlic, organic oregano, organic onion, sea salt, organic coriander, organic rosemary, organic black pepper, organic parsley, organic thyme, organic marjoram and organic red pepper. So it has all five classic herbs, the garlic and onion are already in there, and there is a little sea salt in the middle of the list. It is USDA Certified Organic with no MSG, no fillers and no anti-caking agents.

What do you use Italian seasoning on?

Almost anything savory that would not mind tasting a bit like Sunday dinner.

• Tomato sauce. Stir it in early so the dried herbs have time to soften. Cream sauces like it too.
• Meatballs and meatloaf. Mix it right into the meat with the breadcrumbs.
• Chicken. Rub it on thighs or cutlets before they go in the pan. Our One-Pan Chicken Parmesan Pasta does exactly this.
• Roasted vegetables. Toss zucchini, peppers, tomatoes or potatoes with olive oil and a good shake before roasting.
• Soup. Minestrone, chicken noodle, white bean, tomato. October is soup month, and this is the soup blend.
• Bread dip and dressing. Stir it into olive oil for dipping bread, or whisk it with oil and vinegar for a quick Italian dressing.
• Pizza and garlic bread. Sprinkle it on top right before it goes in the oven.

How much Italian seasoning should you use?

Dried herbs are stronger than they look. Good places to start:

• A pot of tomato sauce (one large can of tomatoes): 1 to 2 teaspoons.
• A pound of ground meat for meatballs: 1 tablespoon.
• A pound of chicken or vegetables: 1 to 2 teaspoons, tossed with oil.
• Oil for dipping bread: 1 teaspoon in about ¼ cup of olive oil.

Start at the low end, simmer a few minutes, and taste. You can always add more. Getting it back out is a different afternoon. For the general rule on meat, see How Much Seasoning Do You Use Per Pound of Meat?

One small trick: rub the herbs between your fingers as you sprinkle them in. It crushes the leaves and wakes up the smell.

Italian seasoning or Greek seasoning?

They are neighbors, not twins. Both lean on oregano. Italian seasoning is built around basil and goes toward tomato, pasta and pizza. Greek seasoning is more oregano-forward and heads toward lemon, grilled meat and salad. Our Greek blend, It's Greek To Me, has a whisper of cinnamon in it, which you would never find in an Italian blend.

In a pinch one can stand in for the other on chicken or roasted vegetables. For a pot of red sauce, stay Italian.

If you cook with it every week, The Godfather comes in a 4 oz resealable pouch. It scoops with a measuring spoon and seals back up, and that is the size we would buy.

Quick answers

What can I substitute for Italian seasoning?

Use whatever of the five herbs you have. Equal parts dried basil and oregano gets you most of the way there. Add a pinch of thyme or rosemary if they are in the cabinet. Even plain dried oregano will do the job in a tomato sauce.

Does Italian seasoning have salt in it?

Some do and some do not. Read the ingredient list. If salt is listed, taste your food before salting it again. If it is not, you will need to add salt yourself, a pinch at a time.

Can I use Italian seasoning instead of fresh herbs?

Yes. Dried herbs are more concentrated, so use about one third as much: 1 teaspoon of dried for every tablespoon of fresh. Add dried herbs early in the cooking so they have time to soften and give up their flavor.

That is all Italian seasoning is: five herbs, a few helpers, and a shortcut to a kitchen that smells like somebody's grandmother is cooking. Free shipping kicks in at $25 if your shelf needs a refill.