Give your bird a boost of flavor this season with homemade turkey seasoning!

Turkey seasoning is perfect to season a roast turkey, a turkey breast, or even soups or casseroles.

Try it on chicken and potatoes too! All-purpose, easy to make, and great on everything.

turkey seasoning in a jar with a measuring spoon beside it

All-Purpose Turkey Seasoning

  • This is an easy mixture made with spices you probably already have on hand.
  • Turkey seasoning adds flavor to the skin of your Thanksgiving turkey but it’s also great in soups and casseroles or for seasoning roasted potatoes.
  • This can be prepared in big batches and used for turkey and chicken alike.
  • Store it in the pantry for up to 6 months and use it in all your favorite dishes!

Ingredients for Turkey Seasoning

This spice blend contains the perfect mixture of herbs and seasonings that you likely have on hand.

Salt – This recipe uses kosher salt which is more coarse than table salt. If using table salt you’ll want to reduce the amount.

Herbs – Homemade turkey seasoning has the perfect blend of herbs for flavoring a turkey and/or gravy with lots of sage, a pinch of rosemary, and a hint of thyme, paprika, and black pepper.

Optional AdditionsYou can add other spices or seasonings to this recipe such as garlic powder, oregano, onion powder, or parsley.

Add or skip the salt! If you are using this recipe to season a turkey, kosher salt can be added to the recipe. If keeping it to season soups and casseroles, leave the salt out and add it to the dish (or turkey) directly.

pepper , salt , paprika , thyme , nutmeg , rosemary , and sage on a plate to make Turkey Seasoning

How to Season a Turkey

  1. Dab the outside of the turkey dry with a paper towel (to help the skin crisp). Remove the neck and giblets from inside the cavity if present. I like to add salt and often fresh herbs to the cavity before roasting.
  2. Rub the turkey with either melted butter or olive oil. Generously sprinkle with the turkey seasoning and rub it into the skin.
  3. Roast per your favorite turkey recipe (we love this roast turkey or this spatchcock turkey).

Skip the brown sugar! This turkey seasoning recipe doesn’t contain brown sugar as I use the pan juices for gravy and I don’t want it sweet.

If you’d like to use this as a dry rub for poultry, you can add a couple of tablespoons of brown sugar or to taste.

a whisk stirring homemade turkey seasoning on a plate

Ways to Use Turkey Seasoning

More Holiday Prep Helpers

Did you make this Turkey Seasoning? Leave us a rating and a comment below!

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a jar of homemade turkey seasoning with a turkey in the background
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Turkey Seasoning

This homemade turkey seasoning is perfect to season a roast turkey, a turkey breast or even soups or casseroles.
Prep Time 3 minutes
Total Time 3 minutes
Servings 12 servings

Equipment

  • Spice Jar or other jar with tight-fitting lid
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Ingredients  

  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt *
  • 1 ½ teaspoons ground sage
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon ground thyme
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon dried rosemary lightly crushed*
  • teaspoon ground nutmeg

Instructions 

  • Combine all ingredients in a small bowl.
  • Store in a tightly sealed container for up to 6 months.

Notes

If you’d prefer, salt can be left out of the mixture and it can be added to each meat or dish as desired.
*Kosher salt has larger grains. If using table salt, reduce the salt to 1 teaspoon.
To crush the rosemary, place it in a shallow bowl and use the bottom of a glass or small measuring cup to break the pieces apart.
5 from 10 votes

Nutrition Information

Calories: 1 | Carbohydrates: 0.3g | Protein: 0.1g | Fat: 0.04g | Saturated Fat: 0.01g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.02g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.004g | Sodium: 388mg | Potassium: 7mg | Fiber: 0.1g | Sugar: 0.03g | Vitamin A: 87IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 3mg | Iron: 0.2mg

Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.

Course Pantry, Seasonings, Spices
Cuisine American
turkey seasoning in a bowl with a whisk and a title
turkey seasoning in a jar with a measuring spoon and a title
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About the author

Holly Nilsson is the creator of Spend With Pennies, where she creates easy, comforting recipes made for real life. With a passion for nostalgic flavors and simplified techniques, Holly helps busy home cooks create delicious meals that always work. She is also the author of “Everyday Comfort,” which promises to inspire even more hearty, home-cooked meals.
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Comments

    1. Sorry for the confusion Ann, ground pepper and black pepper are the same and we have updated the recipe. Enjoy!