Is your seasoning worth its salt?
Maybe. But I’d argue most of those little jars hiding in the back of the spice cabinet could use a little more personality.
A good seasoning salt should be littered with pungent herbs. A nice rough chop of something strong and fragrant like Rosemary or Thyme is preferable. Garlic is always a player and Sage is my furry new friend for faking a poultry presence, so let’s add that to the list too.
Toss it all about with some really good coarse salt and you’ve got a killer companion for popcorn, veggies, sprinkled on eggs, dashed all over chicken, and anything else you want to sprinkle with a speck of really good flavor.
How are we doing so far? Ready to chuck that Mrs Dash yet?
Gracious & Herbaceous
This rosemary garlic sage salt also happens to make a very cute homemade gift. Pack it into a small airtight jar, tie on a handwritten tag, and suddenly you look wildly thoughtful for very little actual effort.
The gift that keeps on giving flavor, guys!!
We bake this salt so it keeps much longer than your average homemade food gift (about 3 months). And unlike Christmas cookies, there’s at least a chance it will still exist more than six hours after you hand it over.
Just know that if you’re chopping the herbs by hand, your fingers are going to smell aggressively herbal and you may get looks. But also know that the looks are jealousy because you smell AMAZING.
So Anyway, You’re Gonna Love This—and Here’s Why
This is the easy DIY that will actually turn out like the Pinterest pins! It’s literally salt and herbs in a cute container so not much can go wrong here.
Mix your favorite herbs and garlic with coarse salt and voila! You have a seasoning blend that tastes remarkably better than the Costco container of Garlic Salt you’ve had in your pantry since side parts were a thing.
Also, go throw that away, it’s gone bad and it’s embarrassing.
Other reasons to love this sexy little seasoning blend!
- Easy to make (big selling point)
- Made with just a handful of ingredients (also great for budgets)
- Great for gifting (aka friends are jealous of you)
- Easy to customize
- Useful on way more than just meat
What You’ll Need
The ingredient list is short, so this is one of those recipes where using ingredients you actually like makes a difference.
Fresh rosemary: Strong, fragrant, and perfect with potatoes, vegetables, chicken, and bread.
Fresh sage: Adds a savory, almost buttery flavor that makes this blend especially good for fall and holiday cooking.
Garlic: Fresh garlic gives the salt a much stronger flavor than garlic powder.
Coarse salt: A coarse sea salt or kosher-style salt gives the finished blend texture and makes it easy to sprinkle.
How to Make Homemade Herb Salt
You can make this herb salt as rustic or as fine as you want. For a chunkier blend, finely chop the herbs and garlic by hand and mix everything together with the salt.
If you prefer a finer, more uniform seasoning, pulse everything briefly in a food processor.
Personally?
I like it a little rough. My seasoning, that is, because I’m a delicate flower otherwise.
A Few Tips
Use more herbs than you think you need. I originally went light on the herbs because I wanted the salt to look pretty in photos, then immediately went back and added more.
The more flavor, the better.
Don’t over-process it. If using a food processor, pulse just until the herbs are finely chopped. You don’t want to turn the mixture into a paste.
Let texture be your guide. A chunky salt is great for finishing food, while a finer blend works well as an everyday seasoning.
How to Use It and How To Store It
Sprinkle it on LITERALLY anything! But if you need ideas, here are my favorite ways to increase my intake of garlicky sodium.
- Popcorn
- Roasted vegetables
- Chicken
- Eggs
- Focaccia or homemade bread
- Soups
You can also mix a spoonful into softened butter for an easy herb butter! But in that case I would add more garlic…then I would slather it on a freshly baked pizza crust but that’s me.
Store the finished herb salt in an airtight container in a cool, dry place. Because this recipe uses fresh herbs and garlic, make sure everything is prepared and stored according to the directions in the recipe below.
For gifting, small glass jars with tight-fitting lids work perfectly.
And yes, handmade gift tags are still encouraged. Even if your penmanship is questionable!
Want more Flavorful Recipes? Try These!
Homemade Garlic Rosemary Sage Salt
Ingredients
- 1 cup Kosher Salt
- 6 Sprigs Rosemary
- 6 Sage leaves
- 6 to 8 Cloves of Garlic
- Small glass jars, for storage
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 250°F and line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
- Remove the woody stems from the rosemary and discard. Check the sage and garlic for any tough or hard pieces and remove those as well.
- Roughly chop the rosemary, sage, and garlic together. As you chop, add about 1 tablespoon of the kosher salt at a time, working it through the herbs and garlic with your knife. Repeat a few times until everything is finely chopped and fragrant.
- Transfer the herb mixture to a small food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Don't overdo it—you want finely minced herbs and garlic, not garlic paste.
- Combine the processed herb mixture with the remaining kosher salt and stir until everything is evenly distributed.
- Spread the herb salt into an even layer on the prepared sheet pan. Bake for 10–15 minutes, stirring/checking as needed, until the garlic is just beginning to turn golden and the mixture feels completely dry to the touch.
- Allow the salt to cool completely before transferring it to an airtight glass jar.
- Store in a cool, dry place and use within 3–4 months for the best flavor.
Air-Drying Option
Instead of using the oven, spread the finished herb salt over parchment paper and leave it in a warm, dry place for 24–48 hours, or until completely dry, stirring occasionally.
Notes
Keep it chunky: You can skip the food processor altogether if you like a more rustic seasoning salt. Just keep chopping the herbs, garlic, and salt together until you reach the texture you want.
For a finer salt: Give the mixture a few quick pulses in the food processor. Stop before the garlic starts turning into a paste.
Before you bottle it: The mixture should be completely dry and cool. If you notice any remaining moisture, give it additional drying time before putting a lid on it.
To gift: Divide the finished salt among small airtight glass jars and add a handwritten label with the name and date.
Ways to use it: Roasted potatoes, vegetables, chicken, pork, eggs, popcorn, French fries, focaccia, soups, or mixed into softened butter.
I wish this was posted last week….before I ordered socks for my entire family….oh well! Remind me next year? Future Christmas present. Done!
LOVE IT!!! Socks are good, too. But Salt is BETTER 🙂 🙂
I love an herbed salt! I hope this is under my tree this year!
Give some and you just might get some, too! 😉