The Cheapest Upgrade in Your Kitchen Is Already in Your Spice Cabinet
Before you buy anything, look at what’s already in your pantry. Dried spices that cost a dollar or two each become something entirely different when you combine them the right way. These old-fashioned spice blends have been around for generations because they work — on beans, cheap cuts of meat, rice, roasted vegetables, and everything in between. Mix a batch, store it in a jar, and your weeknight cooking changes immediately.
1. Homemade Chili Powder
Store-bought chili powder is fine, but homemade is noticeably better and costs almost nothing. Combine 3 tablespoons ancho chili powder, 1 tablespoon cumin, 2 teaspoons garlic powder, 1 teaspoon oregano, 1 teaspoon paprika, and ½ teaspoon cayenne. Use it on ground beef, beans, roasted sweet potatoes, or anything that needs depth. This is the blend that makes a pot of pinto beans taste like dinner.
2. Cajun Seasoning
Mix 2 tablespoons paprika, 1 tablespoon garlic powder, 1 tablespoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon black pepper, 1 teaspoon cayenne, 1 teaspoon dried thyme, and 1 teaspoon dried oregano. Rub it on chicken thighs before you pan-fry them, toss it with frozen shrimp, or stir it into rice while it cooks. It makes cheap protein taste like it came from a restaurant that knows what it’s doing.
3. Homemade Taco Seasoning
The packet in the store has more salt and anti-caking agents than actual flavor. Make your own: 1 tablespoon chili powder, 1½ teaspoons cumin, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, ½ teaspoon smoked paprika, ½ teaspoon oregano, and ¼ teaspoon cayenne. Use 2 tablespoons per pound of meat. Works on ground beef, ground turkey, chicken, or a can of black beans you’re trying to make interesting.
4. Poultry Seasoning
This is the blend your grandmother used on everything from whole roasted chicken to stuffing to turkey. Combine 2 teaspoons dried sage, 1½ teaspoons dried thyme, 1 teaspoon dried marjoram, ½ teaspoon dried rosemary (crushed fine), ½ teaspoon black pepper, and ¼ teaspoon nutmeg. Rub it under the skin of a whole chicken with butter and you’ll understand why people kept making this blend for a hundred years.
5. Italian Seasoning
Mix equal parts dried basil, oregano, rosemary, and thyme — about 1 tablespoon each — then add ½ tablespoon marjoram and ½ tablespoon sage. This is your base for pasta sauces, pizza dough, roasted vegetables, and Italian sausage. Having a good jar of this means you never have to think too hard about what to do with a can of crushed tomatoes and some pasta.
6. Homemade Ranch Seasoning
Two tablespoons dried buttermilk powder, 1 tablespoon dried parsley, 1 teaspoon dried dill, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, ½ teaspoon dried chives, ½ teaspoon black pepper, and ¼ teaspoon salt. Stir into Greek yogurt or sour cream for dip, mix with mayo for sandwiches, or shake it straight onto popcorn. Kids will eat vegetables dipped in this, which makes it worth its weight in gold.
7. Montreal Steak Seasoning
This one is worth making in a big batch because it works on everything you cook on high heat. Combine 2 tablespoons coarse black pepper, 1 tablespoon coarse salt, 1 tablespoon garlic powder, 1 tablespoon onion powder, 1 tablespoon dried coriander, 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes, and 1 teaspoon dried dill. Press it onto cheap cuts like chuck steak or sirloin tips before grilling or cast-iron searing. It makes the kind of crust that feels like an event.
8. Old Bay Seasoning
The real thing is cheap at the store, but making your own means you can tweak it. Mix 1 tablespoon celery salt, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, ½ teaspoon black pepper, ½ teaspoon cayenne, ¼ teaspoon dry mustard, ¼ teaspoon mace, ¼ teaspoon ground ginger, ¼ teaspoon cinnamon, and ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves. Use it on shrimp, potatoes, corn on the cob, or scrambled eggs if you’re that kind of person (no judgment).
9. Homemade Curry Powder
Combine 2 tablespoons turmeric, 2 tablespoons cumin, 1 tablespoon coriander, 1 teaspoon black pepper, 1 teaspoon dry ginger, ½ teaspoon cinnamon, ½ teaspoon cayenne, and ¼ teaspoon cardamom. This is a mild, all-purpose curry blend that works beautifully on lentils, chickpeas, cauliflower, or bone-in chicken thighs braised in coconut milk. A dollar’s worth of spices and a can of chickpeas becomes a dinner worth talking about.
10. Garam Masala
Toast and grind your own for the best flavor, but the untoasted version still beats most jarred versions. Combine 1 tablespoon cumin, 1½ teaspoons coriander, 1½ teaspoons cardamom, 1 teaspoon black pepper, ½ teaspoon cinnamon, ½ teaspoon cloves, and ¼ teaspoon nutmeg. Add a teaspoon at the end of cooking Indian-spiced dishes — it’s a finishing spice, not a base, and it adds a warm, complex note that makes lentil soup taste like something you’d order at a restaurant.
11. Fajita Seasoning
Slightly different from taco seasoning — smokier and more citrus-forward. Mix 1 tablespoon cumin, 1 tablespoon chili powder, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, ½ teaspoon black pepper, and ½ teaspoon dried oregano. Use 1 tablespoon per pound of chicken or beef, or toss it with sliced peppers and onions before roasting. The smoked paprika is what makes it taste like a restaurant fajita instead of just seasoned meat.
12. Adobo Seasoning
Puerto Rican adobo seasoning is the most versatile thing you can keep on your stove. Combine 2 tablespoons garlic powder, 1 tablespoon onion powder, 1 tablespoon turmeric, 1 tablespoon black pepper, 1 tablespoon dried oregano, and 2 tablespoons salt. Shake it on chicken, pork, rice, beans, eggs, roasted potatoes — honestly, almost anything. If you’ve never used it before, you’ll wonder how you cooked without it.
13. Chinese Five Spice
Equal parts star anise, cloves, cinnamon, Sichuan peppercorns, and fennel seeds — about ½ teaspoon each, ground fine. A little goes a long way. Use a pinch in braised pork or beef, rub it on chicken wings before roasting, or add it to a simple soy-garlic marinade. It gives cheap pork shoulder a flavor complexity that makes it taste like it cooked in a restaurant kitchen all day. Which, to be fair, it kind of does.
14. Za’atar
Combine 2 tablespoons dried thyme, 1 tablespoon dried oregano, 1 tablespoon sesame seeds, 1 tablespoon sumac, and ½ teaspoon salt. Mix it with olive oil and brush it on flatbread before baking, sprinkle it over hummus, or shake it onto roasted vegetables. Za’atar on a piece of toast with olive oil is one of the best cheap breakfasts that exists, and most people haven’t tried it. Sumac can be found at Middle Eastern grocery stores or online for a few dollars.
15. Herbes de Provence
The French pantry staple that makes roasted chicken and vegetables taste impossibly elegant. Combine 2 tablespoons dried thyme, 2 tablespoons dried savory, 1 tablespoon dried rosemary, 1 tablespoon dried marjoram, 1 teaspoon dried lavender (optional but traditional), and 1 teaspoon dried basil. Rub it on a whole chicken with olive oil and garlic, or toss it with potatoes before roasting. It makes a Tuesday feel like you meant to be this fancy.
16. Ras el Hanout
This Moroccan blend translates to “top of the shop” — it’s the best of everything. Mix 1 teaspoon each of cumin, coriander, cinnamon, ginger, turmeric, black pepper, cardamom, and paprika, plus ¼ teaspoon each of cloves, cayenne, and nutmeg. Use it to season lamb, chicken, or chickpeas for a tagine-style braise. Add a can of diced tomatoes and some olives, put it over couscous, and you’ve turned a cheap protein into something that feels genuinely special.
17. Blackening Seasoning
The Cajun steakhouse secret that works on fish, chicken, and shrimp. Combine 2 tablespoons smoked paprika, 1 tablespoon garlic powder, 1 tablespoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon cayenne, 1 teaspoon black pepper, 1 teaspoon dried thyme, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, and ½ teaspoon salt. Press it onto protein, cook in a screaming hot cast-iron pan with butter. The smoke will be dramatic. The crust will be worth it. Open a window first.
18. BBQ Dry Rub
You don’t need a smoker to use a good dry rub. Combine ¼ cup brown sugar, 2 tablespoons smoked paprika, 1 tablespoon garlic powder, 1 tablespoon onion powder, 1 tablespoon black pepper, 1 tablespoon salt, 1 teaspoon cumin, and ½ teaspoon cayenne. Rub it on pork ribs, chicken pieces, or a pork shoulder and let it sit overnight in the fridge. The brown sugar caramelizes during cooking and makes a crust that tastes like you know what you’re doing with a grill.
19. Jerk Seasoning
The dry version of the classic Jamaican blend — useful when you want the flavor without making a wet marinade. Combine 1 tablespoon allspice, 1 tablespoon dried thyme, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1 teaspoon black pepper, 1 teaspoon cayenne, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, ½ teaspoon nutmeg, and ½ teaspoon cloves. Rub it on chicken thighs with a little oil and cook them however you like — grilled, roasted, or pan-seared. The allspice and thyme are non-negotiable; they’re what make it taste like jerk.
20. Shawarma Spice Blend
Combine 2 teaspoons cumin, 2 teaspoons coriander, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon turmeric, ½ teaspoon cinnamon, ½ teaspoon ginger, ½ teaspoon black pepper, and ¼ teaspoon cardamom. Mix with olive oil and lemon juice, toss with sliced chicken thighs, and let it marinate for 30 minutes before cooking. Serve over rice or in a wrap with yogurt sauce. This is the blend that makes people ask you what restaurant takeout you got, and you get to say you made it.
21. Greek Seasoning
Mix 1 tablespoon dried oregano, 1 teaspoon dried thyme, 1 teaspoon dried basil, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, ½ teaspoon dried rosemary, ½ teaspoon black pepper, and ½ teaspoon dried marjoram. Use it on lamb (obviously), but also on chicken, roasted potatoes, or mixed into olive oil as a dipping sauce for bread. Oregano is the backbone here — use a generous hand with it and don’t be shy about the garlic powder.
22. Lemon Pepper Seasoning
The store version is mostly salt. The homemade version is actually lemony. Zest 3 lemons onto a baking sheet and dry in a 170°F oven for 30 minutes, then crumble fine. Mix with 2 tablespoons coarse black pepper, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, and 1 teaspoon salt. The real lemon zest makes a difference you can taste — bright and sharp where the commercial version is just sharp. Use it on chicken, fish, pasta, roasted asparagus, or popcorn.
23. Everything Bagel Seasoning
Combine 2 tablespoons sesame seeds, 2 tablespoons poppy seeds, 1 tablespoon dried minced garlic, 1 tablespoon dried minced onion, and 1 teaspoon coarse salt. This costs almost nothing to make and you’ll put it on everything — eggs, avocado toast, roasted potatoes, cream cheese, salmon, popcorn, the rim of a Bloody Mary if you’re at that point in the week. Keep a jar next to the stove and see how fast it disappears.
24. Pumpkin Pie Spice
Combine 3 tablespoons cinnamon, 2 teaspoons ginger, 2 teaspoons nutmeg, 1 teaspoon allspice, and 1 teaspoon cloves. Yes, this is for baking — but also for oatmeal, coffee, pancakes, sweet potato soup, and roasted acorn squash. A pinch in your morning oats costs you nothing and makes a cold morning feel warmer in a way that’s hard to explain but very easy to experience.
25. Apple Pie Spice
Slightly different from pumpkin spice — heavier on the cinnamon, lighter on the savory notes. Mix 3 tablespoons cinnamon, 1½ teaspoons nutmeg, 1 teaspoon cardamom, and ½ teaspoon allspice. Use it in apple crisp, apple muffins, overnight oats, or stirred into plain yogurt with honey. It also does something very good to a pot of slow-cooker applesauce made from whatever apples are getting wrinkly in the fruit bowl.
Make a Few This Weekend
You don’t have to make all 25 at once. Pick three or four that match what you cook most often and mix them up in small jars. Label them with a piece of tape and a marker — future you will appreciate it. Most of these last 6 to 12 months in a sealed container, and the cost difference between homemade and store-bought is significant when you’re making them regularly. More importantly, they taste better. That’s the whole point.