Homemade All Purpose Seasoning (Using An Old Spice Jar)

If you reach for the same five spice jars every time you cook, this is for you. Instead of opening salt, pepper, garlic, onion, and paprika over and over, you can shake everything out of one jar. One quick mix, one lid to open, and flavor is ready at your fingertips.

Today we will reuse an old spice container, mix a simple all purpose seasoning, and keep it on your counter for everyday cooking. It’s quick, budget-friendly, and customizable, and it works on meat, veggies, potatoes, eggs, and more.

Why You’ll Love This DIY All Purpose Seasoning

This all purpose blend keeps you from opening 5 spice containers every time you roast chicken or veggies with one simple habit change. You mix the spices you already use together, store them in a single old spice jar, and keep it close to the stove. That creates a great seasoning base when you want to season:

• Chicken for baking, sautéing, or grilling
• Fish before it goes into the pan or oven
• Vegetables like broccoli, green beans, or roasted carrots
• Meat of all kinds, from pork chops to burgers
• Potatoes, whether roasted, baked, or pan-fried
• Eggs, scrambled, fried, or in a breakfast burrito

It tastes familiar, because it is the same combo you probably use already. The only difference is that you mix it once instead of every single night.

Ingredients and Tools You’ll Need

You do not need anything fancy to make this. You are combining classic pantry spices into one balanced mix. The beauty of this recipe is that it uses parts, not fixed amounts, so you can make a big or small batch.

Ingredients and Ratios

Use this as your base recipe:

• Granulated onion: 1 part
• Granulated garlic: 1 part
• Black pepper: 1 part
• Sea salt: 1 part
• Paprika: ½ part

In the video, I use a ¼ cup measure because I am filling a large Costco-sized spice container. You can use a teaspoon, tablespoon, or any scoop you like. The ratios stay the same, no matter what you choose as your “part.”

For example:

• If 1 part is 1 tablespoon
  • Use 1 tablespoon each of onion, garlic, pepper, and salt
  • Use ½ tablespoon of paprika
• If 1 part is ¼ cup
  • Use ¼ cup each of onion, garlic, pepper, and salt
  • Use ⅛ cup of paprika

Choose the batch size that fits your jar and how quickly you cook through seasoning.

Tools

You probably already have everything you need:

1. Airtight container or old spice jar
   I use an empty granulated garlic container from Costco. Any spice jar with a lid that closes well will work.
2. Measuring cup or measuring spoons
   A ¼ cup is great for a large batch. Teaspoons or tablespoons work for smaller batches.
3. Funnel (optional)
   Helpful if your jar has a small opening. It makes pouring less messy.
4. Packing tape and scissors
   Or a label maker if you have one and feel like using it. I usually go with a marker and packing tape to cover the marker.

Tip: Leave some space at the top of your jar so you can shake the mixture to combine it. That means no extra bowl to wash.

Best Containers to Reuse

Old spice jars are perfect for this project. I like to reuse big Costco granulated garlic containers, because they are:

• Sturdy
• Clear, so you can see the blend
• Wide-mouthed enough to scoop if needed

If you are reusing a jar that held the same spice as one in your mix (like garlic), you do not need to scrub every trace out. In the video, I use a garlic container and do not wash it first, since the flavor matches what I am adding.

If the jar held a different spice, wash it well, then let it dry completely. Dry is key, or your seasoning can clump.

Step-by-Step: How to Make Your All Purpose Seasoning

Once your container is ready and your spices are out on the counter, the whole process only takes a few minutes.

Step 1: Prep Your Container

Start with your clean, dry spice jar.

If it still has labels on it:

• Peel off what you can by hand
• Use scissors to help lift the edge if it is stubborn

You can also stop when you are happy with how it looks and not fight every last scrap of glue. It's ok if your kitchen doesn't look like a magazine- people live there!

If your jar is from a different spice, wash and rinse it, then let it dry very, very, very well inside and out. Any water inside the jar will cause the seasonings to clump.

Step 2: Measure and Add the Spices

Now it is time to build your mix.

You can pour straight from the spice containers into your jar, or use a funnel if the opening is narrow. In the video, I use a funnel, and as the layers go in, it looks a little like those colored sand art bottles.

Here is the ratio in simple steps:

1. Measure 1 part granulated onion and pour it into the jar.
2. Measure 1 part granulated garlic and add it.
3. Measure 1 part black pepper and add that.
4. Measure 1 part sea salt and pour it in.
5. Measure ½ part paprika and add it too.

In the video, I double the main spices and use half that amount of paprika, so it works out to the same ratio. For a Kirkland garlic spice container it fit very well.

You should see pretty layers building up in the jar as you go. Leave a bit of room at the top for mixing.

Step 3: Mix, Label, and Store

Once all your spices are in:

1. Screw the lid on tightly.
2. Shake the jar well, up and down and side to side, until the color looks even.

If your jar is completely full and there is no space to shake, pour everything into a bowl, stir until it is uniform, then funnel or spoon it back into the jar. But if you left some headspace, shaking in the jar saves you an extra dish.

Now label your new blend:

• Use a permanent marker to write “All Purpose Seasoning” on the jar.
• If you like, add the ingredients underneath, for example: “salt, pepper, garlic, onion, paprika.”

To make the label last:

1. Cut a piece of packing tape slightly larger than the writing.
2. Place the tape over the label and smooth out any bubbles.
3. If you wrote taller or wider than one piece of tape, overlap two pieces so all the writing is covered.

That way the marker does not rub off when you grab the jar with damp hands.

Set the jar near your stove or wherever you reach for spices most often. You now have a go-to blend ready for daily cooking.

How to Use Your Homemade All Purpose Seasoning

This mix is built for the foods you already cook all the time. Anywhere you would normally reach for salt, pepper, garlic, onion, and paprika, you can use this instead.

A few easy ideas:

• Sprinkle it over chicken before baking or pan-searing.
• Season fish on both sides before it hits the skillet.
• Toss vegetables with oil and this blend, then roast until tender.
• Shake it over potatoes, whether they are cubed, wedged, or baked.
• Add a pinch to eggs while they cook for instant flavor.
• Use it on any kind of meat, like chops, steak bites, or ground meat.

It is salty, savory, and a little smoky from the paprika. Since all the spices are granulated, they blend nicely and stick well to food.

Before each use, give the jar a quick shake to refresh the mix. Then season to taste, the same way you would with plain salt and pepper.

Simple Tips for Success

A few small habits make this seasoning work even better in your kitchen.

Leave headspace in the jar
Filling the jar to the top looks nice at first, but you will not be able to shake it to recombine. Stop when there is at least an inch of space.

Store it airtight
Keep the lid screwed on tightly when you are not using it. That helps preserve flavor and keeps moisture out.

Keep it dry
Do not shake the jar directly over steaming pots and pans. Steam can sneak into the container and lead to clumping. Instead, shake some into your hand or a spoon, then add it to the food.

Use what you have
Granulated onion and granulated garlic work great and blend evenly. If you already buy these in bulk from a warehouse store, this recipe is a natural fit.

Treat this as a base
In the video, I mention that you can vary this a little bit. This mix is a strong starting point. As you use it, you will learn whether you prefer it a bit saltier or with more garlic, and you can adjust the next batch to your taste using the same basic idea.

And remember, this is supposed to make cooking easier, not fussy.

Encouragement and Next Steps

This little project might not seem like a big deal, but it changes how your everyday cooking feels. Instead of juggling five jars with every meal, you grab one trusted blend and keep moving.

You are doing a great job. Taking time to set up small systems like this is how home cooking becomes simpler and less stressful.

If you try this all purpose seasoning, I would love to hear what you put it on first. Chicken, potatoes, eggs, or something else? Tell me in the comments and share how it worked for you.

Before you go, shake up a jar for yourself, keep it by the stove, and use it the next time you cook. And if you like easy kitchen shortcuts like this, subscribe for more simple home cooking ideas.