Homemade Seasoned Salt (Copycat Lawry's Recipe)
Lawry's seasoned salt is mostly plain salt with paprika, sugar, turmeric, onion, and garlic doing the color and flavor work, so a home version built from spices already in most cabinets tastes nearly identical and can be scaled up in bulk for a fraction of the cost.
- Prep
- 5 min
- Cook
- 0 min
- Total
- 5 min
- Servings
- 36
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup fine table salt
- 2 tablespoons paprika
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 4
- Protein
- 0g
- Carbs
- 1g
- Fat
- 0g
Based on the recipe as written, one serving. Recalculates if you swap an ingredient above. An estimate only, exact values depend on the specific ingredients used.
Need different units or a different yield? Try our Conversion Calculator →
Instructions
- 1Add the salt, paprika, sugar, onion powder, garlic powder, turmeric, cornstarch, and black pepper to a small bowl.
- 2Whisk thoroughly for about 30 seconds, breaking up any clumps of turmeric or paprika until the color is even throughout.
- 3Transfer to a small jar or empty spice shaker with a tight-fitting lid.
- 4Shake well before each use, since the heavier salt crystals can settle toward the bottom over time.
Tips & variations
- This blend runs slightly less salty than a straight 1:1 substitution for table salt, since about a third of the volume is other spices; start with a slightly heavier hand when seasoning meat and adjust to taste.
- Swap sweet paprika for smoked paprika for a deeper, almost barbecue-like flavor that works well on grilled chicken or roasted potatoes.
- For a lower-sodium version, cut the salt to 1/4 cup and add an extra teaspoon each of onion and garlic powder to keep the flavor from going flat.
- Double or triple the batch and store in a large shaker jar; it keeps its color and punch for months in a cabinet away from the stove's heat and steam.
Storage & reheating
Store in an airtight jar in a cool, dark cabinet for up to 6 months. Keep it away from the stove or a sunny windowsill, since heat and light fade the paprika and turmeric faster than time alone does. No refrigeration needed.
Tips from the Tulo kitchen
- A funnel makes transferring the mix into a narrow spice shaker far less messy than pouring straight from the bowl.
- Taste-test on a slice of cucumber or a hard-boiled egg before seasoning a full dish; it's an easy way to gauge saltiness without committing a whole steak to it.
FAQ
What is actually in Lawry's seasoned salt?
The commercial product is primarily salt with sugar, paprika, turmeric, onion powder, garlic powder, and a small amount of cornstarch as an anti-caking agent, plus calcium silicate, which this homemade version skips since it's not needed in small batches.
Is this seasoned salt gluten-free?
Yes, as long as the cornstarch and individual spices used are labeled gluten-free, which most plain spice-rack versions are; cross-contamination risk comes from the specific brands, not the recipe itself.
Can I make it without cornstarch?
Yes, the cornstarch only prevents clumping in humid conditions. Leaving it out is fine for a jar that gets used within a few weeks, but expect the mix to harden faster in damp kitchens.
How much of this equals one shake of the store-bought version?
About 1/4 teaspoon of this homemade blend is roughly equivalent to 1/4 teaspoon of Lawry's, since the ratios are close to the original; adjust from there to taste.
What foods is seasoned salt best on?
It's especially good on popcorn, French fries, scrambled eggs, burgers, and roasted or grilled chicken, anywhere a plain salt-and-pepper hit would benefit from a little sweetness and color.
