Italian Seasoning
Italian seasoning is a pantry blend of dried herbs -- typically oregano, basil, thyme, rosemary, and marjoram -- used as a quick shortcut for Italian-American flavor in sauces, meats, and breads.
How to buy
Check the ingredient list; better blends lead with oregano and basil rather than filler like dried parsley, and should smell fragrant rather than dusty straight from the jar. Avoid containers that have clearly sat on a shelf a long time -- dried herbs lose potency, and a faded, washed-out smell means faded flavor.
How to store
Store in a sealed container in a cool, dark cabinet away from the stove's heat and light, both of which degrade the herbs' volatile oils. The blend keeps useful flavor for about a year; after that, replace it rather than relying on it to carry a dish.
Culinary profile
- Flavor
- A savory, herbaceous mix led by oregano's peppery bite and basil's sweet anise note, rounded out by thyme and rosemary's piney backgrounds.
- Texture
- Dry, crumbled leaf flakes that rehydrate and soften once simmered in sauce or exposed to oil and heat.
- Aroma
- Warm and herbal, with oregano's sharper, slightly medicinal top note leading the blend.
How to prepare
- Simmered into sauce — Added early to tomato sauce so the herbs rehydrate and release their flavor.
- Rubbed on meats — Combined with salt, garlic, and oil as a dry rub before roasting or grilling.
- Mixed into breads — Folded into focaccia or breadstick dough for herbal flavor throughout.
- Sprinkled as a finisher — Dusted over pizza or garlic bread just before baking.
Classic dishes
Italian
- Marinara sauce — A simple tomato sauce seasoned with Italian seasoning for herbal depth.
- Pizza — Pizza dough and sauce both commonly finished with a pinch of Italian seasoning.
- Garlic bread — Toasted bread brushed with garlic butter and dusted with Italian seasoning.
- Meatballs — Ground meat mixed with Italian seasoning, breadcrumbs, and parmesan before rolling.
- Lasagna — Layered pasta and sauce seasoned throughout with the herb blend.
- Chicken parmesan — Breaded chicken cutlets often seasoned in the breading with Italian seasoning.
- Italian dressing — A vinaigrette built on oil, vinegar, and a generous dose of Italian seasoning.
- Minestrone — A vegetable and bean soup rounded out with Italian seasoning.
- Focaccia — Flatbread dough folded or topped with Italian seasoning and olive oil.
- Baked ziti — Pasta baked with cheese and sauce seasoned with the herb blend.
- Bruschetta — Toasted bread topped with tomatoes, oil, and a dusting of Italian seasoning.
- Stuffed peppers — Peppers filled with rice or meat seasoned with Italian seasoning for depth.
- Sausage and peppers — Sauteed sausage and peppers finished with a pinch of the herb blend.
- Chicken cacciatore — A braised chicken dish seasoned with Italian seasoning alongside tomatoes and wine.
- Eggplant parmesan — Breaded and baked eggplant layered with sauce seasoned with the herb blend.
- Garlic butter shrimp scampi — Shrimp sauteed in garlic butter finished with a pinch of Italian seasoning.
Substitutions
- Dried Oregano — In a pinch, dried oregano alone covers most of the flavor; add a little dried thyme or basil if you have it to round it out.