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Home » Recipes » Condiments

Homemade Old Bay Seasoning

Published: Feb 13, 2020 · Modified: Jan 19, 2022 by Kate Hackworthy · 5 Comments

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Jar of old bay spice mix.
A dish of old bay seasoning with a spoon.

This homemade Old Bay seasoning mix is a must for every pantry! The versatile blend of celery salt, paprika, black pepper, cayenne pepper, cinnamon and more is perfect for jazzing up everything from marinades to salads. Ready in just 5 minutes.

A teaspoon of homemade Old Bay seasoning mix.

What is Old Bay Seasoning?

You'll recognize it from the iconic yellow, blue and red packaging, but what exactly is it?

Old Bay Seasoning was created by McCormick and Company in Baltimore, Maryland, back in the 1930s as a seafood seasoning. It's been popular in that State and all across the US ever since.

It is a versatile blend of herbs and spices, including celery salt, black pepper and paprika, that goes with many dishes!

A spoon in a jar of homemade copycat Old Bay Seasoning mix recipe

Ingredients

You only need simple ingredients for this incredible Old Bay seasoning recipe mix, and you probably have them all in your spice rack already!

  • Celery salt - this is a MUST for this seasoning
  • Paprika - both sweet and smoked work well. Use your favorite.
  • Ground black pepper - I like to use freshly ground, rather than pre-ground which is less fresh-tasting and is more powdery.
  • Mustard powder
  • Cayenne pepper
  • Cinnamon
  • Ground nutmeg
  • Ground ginger

How to make Old Bay Seasoning

This is a simple dump and stir recipe. Nothing else is involved!

Just measure all the ingredients into a bowl, stir and store in an airtight container.

You don't need a spice grinder or any fancy equipment. Yay!

How much does the recipe make?

This recipe makes about 2 tablespoons. It's so easy to make that I tend to make it up freshly all the time, rather than storing it.

If you're going to use a lot for a cookout or recipe, then scale up the recipe - just double or triple the ingredients.

You can also make a huge batch and give it as edible gifts! Anyone will love to receive it.

All the ingredients for copycat homemade Old Bay seasoning recipe

Spice Mixes

It's amazing how just putting simple spices together in different combinations can create incredible new flavors.

I like to keep lots of jars of homemade spice mixes in my pantry - ready to add tons of flavor to dishes.

From Mexican fajita seasoning and Middle Eastern spice mixes to this tasty classic American Old Bay Seasoning spice mix. If you're looking for another classic, try Stone House Seasoning.

You'll also love my homemade Baharat - a Middle Eastern spice blend and Homemade Ranch Seasoning.

How to use Old Bay Seasoning

This is one of those tasty spice mixes that you can put on loads of dishes. It's often used on meat, poultry and seafood, but it's also great on tofu and veggies!

The original Old Bay seasoning started as a seafood seasoning, but soon it became popular for many other uses. Get creative with it!

  • Add a teaspoon to a little oil or water and it makes a great marinade.
  • Sprinkle it onto food before cooking or use it in the place of salt to season dishes.
  • Stir a little into mashed potatoes.
  • Season homemade fries or wedges.
  • Use on kebabs for the barbecue.
  • Add to dips and hummus.
  • Sprinkled on popcorn.
  • And anything else you can think of!
A vintage bowl with old bay spice mix recipe in it and a spoon

Recipe suggestions

There are sooo many recipes that will benefit from a little Old Bay seasoning mix. Try these!
Parmentier Potatoes
Green Beans Almondine
Baby Hasselback Potatoes
Lentil Soup
Easy Tomato Soup

Old Bay is also a great way to get a seafood sort of flavor into Vegan Fish Recipes.

Homemade condiments

Looking for more homemade condiments? Try these!

Ketchup Recipe
Sriracha Aioli
Tartar Sauce
Zax Sauce
Cane's Sauce Recipe
Vegan Worcestershire Sauce
Bang Bang Sauce

Storage

Store your homemade Old Bay spice mix in a clean airtight container in a cool place. The cupboard or pantry is perfect.

Close up of a spoon of homemade Old Bay Seasoning spice mix.

Recipe

Did you make this Old Bay seasoning recipe? Please let me know how it turned out for you! Leave a comment and star rating below and share a picture with the hashtag #veggiedesserts. I love seeing your recreations of my vegetarian and vegan recipes.

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📖 Recipe

A teaspoon of homemade Old Bay seasoning mix.

Old Bay Seasoning

Kate Hackworthy | Veggie Desserts
This homemade Old Bay Seasoning recipe jazzes up many dishes! The versatile spice mix has celery salt, pepper, paprika, cayenne and more.
5 from 8 votes
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Prep Time 5 minutes mins
Total Time 5 minutes mins
Course Condiments
Cuisine American
Servings 20
Calories 1 kcal

Equipment

  • Bowl
  • Jar or container

Ingredients
 

  • 1 tablespoon Celery Salt
  • 2 teaspoons Smoked Paprika
  • 1½ teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
  • 1 teaspoon Mustard powder
  • ¼ teaspoon Allspice
  • ¼ teaspoon Cayenne
  • pinch Ground Cinnamon
  • pinch Ground Nutmeg
  • pinch Ground Ginger

Instructions
 

  • Add all ingredients to a small bowl and stir to combine.
  • Store in an airtight container in a cool place.

Nutrition

Calories: 1kcalCarbohydrates: 1gProtein: 1gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 349mgPotassium: 5mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 109IUIron: 1mg

The nutritional information provided is approximate and can vary depending on several factors, so is not guaranteed to be accurate. Please see a registered dietician for special diet advice.

Tried this recipe?Mention @kateveggiedesserts or tag #veggiedesserts! I love seeing your recreations.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

    5 from 8 votes (2 ratings without comment)

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    Recipe Rating




  1. Jacqueline

    April 13, 2020 at 12:28 pm

    5 stars
    Mmmmm, I love the idea of adding it to mashed potatoes or hummus. It adds so much flavour to dishes.

    Reply
  2. Tamara J.

    February 13, 2020 at 2:39 pm

    5 stars
    This is an awesome recipe! I’ve been using a lot of Old Bay seasoning lately for my garlic butter seafood boil. As you know, it can be a bit pricey. I’m definitely bookmarking this to make in the near future!

    Reply
  3. Alison

    February 13, 2020 at 2:36 pm

    5 stars
    I've got all these spices at home, and now I can make my own Old Bay Seasoning. So easy to do!

    Reply
  4. Demeter

    February 13, 2020 at 2:14 pm

    5 stars
    My husband is OBSESSED with Old Bay seasoning. He loves it on almost everything. So glad I can make our own now, thanks!

    Reply
  5. Danielle

    February 13, 2020 at 11:54 am

    5 stars
    What a great idea! I love old bay seasoning but never thought to make it myself. Can't wait to try it!

    Reply

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Hi, I'm Kate, a journalist, author and multi-award-winning food blogger. Here you'll find vegetarian recipes and vegan recipes celebrating vegetables, from dinner to dessert! If you love vegetables, you've come to the right place. About Me

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