I collect herbs and spices and keep a wide variety on hand. For years I made my own lemon-pepper flavor with fresh lemon juice, lemon zest and freshly ground black pepper instead of buying a pre-made shaker. Recently a sale convinced me to try a store-bought lemon pepper seasoning for the first time. The moment I tasted it, I regretted the purchase: the blend tasted overwhelmingly of citric acid and artificial notes, and even had yellow food dye in it. It was disappointing.
Small details—a pinch here, a smidgen there—often separate a good dish from a great one. I’d seen many recipes calling for lemon pepper seasoning, and my lemon-juice-and-zest approach usually worked. After tasting that commercial blend, though, I knew I could make something far better at home.
So I did.
Below is my homemade lemon pepper seasoning: a clean, bright mix that highlights real lemon zest and cracked black pepper, balanced with salt and subtle savory notes from onion, garlic and celery seed. It’s perfect sprinkled on grilled fish, chicken or pork, or used wherever a lemony pepper kick is desired. Substitute it in equal amounts for any commercial lemon pepper called for in recipes. A dash over buttered popcorn is also delightful.
Bonus: this homemade mix is both more flavorful and more economical than many commercial options. Try it and you’ll likely prefer it over store-bought blends.
As for the shaker I bought, my kids made short work of it—testing it on each other as a “gross” challenge. It didn’t go entirely to waste, but I won’t be buying that brand again.
Homemade Lemon Pepper Seasoning
Rebecca Lindamood
Ingredients
-
3
tablespoons
lemon salt
preferably, or kosher salt -
2
tablespoons
raw sugar -
2
tablespoons
cracked black pepper -
the zest of one lemon
just the yellow part—avoid the bitter white pith - a heaping 1/2 teaspoon granulated onion
- a heaping 1/4 teaspoon granulated garlic
-
1/4
teaspoon
celery seed
Instructions
-
Stir all ingredients together until evenly combined. Store the mixture in an airtight jar at room temperature. You may refrigerate if you prefer.
-
Because there are no anti-caking chemicals, the mix can clump slightly. Break up any clumps with your fingers or a fork before using.
-
Use this homemade lemon pepper in a 1:1 substitution for commercial lemon pepper seasoning in recipes.
Nutritional information is an estimate and provided as a courtesy. Calculate nutrition using the actual ingredients you use and your preferred nutrition calculator.
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