Turkey Seasoning
This post may contain affiliate links.
Whether you’re roasting, smoking or deep frying your turkey, this Turkey Seasoning is the perfect dry rub to add tons of flavor to a whole turkey, turkey breast or ground turkey! It’s a great homemade seasoning to have on hand for Thanksgiving, but it’s also convenient to use throughout the year. A simple combination of herbs and spices makes this the best turkey seasoning ever!
Say hello to the new secret ingredient that will help you make the best turkey recipes ever! Whether you’re planning your Thanksgiving meal, or just looking for a go-to seasoning to spice up ground turkey, this turkey seasoning is the perfect place to start!
A delicious combination of 9 herbs and savory spices packs this turkey rub with so much flavor. This homemade seasoning blend combines herbs that pair well with turkey, including thyme, rosemary, parsley and sage. It’s fresh, easy to make and contains no additives, artificial flavors, or ingredients that you can’t pronounce.
And it’s incredibly versatile!
Making ground turkey burgers in the summer? Season them with this spice mix! Roasting a 22 pound Thanksgiving turkey? Rub it down with the seasoning blend. Smoking a turkey breast to make the best turkey sandwiches ever? Season the breast with this dry rub.
The possibilities really are endless. When it comes to turkey, this seasoning blend is your new go-to recipe for kicking up the flavor!
Ingredients
For the ingredient quantities, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Dried thyme – the lemony notes of thyme pair perfect with poultry, like turkey.
- Dried rosemary – this robust, woodsy herb is another common pairing with turkey. It adds a peppery taste to the seasoning.
- Dried parsley – even in it’s dried form, parsley adds a bright, fresh flavor to this seasoning mix that pairs well with the other herbs.
- Dried sage – while sage is traditionally thought of as an herb for stuffing, what do we pair with stuffing? Turkey! This makes it the perfect herb for seasoning both turkey and stuffing.
- Sea salt (or kosher salt) – both sea salt and kosher salt can be used interchangeably when cooking. I prefer either kosher or sea salt, over table salt, in this seasoning mix because of their coarse texture and superior flavor.
- Black pepper – I recommend a course-ground pepper for this recipe, as it adds great texture to the spice blend.
- Garlic powder (or granulated garlic) – the only difference between granulated garlic and garlic powder is that the powder has been ground finer, than the granulated garlic. I prefer to use granulated garlic because it’s less likely to clump over time, than garlic powder.
- Onion powder (or granulated onion) – the only difference between granulated onion and onion powder is that the powder has been ground finer, than the granulated onion. I prefer to use granulated onion because it’s less likely to clump over time, than onion powder.
- Paprika – to add both color and flavor to the seasoning blend.
Instructions
- Combine all of the ingredients in a small bowl.
- Store in an airtight container in the pantry for up to 6 months.
Easy as that, in 5 minutes or less, you have a flavorful turkey seasoning, ready to spice up all your favorite turkey recipes!
Recipe tips
- This recipe makes 10 tablespoons of turkey seasoning. This is good for covering a 10-12 pound turkey. If you’re using this seasoning blend on a larger turkey, that’s between 20-24 pounds, make a double batch of the seasoning. To do this, simply click on the 2X button in the recipe card below. The ingredient amounts in the recipe card will automatically update to accommodate the new serving size.
- I recommend using 1 tablespoon of seasoning per pound of turkey that you’d like to season.
- This turkey rub recipe will stay good, stored in an airtight container in the pantry, for up to 6 months. After that the spice blend will not “go bad” but as spices sit longer, they begin to lose their flavor.
- I recommend storing the seasoning mix in an 8 ounce mason jar. If doubling the recipe, use a pint size or 16 ounce mason jar. I recommend labeling the turkey seasoning storage container with a date and using the seasoning mix within 6 months.
- To add sweetness to the mix, add brown sugar. Depending on the final recipe that you’ll be making with the turkey seasoning, you may or may not want to add brown sugar for sweetness. I do not include it in the base for this recipe, but if you want to add a sweet element to your final dish, add 2 tablespoons of brown sugar to the rub.
- To make a spicy turkey seasoning, add 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper to the mix. If you’d like to add just a hint of spice to the mix, just add 1 teaspoon.
- To add a smoky flavor to the mix, replace the traditional paprika with smoked paprika.
- This recipe is naturally gluten free.
Ways to use it
The possibilities really are endless when it comes to this turkey seasoning recipe. Use it to season a whole turkey, turkey breasts, or ground turkey. Use it to make grilled turkey burgers, smoked turkey breasts, or a whole roasted turkey!
Check out the list below for all of my favorite ways to use this homemade turkey rub.
- Dry brine a whole turkey by rubbing it on all surfaces with 1 tablespoon of rub, per 1 pound of turkey. Be sure to pat the turkey dry with paper towels before adding the rub. Coat every nook and cranny of the turkey, including under the skin and inside the cavity with the seasoning mixture. Place the seasoned turkey on a wire rack, on a rimmed baking sheet and into the refrigerator for at least 8 hours, or up to 24 hours. I recommend at least 1 hour per pound of turkey. After it’s dry brined, do not rinse the turkey, simply cook it as you’d like, by either roasting, smoking or deep frying the turkey.
- Season a whole turkey for roasting, smoking or frying. If you prefer to do a wet rub, brine or marinade, after the turkey comes out of the liquid, pat it completely dry, then season the turkey with 1 tablespoon turkey seasoning per pound of turkey.
- Season a turkey breast for roasting or smoking. I love cooking a turkey breast, instead of a whole turkey for a small family meal, anytime of the year, or to slice it up and make the best turkey sandwiches. Use the seasoning on these Smoked Turkey Breast, Sous Vide Turkey Breast, or Cranberry Glazed Turkey Breast recipes.
- Create turkey burgers by seasoning 1 pound ground turkey with 1 tablespoon turkey seasoning. Follow this recipe for turkey burgers to get all of the juicy details and step-by-step instructions.
- Make turkey meatballs by combining 1 pound ground turkey, 1 tablespoon turkey seasoning, 1/2 cup breadcrumbs and 1 large egg yolk. Form into about 20 “golf ball sized” meatballs. Bake the meatballs at 400°F for 15-20 minutes.
- Make breakfast sausage patties by combining 1 pound ground turkey, 1 tablespoon turkey seasoning and 1 teaspoon maple syrup. Form into 12 sausage patties and cook in a skillet with a tablespoon of oil for 5-6 minutes per side.
- Season a turkey tenderloin with 1 pound of seasoning per pound of meat. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a cast iron (or oven-safe) skillet on the stove over medium-high heat. Add the tenderloin and sear on both sides for 2-3 minutes per side. Transfer the skillet into a 400°F preheated oven for 15-20 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the turkey reaches 165°F.
More homemade seasoning recipes
Stock your pantry with all of my homemade seasoning mixes to add flavor to every meal!
Turkey Seasoning
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons dried thyme
- 2 tablespoons dried rosemary
- 1 tablespoon dried parsley
- 1 tablespoon dried sage
- 1 tablespoon sea salt, or kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons onion powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons paprika
Instructions
- Combine all of the ingredients in a small bowl.
- Store in an airtight container in the pantry for up to 6 months.
Notes
- This recipe makes 10 tablespoons of turkey seasoning. This is good for covering a 10-12 pound turkey. If you’re using this seasoning blend on a larger turkey, that’s between 20-24 pounds, make a double batch of the seasoning. To do this, simply click on the 2X button above. The ingredient amounts will automatically update to accommodate the new serving size.
- I recommend using 1 tablespoon of seasoning per pound of turkey that you’d like to season.
- This turkey rub recipe will stay good, stored in an airtight container in the pantry, for up to 6 months. After that the spice blend will not “go bad” but as spices sit longer, they begin to lose their flavor.
- I recommend storing the seasoning mix in an 8 ounce mason jar. If doubling the recipe, use a pint size or 16 ounce mason jar. I recommend labeling the turkey seasoning with a date and using the seasoning mix within 6 months.
- To add sweetness to the mix, add brown sugar. Depending on the final recipe that you’ll be making with the turkey seasoning, you may or may not want to add brown sugar for sweetness. I do not include it in the base for this recipe, but if you want to add a sweet element to your final dish, add 2 tablespoons of brown sugar to the rub.
- To make a spicy turkey seasoning, add 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper to the mix. If you’d like to add just a hint of spice to the mix, just add 1 teaspoon.
- This recipe is naturally gluten free.
Nutrition Facts
We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.
