Lemon pepper seasoning is a Black household staple, y'all. There's the seasoned salt, the Cajun seasoning, the Old Bay, and the lemon pepper in every spice cabinet, used in seasoning crab boils, roasted lemon pepper chicken, and on fish fillets. It's a versatile seasoning, honey.
One day I grabbed a jar at the store and realized that it tasted like lemon cleaner. Surprise! Turns out it was made with citric acid and Yellow 5, not real lemons.
Of course, that meant I needed to make it from scratch. Homemade lemon pepper seasoning takes three minutes and just 5 simple ingredients already in your pantry. The difference in flavor is insane, definitely better than store-bought.
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Lemon Pepper Ingredients
- Dried lemon peel — the star of the blend. Real dried lemon zest gives you that bright, punchy lemon flavor that citric acid and lemon oil just can't replicate.
- Coarsely ground black pepper — Coarse grind keeps the texture more like a steak seasoning instead of a powdery seasoning, and gives you that classic lemon pepper bite.
- Granulated garlic — rounds it out with a savory backbone. Granulated works better here than garlic powder because the coarser texture blends more evenly with the lemon peel.
- Dried minced onion — It adds a subtle sweetness that makes this blend more than just lemon and pepper.
- Kosher salt — Salt needs differ dish to dish, so keeping it low here gives you control.
- MSG — optional, but highly recommended. A little MSG adds umami and rounds out the savory flavor without making the blend taste salty.
How to Make Lemon Pepper Seasoning
Step 1
Mix your blend.
Add all your ingredients to a small bowl and whisk together until evenly combined. If you're using whole ingredients, like peppercorn, use a spice grinder or crush it with a mortar and pestle.
Step 2
Store it right.
Pour your lemon pepper seasoning into an airtight container or spice jar and keep it in a cool, dry place away from the stove. It'll stay fresh and potent for up to two years.
Variations, Tricks, and Tips
- Use fresh lemon zest — Zest your lemons with a microplane (only the yellow colored skin, we don't want the bitter white pith!), spread in a thin layer on a parchment paper lined baking sheet, and bake at 175°F or its lowest setting for 30-45 minutes until completely dry and brittle. Cool fully before mixing.
- Make it salt-free — Leave the salt out and season your dishes separately. Easy swap for low-sodium cooking.
- Make it spicy — Add ½ teaspoon cayenne or red pepper flakes. Really good on wings.
- MSG vs. salt — They're not interchangeable. Salt seasons. MSG adds umami and boosts savoriness without adding saltiness. Use one, both, or neither if you are watching your salt.
- How much to use — 2 tablespoons per pound of chicken, 1½ tablespoons per pound of seafood, 1 tablespoon per pound of vegetables.
- Store away from the stove — Heat and humidity kill spice blends fast. Keep it in a cool, dry cabinet and it'll last up to two years.
Questions You Might Have
No, lemon juice and lemon zest do completely different things. The peel is where all the actual lemon flavor lives. Juice will add moisture to your blend, which causes clumping and shortens shelf life.
Make sure your lemon zest is completely dry before mixing. Store your blend in an airtight jar away from heat and humidity, and you shouldn't have a problem.
A dehydrator actually works better since it circulates air evenly without any risk of the zest toasting. Set it to around 95-100°F and check it after an hour.
The black pepper gives it a little warmth but nothing that would qualify as spicy. If you want heat, add cayenne or red pepper flakes.
Let's Use It!
I use homemade lemon pepper seasoning for a ton of things! It easily seasons up seafood like shrimp and grits or scampi, mixes into amazing compound butters, and of course is a must for game day wings!
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5 Ingredient Lemon Pepper Seasoning
Ingredients
- ½ cup dried lemon peel
- ¼ cup coarsely ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoon granulated garlic
- 2 tablespoon dried minced onion, optional
- 2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon MSG, optional
Instructions
- In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the dried lemon peel, coarsely ground black pepper, granulated garlic, dried minced onion, salt, and MSG until they are well combined.½ cup dried lemon peel, ¼ cup coarsely ground black pepper, 2 tablespoon granulated garlic, 2 tablespoon dried minced onion, 2 teaspoon kosher salt , 1 teaspoon MSG
- Pour the lemon pepper seasoning into a spice jar with a lid and keep the blend in a dry, cool environment for up to 2 years.
Recipe Notes
Variations, Tricks, and Tips
- Use fresh lemon zest — Zest your lemons with a microplane, spread in a thin layer on a parchment paper lined baking sheet, and bake at 175°F or its lowest setting for 30-45 minutes until completely dry and brittle. Cool fully before mixing.
- Make it salt-free — Leave the salt out and season your dishes separately. Easy swap for low-sodium cooking.
- Make it spicy — Add ½ teaspoon cayenne or red pepper flakes. Really good on wings.
- MSG vs. salt — They're not interchangeable. Salt seasons. MSG adds umami and boosts savoriness without adding saltiness. Use one, both, or neither if you are watching your salt.
- How much to use — 2 tablespoons per pound of chicken, 1½ tablespoons per pound of seafood, 1 tablespoon per pound of vegetables.
- Store away from the stove — Heat and humidity kill spice blends fast. Keep it in a cool, dry cabinet and it'll last up to two years.
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