The Best Homemade Salmon Seasoning (Seriously, it’s THAT good) 

I’m the first to admit that I reach for store-bought seasoning blends far too often.

If you have the time, you can really enhance the flavor of your seafood by making your own homemade seasoning.

This salmon seasoning recipe is packed with dill, chili powder, garlic, onion, and mustard. Once you try it, you’ll never use the store-bought stuff again.

Homemade salmon seasoning

I cook salmon at least once a month. It’s a great source of protein, Omega-3 fatty acids, and antioxidants, plus it just tastes darn good. Especially when you season salmon with this rub, which I’ve been perfecting for years.

Ingredients you’ll need 

• Dried dill – I find that dill helps bring out the best in salmon. If you’re not a big fan of dill, you can skip it, but I recommend trying it in this recipe at least once, as it brings all the flavors together wonderfully. 
• Dried mustard – This ingredient brings a bright, acidic kick to the seasoning blend, helping to balance out the other flavors. 
• Chili powder – Brings a nice, smoky undertone to the overall flavor of this seasoning. Could also swap for smoked paprika
• Garlic powder 
• Onion powder 
• Salt – Use a coarse ground Kosher or sea salt
• Black pepper – Freshly cracked

Use the best quality herbs and spices 

While it’s easy to choose the cheapest option on the grocery store shelf when shopping for spices, the quality matters more than you think. The higher-quality spices, while a bit more expensive, will make your homemade spice blends sing. 

Your spices should be bright and aromatic, not dull. Look for organic options when they are available, and if you have access to fresh, locally-grown spices, that will be your best bet. 

Also, check the expiry date. You don’t want anything near the end of its shelf life.

Tips for using this seasoning

I tend to have a pretty heavy hand when it comes to seasoning food, probably thanks to being a BBQ chick, but when it comes to fish, you want to pull your punches a little bit. 

A light, even layer of seasoning across all sides of your fish is more than enough. If you over-season salmon, it can cause the seasoning to burn while it’s cooking, and you also don’t want to diminish the fish’s natural flavor. 

What can you use this seasoning on? 

I created this seasoning for grilling salmon.

When I smoke salmon, I like to include brown sugar in the rub, but that wouldn’t work well when cooking over direct heat as the sugar would burn and create a bitter taste.

The great thing about this salmon seasoning blend is that it tastes great on all types of seafood. From fish and shrimp to crab and lobster, this blend pairs wonderfully with a wide range of dishes.

It’s also a great all-purpose seasoning for chicken, pork, and other white meats. You could use this seasoning on any of these recipes:

• Grilled Halibut with Easy Lemon Sauce
• Cedar Plank Grilled Salmon
• Smoked Chicken Thighs
• Blue Moon Beer Smoked Chicken
• Crispy Chicken on the Pellet Grill

How long is this seasoning good for? 

If you plan to make a larger batch of this seasoning to keep on hand, you can store it in an airtight container for up to six months with no issues.

It’s always a good idea to check the expiration date on your individual spices to gauge how long your blend will be good before it starts to lose its potency. 

Spices don’t technically expire, at least not in a way that will get anyone sick. The thing with ground and dried spices is that they tend to lose their flavor over time, which is why an airtight container is essential. 

Another issue you may encounter is clumping. Especially in humid environments, spices tend to start to clump over time. If this happens, just give the container a good shake and break up any hard clusters with a spoon or a fork, and you’ll be good to go. 

How to make salmon seasoning

1. Blend

This step probably goes without saying, but you need to mix all of your spices together.

Add them to a bowl and mix them thoroughly with the end of a butter knife or a small spoon. The goal is to have a consistent, well-incorporated seasoning blend. 

A great way to whip up any seasoning blend is to add it to an empty spice jar and give it a good shake. This is also a fantastic way to store any leftovers. 

Generally, this recipe is enough for four medium-sized salmon filets or a whole side of salmon. If you want to make more, you can multiply the recipe. 

Grilled salmon rub

My favorite way to prepare salmon is outdoors on my griddle. The flattop surface works great for cooking delicate food like fish.

I start by preheating the griddle to medium heat. While it’s warming up, I’ll apply a nice, even coating of the seasoning to my salmon fillets.

I’ll lightly oil the griddle and then add the salmon filets and slices of lemon to get a nice char.

After a few minutes, I’ll flip the salmon, squeeze some juice from the charred lemon, and then place a slice of lemon on top.

We have a full Blackstone Salmon recipe you can check out for all the steps.

You could also use a pellet grill, which will give the salmon a nice smokey flavor, or dice some salmon into cubes and make smoked salmon burnt ends.