Homemade Old Bay Seasoning Recipe (2024)

10 minutes

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5 from 7 votes

by Lisa Longley

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posted: 08/19/21

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy

Jump to Recipe

by Lisa Longley

|

posted: 08/19/21

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy

Jump to Recipe

This Homemade Old Bay Seasoning is easy to throw together! We have so many great recipes that uses this delicious seasoning mix.

Homemade Old Bay Seasoning Recipe (2)
PIN THIS RECIPE FOR LATER!

A few years ago, I went to Maryland and had the most amazing dinner. Small blue crabs that we cracked and ate at the table. They were coated in Old Bay Seasoning. We ate with our hands and the seasoning got on every piece of everything as we were eating in the most delicious way.

If you have never cooked with Old Bay Seasoning, it’s a must. This seasoning mix has been around for ages and is easy to pick up in U.S. grocery stores. We use it in a lot of our recipes. Recently we’ve gotten a lot of requests for a homemade version for those overseas or for people who need to control the exact amount of sodium in their diet.

This homemade Old Bay Seasoning went through several rounds of testing after lots of internet sleuthing to determine exactly what is in Old Bay Seaosning. My husband and I were standing at the counter tasting the store bought version and then making tweaks to ours until we got a version that was just right!

I think you will be really happy with what we’ve come up with!

Reader Review

Thank you for this recipe. After taste-testing five Old Bay recipes, this was our favorite – not too spicy, and not too salty. My daughter actually preferred yours to McCormick’s Old Bay. Well done!

What is Old Bay Seasoning?

Old Bay Seasoning is a mix of herbs and spices that was created in Baltimore, Maryland in the late 1930s. It’s name comes from a passenger ship line, Old Bay Line.

Homemade Old Bay Seasoning Recipe (3)

Old Bay Seasoning Ingredients

Scroll to the bottom of the post to get the measurements of the different spices.

  • Celery Salt
  • Cayenne Pepper
  • Paprika
  • Ground Bay Leaves (read more on this below)
  • Black Pepper
  • Ground Mustard
  • Ground Ginger
  • Ground Cloves
  • Cardamom
  • Coriander
  • Cinnamon – yes! Cinnamon!
Homemade Old Bay Seasoning Recipe (4)
Homemade Old Bay Seasoning Recipe (5)

Ground Bay Leaves

A key to this recipe is bay leaves. It is in the original and you don’t want to leave it out of the homemade version.

Most often when we cook with bay leaves, we put the entire leaf into a pot of soup while it is cooking and then remove them at the end. They leave their great flavor behind.

For this recipe, using ground bay is essential. You can either purchase it (we found this great brand online) or you can grind it yourself. Use a coffee grinder to grind the leaves fine and then use a metal sieve to filter out the stems and bigger pieces.

How to Make Old Bay Seasoning

To make Old Bay Seasoning, combine all the ingredients and mix them very well. Store the spice mix in a dry cool place for up to 6 months.

Homemade Old Bay Seasoning Recipe (6)

FAQ

Is Old Bay Seasoning spicy?

Yes! This seasoning mix has a kick to it. You can control that by putting in less black pepper, less cayenne pepper, or less of both.

How much Old Bay Seasoning should I use for shrimp?

Whether you are cooking shrimp or crab, the rule of thumb is 2 teaspoons of Old Bay Seasoning per pound of seafood.

Does Old Bay Seasoning go bad?

Any seasoning mix can lose its flavor profile over time. If you make this with fresh dried herbs, it will last for at least 6 months.

Homemade Old Bay Seasoning Recipe (7)

Using Old Bay Seasoning

Old Bay Seasoning for Crab

After making crab, coat it in Old Bay Seasoning. For every pound of crab you will need 2 teaspoons of this Old Bay Seasoning recipe.

Old Bay Seasoning for Steamed Shrimp

  1. Toss 1 pound of shrimp that has shells off but tails still on in 2 teaspoons of homemade Old Bay Seasoning.
  2. Bring 1/2 cup of water and 1/2 cup of vinegar to a boil.
  3. Place the shrimp in a steaming basket over the boiling liquid (make sure it doesn’t touch the liquid).
  4. Cover and cook until the shrimp are tender, about 5 minutes.

Recipes that use Old Bay Seasoning

  • Crab Salad
  • Crab Dip
  • Shrimp Pasta Salad
  • Seafood Salad

If you make any of my recipes, leave me a comment letting me know what you think. I love hearing from you!

Homemade Old Bay Seasoning Recipe (8)

5 from 7 votes

Old Bay Seasoning

Serves: 8 tablespoons

(tap # to scale)

Prep: 10 minutes minutes

Total: 10 minutes minutes

This Homemade Old Bay Seasoning is easy to throw together! We have so many great recipes that uses this delicious seasoning mix.

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Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons celery salt
  • 4 teaspoons cayanne pepper
  • 4 teaspoons paprika
  • 2 teaspoons ground bay leaves read more about this here
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground mustard
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Instructions

  • Combine all of the ingredients. Store in an airtight container in a cool dry place for up to 6 months.

Author: Lisa Longley

Course: Condiment

Cuisine: American

Homemade Old Bay Seasoning Recipe (9)

did you make this

Old Bay Seasoning

I’d love to see what you made! Tag me @lisasimplejoy and hashtag it #simplejoyrecipes!

you might also like . . .

  • Everything Bagel Seasoning
  • Hamburger Seasoning
  • Homemade Taco Seasoning
  • Italian Seasoning

Homemade Old Bay Seasoning Recipe (14)

Homemade Old Bay Seasoning Recipe (15)

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Homemade Old Bay Seasoning Recipe (16)

Hi! I'm Lisa Longley, and I am committed to giving you simple dinner ideas and recipes that are easy to make; recipes that will fill your home with joy. I am the owner and author of SimpleJoy.com and I'm so glad that you are here.

Reader Interactions

    LEAVE A COMMENT

  1. Judith says

    Homemade Old Bay Seasoning Recipe (17)
    Love your recipes! Thank you…

    Reply

    • Homemade Old Bay Seasoning Recipe (18)Lisa Longley says

      I’m so glad you are enjoying them!

      Reply

  2. Kathleen says

    Homemade Old Bay Seasoning Recipe (19)
    I made the Old Bay chicken wings last night. So easy and delicious! I think I’ll have to make more than 3 pounds next time. Wings were devoured very quickly!! Thank you!

    Reply

    • Homemade Old Bay Seasoning Recipe (20)Lisa Longley says

      I’m so happy to hear they were a hit!

      Reply

  3. Karen Bernard says

    I want to use the Old Bay seasoning but I can’t have the spice what can you recommend?

    Reply

    • Homemade Old Bay Seasoning Recipe (21)Lisa Longley says

      Which spice can’t you have? Or do you mean that you can’t have spicy food? In the FAQ it talks about how to cut back on heat.

      Reply

older comments

Homemade Old Bay Seasoning Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What can you use if you dont have Old Bay seasoning? ›

Some popular substitutions for Old Bay include crab boil, cajun seasoning, and celery salt mixed with paprika. When using a substitute, make sure to start with a small amount to begin with and taste as you go. Sometimes an alternative can change your dish's flavor profile slightly, so it is best to go slow.

What makes Old Bay seasoning so good? ›

The main flavor of Old Bay Seasoning is celery salt and paprika—a bit of smoke, a bit of sweet, and plenty salty. Although many people seem to be wishing for an Old Bay recipe without the salt, well, it's really hard to deliver on that one.

What gives Old Bay its unique flavor? ›

Most of the flavor comes from mustard, paprika and celery salt, along with mace, nutmeg, bay leaf, red pepper and cardamom, and while it's an obvious pairing with seafood, it's also a surprising twist on fried rice and chickpeas. Even now, I'm eating fistfuls of popcorn dusted with Old Bay. For inspiration.

What are 3 rules for seasoning? ›

How to Season Food
  • Rule #1: Taste as you go. It's a bummer when a finished dish is bland, and it's harder to correct at the end of cooking. ...
  • Rule #2: Stick to a theme. Certain flavours belong together. ...
  • Rule #3: Build layers of flavour. ...
  • Rule #4: Pair contrasting elements. ...
  • Rule #5: Salt, taste and repeat if necessary.

Is it OK to use expired Old Bay seasoning? ›

Dried herbs and spices don't truly expire or “go bad” in the traditional sense. When a spice is said to have gone bad, it simply means that it has lost most of its flavor, potency, and color. Fortunately, consuming a spice that has gone bad is unlikely to make you sick.

Is there Cayenne in Old Bay? ›

Old Bay is a type of seasoning made from 18 different herbs and spices, including mustard, celery salt, black pepper, cinnamon, ginger, cayenne pepper, paprika, and bay leaves.

Should Old Bay seasoning be refrigerated? ›

OLD BAY® Seasoning has a shelf life of 540 days when tightly closed and stored in a cool, dry place, to protect against flavor loss and moisture.

What is the difference between Old Bay and Old Bay blackened seasoning? ›

A: Regular Old Bay seasoning has more sodium and a milder flavor. Blackened Old Bay seasoning has more peppers (spicier), is sweeter and has a much lower sodium content. The blackened seasoning tastes good on pan fried or grilled seafood.

Who uses Old Bay? ›

If you've had good seafood, then you've probably had Old Bay — we don't make the rules, that's just how things are. Although the spice blend hails from Maryland, Old Bay is beloved in the Mid-Atlantic, the South, and throughout parts of New England and the Gulf Coast.

Is there paprika in Old Bay seasoning? ›

THE MAIN FLAVOR INGREDIENTS IN OLD BAY CONSIST OF CELERY SALT, PAPRIKA, AND MUSTARD SEED.

Should Old Bay seasoning be used before or after cooking? ›

Old Bay is a versatile savoury seasoning blend consisting of mixed spices, herbs and pepper that can be used before, during and after cooking. A bold blend of herbs & spices, this seasoning is perfect for enhancing any dish with its uniquely zesty flavour.

Does McCormick own Old Bay? ›

The rights to the seasoning brand were purchased by McCormick & Co in 1990. McCormick continued to offer Old Bay in the classic yellow can.

What to avoid in seasoning? ›

Here are seven common seasoning mistakes and how to avoid them!
  • Don't forget to taste your food! This is a super simple mistake that can have disastrous consequences! ...
  • Using pre-ground pepper. ...
  • Skimping on the salt. ...
  • Adding dried herbs too late. ...
  • Don't forget the lemon! ...
  • Using stale spices! ...
  • Using spices with MSG.

How can I make my own seasoning? ›

Ingredients:
  1. ‍3 tbsp garlic powder.
  2. 2 tbsp onion powder.
  3. 1 tbsp cumin powder.
  4. 1 tbsp coriander seed powder.
  5. 1 tbsp dried parsley.
  6. 1 tbsp dried oregano.
  7. 1 tbsp black pepper.
  8. 1 tbsp salt‍

What are the 4 C's of spices? ›

The list never ends, hence just a few to start with. In continuation to this let's quickly learn the art of Spicing the baby food with the Magic of the other 4 C's spices that are, Cinnamon, Cardamom Cumin, and Clove.

Can I use creole seasoning instead of Old Bay? ›

Creole seasoning can also be a good Old Bay substitute if needed. Cajun seasoning blends are also a good alternative to Creole seasoning if you're looking for a more comparable flavor profile and have that in your spice cabinet.

Has Old Bay seasoning changed? ›

While the salty, spicy, complex blend hasn't changed in over 80 years, Old Bay has come a long way from its humble beginnings by the Chesapeake.

What is Cajun seasoning made of? ›

What Is In Cajun Spice Mix? Typical Cajun seasonings (including store-bought like Slap Ya Mama and Tony Chachere's) are made with black pepper, white pepper, cayenne pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, and paprika. For different flavors, some Cajun spice mixes include salt, mustard powder, chile peppers, or cumin.

What is similar to Danos seasoning? ›

Dan-O's Seasoning's top competitors include Saratoga Food Specialties, Burlap & Barrel, and Gryffon Ridge Spice Merchants. Saratoga Food Specialties focuses on producing seasoning and sauces for restaurant companies. It provides food and beverage additives.

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