Homemade Lemon Pepper Seasoning
Bring a savory kick to your kitchen with this fresh and flavorful homemade lemon pepper seasoning.
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I love using lemon pepper seasoning as an easy way to add flavor to fish or chicken dishes. Unfortunately, some of the store-bought versions taste weird to me. They are either way too salty or they have an unappealing, almost artificial, flavor. I am no stranger to making my own spice blends, so I decided to say goodbye to fake flavor and make a from-scratch version of my own using fresh ingredients.
Ingredients and tools you will need
This easy recipe requires only a few simple ingredients, most of which you may already have in your spice cabinet. To make your own lemon pepper seasoning, you will need:
- 12 large whole fresh lemons or 1/4 cup ground dehydrated lemon peel – you can purchase a jar of dry lemon peel from Walmart or Amazon. If you are planning to make a large batch of homemade seasoning blend, it may be more practical to do this. However, I like the bright flavor that using dried fresh lemon zest adds. Keep reading and I’ll tell you how I make my own dried lemon zest.
- 2 tablespoons coarse ground black pepper
- 2 teaspoons fine sea salt – I prefer the texture of sea salt here, but you can certainly use regular table salt. I find the large granules in kosher salt are harder to evenly distribute throughout the mix, so I tend to stay away from including it in my spice blends.
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon dried parsley
- Box grater or microplane zester, optional – only if you are drying your own lemon zest.
- Sheet pan, optional – only if you are drying your own lemon zest.
- Spice grinder, optional – only if you are drying your own lemon zest. A coffee grinder will do the same thing; however, I would discourage you from using the same appliance to grind both coffee and spices as the flavors can mingle. In other words, your lemon pepper seasoning can taste like coffee and your coffee can taste like lemons. I would encourage you to have two separate grinders dedicated for each purpose.
- Small bowl for mixing
- Airtight jar
How to make dried lemon zest
- Preheat your oven to the lowest setting it will go. My oven goes down to 170 degrees F.
- Wash and zest 12 large lemons. Be sure to only zest the outer yellow layer and stop when you reach the bitter, white pith underneath.
- Spread the lemon zest in an even layer on a foil or parchment paper-lined baking sheet.
- Bake the lemon zest for 30-45 minutes, checking frequently, until the lemon zest is dried and crispy. You may need to stir it around periodically to ensure even drying.
- Allow the zest to cool, then transfer it to a spice grinder. Pulse the dried lemon peel for a few seconds until it reaches an even consistency.
P.S. Lemons dry out quickly once they’ve been zested. Rather than throwing them away, juice the lemons into a mason jar and keep it in the refrigerator for the next time you have a recipe that calls for lemon juice — like the marinade for these Lemon Pepper Air Fryer Chicken Thighs.
P.P.S This technique can also be used to make dried orange peels or dried lime peels!
How to make homemade lemon pepper seasoning
- Transfer the dried and ground lemon zest to a small mixing bowl.
- Add the black pepper, salt, onion powder, garlic powder, sugar and dried parsley.
- Stir to combine.
Storage and freezing instructions
Storage. Store the lemon pepper seasoning in an airtight container at room temperature or in a cool, dry place out of direct sunlight.
Freezing. Freezing will alter the texture of the seasoning, but it will not affect the flavor. I prefer to freeze spices in zippered freezer bags so I can squeeze out any excess air and further prevent freezer burn. Use within six months.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, if you are on a low-salt diet, you can reduce the amount of salt or omit the salt completely.
Take care not to shake an open jar of seasoning directly over hot, steaming food. Believe it or not, the steam can infiltrate the jar, creating moisture. This can lead to clumping and also cause your spices to degrade sooner. In addition, consider adding a bit of dried rice to the bottom of the jar before adding your spices. The rice will help to absorb any excess moisture.
Yes. You will need some type of mat, similar to what you would use to make fruit leather, to prevent the zest from falling down or sticking to the nesting racks. If you don’t have this, peel the lemons into strips instead of zesting. If drying zest, dehydrate at 95 degrees F for 4-6 hours. Dehydrating strips can take 24-48 hours to completely dehydrate. You will know it’s dry when the strips snap in half and don’t bend.
You can chop the dried lemon zest into smaller pieces or leave it whole. You will have larger pieces of lemon zest in your mixture, but it won’t affect the flavor.
Use lemon pepper seasoning for
More homemade spice recipes
Homemade Lemon Pepper Seasoning
Ingredients
- 12 large whole lemons or 1/4 cup dried lemon peel granules
- 2 tablespoons coarse ground black pepper
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon dried parsley
Instructions
- If using fresh lemons, preheat the oven to 170 degrees F. If using lemon peel granules, skip to step 5.
- Zest the lemons.
- Spread the lemon zest in a single layer on a foil or parchment paper-lined baking sheet.
- Bake the lemon zest for 30 – 45 minutes, checking frequently, until the lemon zest is dried and crispy.
- Allow the zest to cool, then transfer it to a small mixing bowl.
- Add the black pepper, salt, onion powder, garlic powder, sugar and dried parsley.
- Stir to combine.
Have a question? Leave a comment!