Easy Adobo Seasoning Recipe

What is Adobo Seasoning?

Although Adobo Seasoning is a very common ingredient included in many Spanish and Caribbean-inspired recipes, you might be wondering exactly what is this flavorful spice blend. Wonderfully versatile Adobo Seasoning is a type of all-purpose seasoning salt – and it is, therefore, well, quite salty. It tastes like the perfect combination of savory, smoky, and earthy flavors with a slight hint of spiciness. The salt-heavy blend was originally used as a type of preservative before refrigeration was widely available. Today it has remained a staple in Latin American dishes, and has become popular throughout the US and much of the world. Sure, store-bought Adobo Seasoning offers a ton of flavor in one simple ingredient. However, it can be hard to find in some stores and regions. Instead, you can quickly make your own packaged Adobo Seasoning substitute at home from scratch with many spices you likely already have! Plus, this Adobo Seasoning recipe can easily be tweaked with several additional spices to create a delicious and unique blend with your favorite flavors.

Adobo Seasoning Ingredients

There are 8 classic spices included in this simple and authentic Adobo Seasoning recipe. In fact, you probably have most if not all of these in your pantry right now…

Salt – the foundation for any seasoning salt Dried oregano – for an earthy and fresh taste Granulated garlic powder – brings the big flavor Granulates onion powder – besties with the garlic powder, they help to enhance each other Black pepper – freshly ground is best Ground cumin – a staple in many Spanish recipes for the perfect smoky undertones Ground turmeric – adds color and depth Chili powder – almost spicy but not quite, this spice adds even more smoky and savor flavor

As-is this seasoning salt blend is terrifically flavorful. However, you also can include a variety of additional spices to create other blends to fit your tastes. Keep reading for a few suggestions of possible add-ins!

How to Make Homemade Adobo Seasoning

Make your own store-bought Adobo Seasoning substitute in less than 5 minutes and just 3 easy steps: That’s it!

Suggestions for Other Possible Add-Ins

There are lots of ways to customize this healthy Adobo Seasoning recipe with even more bright and bold flavors. Give any of these add-ins a try:

Paprika – for an even more deep, smoky flavor Cayenne – adds a kick of spicy heat for a spicy adobo Dried citrus zest – to add a bright pop of acidity Thyme – for an extra earthy and herbaceous flavor Dried coriander – coriander is also known as cilantro, so adding a bit of this dried spice will create a taste similar to chopped cilantro

Or feel free to get creative and add other spices you like. I’d love to hear in the comments what tasty blends you come up with!