Growing up around Caribbean and Jamaican flavors shaped the way I approach cooking at home, and now as a blogger I love creating homemade blends from scratch using dried herbs, spices, and other ingredients I always keep in my pantry.
Whether I’m preparing seafood for dinner or testing new recipes from local markets, a simple spice blend gives real Purpose to every dish, far beyond anything ready-made. This same seasoning works beautifully with fish, cod, salmon, shrimp, or even mahi mahi, and it fits right into everyday household preparation.
I like experimenting with grilling, baking, pan-searing, pan-roasted, Steamed, grilled, or baked meals, and the same all-purpose blends also elevate steak, Beef, taco, and fajita nights.
With a gentle mix of Masala, flavorful Powder, and rich spices, this approach lets me use one blend across All kinds of dishes—sometimes I’ll test 1, 6, or 15 variations before choosing the best. Keeping extra for storage means my seafood is always ready for something special, and every plate feels handcrafted, not factory-made.
What Is All Purpose Fish Seasoning
Creating homemade fish seasoning changed the way I experience seafood in my life. From the first time I tried it, I was hooked by every bite. The delicious herbs and flavors complement any fillet, shrimp, or scallops, while dried spices packed with Lemon and Pepper enhance the flavor of seafood dishes. It’s a great way to make meals perfect every time, whether it’s a constant addition in your house or a special treat you can’t leave behind.
I love to try different recipes with this easy air fryer sticks, chips, or my favorite dish, like cod. This seasoning is used for many things related to seafood—from crab and lobster to shrimp and fillets.
The dry rub can be applied directly or as a marinade, whether Jamaican, Crispy, Oven Baked, or Sprats. This spice blend is all about making meals matter, catering to individual taste, with mild heat, extra ingredients, fresh chilli, scotch bonnet, separately added, depending on your preference.
Why Make Your Own Seafood Spice Mix
There are many reasons to make your homemade fish seasoning and spice blends from scratch. It’s more cost-effective in the long run, and you can be creative, tailor the recipe depending on your tastes, and control every element like herbs, dried parsley, dill, or a pinch of cayenne for a spicy kick.
Homemade blends are better than store-brought or ready-mixed versions, with no E numbers, additives, or preservatives, making them healthier and a perfect gift for any occasion.
I’ve had plenty of discussions with random people, and some are intimidated by the process, which is totally understandable. From my epic experiments, I’ve tested each blend, followed the steps carefully, and even shared on my blog before submission.
You rarely need to buy from the store, and you can add extra ingredients depending on your budget-friendly preferences. With great shelf life, jars in the cupboard make it easy to have fish seasoning ready for fish dishes whenever you make them.
Ingredients for a Flavorful Fish Rub
Making your own homemade fish seasoning blends is simple and brings amazing flavor to any fillet, shrimp, or scallops. Keep your spices in a pantry jar or container airtight to maintain freshness, and use tools like a coffee grinder, vitamix, pestle, or mortar to pulverize and mill the ingredients for perfect results in under 15 minutes.
Ingredients
Dried Dill Weed: A fragrant herb that pairs beautifully with fish, adding a fresh, delicious flavor that complements shrimp or scallops, enhancing your seafood dishes.
Dried Parsley: This herbaceous addition provides a mild, fresh taste that works perfectly on any fillet, shrimp, or seafood recipe, boosting both color and flavor.
Smoked Paprika: Adds a vibrant color and deep, smoky taste that elevates your fish seasoning, giving homemade blends a rich, appetizing flavor profile.
Celery Salt: Enhances savory flavors and depth in your seasoning, pairing well with shrimp, fillets, or scallops, while balancing the herbs and spices.
Garlic Powder: A must-have spice in any homemade seasoning, bringing aromatic flavors that complement seafood, from fish fillets to shrimp.
Salt: Balances all the flavors and helps your seafood seasoning shine, working with both herbs and spices to perfect every recipe.
Pepper: Provides a mild spiciness or heat when combined with cayenne, enhancing your fish seasoning, and pairing well with herbs, shrimp, or fillets.
Optional Ingredients (Pink Salt, Onion Granules, Granulated/Powdered Spices, Thyme, Cilantro, Coriander): Adds extra layers of flavor, herbaceous notes, and complexity, making your homemade seafood seasoning bold and versatile for any fish dish.
Homemade Seafood Seasoning Made Easy
When preparing fish, I love enhancing the flavors with a homemade seasoning mix that works perfectly for grilled swordfish or any seafood. Start by gathering your herbs, pantry herbs, dill weed, dried dillweed, parsley, paprika, celery salt, garlic powder, salt, black pepper, pepper, and a pinch of ground ginger.
In a bowl, combine all ingredients and mix thoroughly. For a finer texture, I sometimes use a coffee grinder to mill the blend into a fine consistency. This dry rub can be applied directly or stored in a clear glass jar or airtight container at room temperature or in a cool place for several months.
To use, simply take a few tablespoons per pound of fish, and rub or sprinkle gently. Whether you’re grilling, baking, or air frying, this seasoning is ready in just a minute. You have multiple options: mix everything directly in your container of choice or combine in a bowl first. I’ve found this simple process not only saves time but also ensures consistent flavor, enhancing every bite of seafood.
How to Cook with This Fish Rub
To get the best taste, sprinkle about 2 teaspoons of seasoning per pound of fish fillets before you cook them. For a wet marinade, mix the seasoning with oil and cover the fish for 30 minutes to let the flavor soak in. This rub works great with all kinds of fish, though I especially like it on cod, and it will help you add taste naturally while cooking normally.
Try these recipes:
- oven-baked fish recipe
- Air Fryer Fish Recipe
- Whole oven-roasted fish recipe
- Pan-fried fish recipe
- Dillweed
- Rosemary
- Parsley
The Right Amount of Fish Rub to Use
For perfect fish flavor, I suggest using about ¾ teaspoon of homemade seasoning per fillet, though this can vary depending on larger or smaller pieces.
Sprinkle generously over each fillet, and for a whole fish weighing around 1.5 pounds (600 grams), use about 1 tablespoon. This simple method ensures the right amount is applied now, enhancing the taste of every fillet or whole fish without overpowering it.
Best Side Dishes to Pair with Seafood
When serving fish with your seasoning, pairing it with the right sides makes the meal perfect. I love fresh, healthy vegetables like steamed vegetables, pan-fried asparagus, or veggies you bake or grill. Rice, fried rice, or pasta—whether cooked pasta, angel hair, penne, bowtie, or lemon orzo—adds variety and balances the flavors. Salads, especially salmon salad, seasoned fish on creamy cucumber tomato salad, bring extra protein and freshness to your table.
For potatoes, I enjoy roasted potatoes, mashed potatoes, baked potatoes, garlic smashed potatoes, or rosemary parmesan roasted potatoes. These additions are great for family gatherings, and it depends on what you love. Feel free to try something easy, delicious, and change things up according to your ideas. Using parmesan lightly over oven-baked or pan-fried dishes elevates the meal, making it especially satisfying when serving seasoned fish.
Useful Tips for Best Results
- Ingredients matter: Always make sure your fish seasoning ingredients aren’t stale. Rub a little between your fingers to check for aroma before use.
- Measure carefully: Use 1.5 teaspoon to 2 teaspoon per 1 lb of fish, and adjust according to serving size. You can double, triple, or quadruple for a big batch.
- Storage tips: Store your spice blend in a glass jar or spice jar that is properly labelled. Keep it in a cool, dry place like a pantry, away from direct sunlight to prevent clumping.
- Shelf life: Homemade spice blends can be stored for several months in an airtight container or cupboard for future uses.
- Optional adjustments: Adding salt is optional and depends on personal taste. You can modify the recipe or recipe card instructions as needed.
- Process tips: Always check and use the blend mindfully, adding slowly and changing amounts if needed to enhance the flavors.
Best Way to Store Your Homemade Spice Mix
To keep your fish seasoning fresh, I recommend storing your homemade seasonings in an airtight container, sealed jar, or small Ziploc bag. Choose a dry, cool place like a pantry or cupboard, away from direct sunlight, air, light, and humidity. This method helps prevent the mix from becoming clumpy or hard and keeps the flavors vibrant. Depending on your recipe, tripling or making big batches is fine, but always keep small batches handy for quick use.
Check your ingredients before storing, as fresh spices ensure a long shelf life. Your fish seasoning can last for 3 months, 6 months, or several months, depending on quantity and storage. Avoid refrigerateing, which can dull the freshness and flavors. Make it in minutes, ready for use, whether you prefer a large amount or small batches, and always handle the container, jar, or bag properly for the best results.
Additional Seafood Meal Ideas
I LOVE a good seafood recipe! These are some of my favorite recipes that I make on special occasions or when we have guests. They are always such a hit, and I hope you give some of them a try!
More Seasoning Recipes
- Jamaican Jerk Seasoning
- Hamburger Seasoning
- Homemade Taco Seasoning
- BBQ Seasoning
- Homemade Poultry Seasoning
- Steamed Crab Legs
- Crab Curry Recipe (Curry Crab)
- Caribbean Stewed Fish
- Caribbean Baked Fish
- Jamaican Curry Shrimp
- Brown Stew Fish
- Jamaican Hot Pepper Shrimp
- Blackened Cajun Air Fried Salmon
- Jamaican Shrimp and Cabbage
Ingredients
1 Tablespoon dried dill weed
1 Tablespoon dried parsley
1 Tablespoon smoked paprika
2 teaspoons celery salt
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon celery seed
1/2 teaspoon coriander
1 teaspoon pink salt (optional)
Instructions for Using Fish Seasoning
- Take a bowl and add all your ingredients including dill weed, parsley, paprika, celery salt, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
- Combine and mix together until the spice blend is uniform and ready to use.
- Pour the mixture into a sealed jar or a Ziploc bag for storage.
- Use a coffee grinder or mill if you want a fine consistency for the seasoning.
- Sprinkle or rub the seasoning evenly over fish, using about 2 tablespoons per pound.
- Gently press the seasoning onto the fish to enhance flavor before grilling, baking, or air frying.
- Bake, grill, or air fry your fish as desired, ensuring the seasoning is well absorbed.
- Store any leftover seasoning in a clear glass jar at room temperature or a cool place to maintain freshness.
- Use the seasoning accordingly in other culinary dishes to add flavor and a dry rub finish.
- Optionally, add extra spices or tablespoon measurements for stronger taste and preservation.
Notes for Using Fish Seasoning
- Check your ingredients to ensure none are stale; rub between fingers to test aroma before using.
- Adjust kosher salt, table salt, and seasoning amount based on recipe, serving size, and whether making a double, triple, or quadruple batch.
- Use approximately 1.5 teaspoon to 2 teaspoon per 1 lb fish, or about ¾ teaspoon per fillet (4.5–5 ounces / 130–150 grams), yielding 3 tablespoons / 23 grams per batch.
- Store your homemade spice blend in an airtight container, glass jar, or spice jar in a cupboard, pantry, or cool, dry place away from sunlight to prevent clumping and maintain shelf life for several months.
- Sprinkle or rub the seasoning on fish for culinary dishes, add as needed, and make a personal decision on optional adjustments; track future uses, follow tips and detailed information for best results.
Nutrition Breakdown
Serving: 1 tablespoon
Calories: 11 kcal — low-calorie, adds flavor without extra energy
Carbohydrates: 2 g — minimal carbs from herbs and spices
Protein: 1 g — small amount, naturally occurring from seasoning ingredients
Fat: 0.3 g — very low fat, keeps the seasoning light
Saturated Fat: 0.1 g — negligible, heart-friendly
Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2 g — supports a balanced seasoning mix
Monounsaturated Fat: 0.03 g — trace, healthy fat contribution
Sodium: 1750 mg — boosts savory flavor, enhances overall taste
Potassium: 89 mg — adds mineral balance for seasoning
Fiber: 1 g — comes from herbs and spices in the mix
Sugar: 0.2 g — tiny amount to balance flavors
Vitamin A: 916 IU — sourced from paprika and chili spices
Vitamin C: 1 mg — trace antioxidant support
Calcium: 25 mg — small mineral contribution from spice ingredients
Iron: 1 mg — adds mild richness and depth to the seasoning