Homemade Lemon Pepper Seasoning is easy to make and all you need are four simple ingredients!
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I really prefer making my own spice blends and seasoning mixes rather than buying them at the grocery store. It's nice to know exactly what goes into my food!
And, in all honesty, it's usually cheaper, too. I wait until lemons are on sale and grab a whole bunch of them. Since this homemade seasoning lasts a long time, I make a huge batch of it. (Plus, it makes a great housewarming gift with a bottle of olive oil and a fresh loaf of bread!)
Making your own lemon pepper seasoning starts with fresh lemon zest, and drying it in the oven. It's a super easy recipe that you're going to want to use on chicken wings, steak bites, and veggies!
Related: Try our Grilled Lemon Chicken
❤️ Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Making your own seasonings saves money, and you don't have to guess about mystery ingredients that are the seasoning blend from the store!
- Lemon Pepper Seasoning makes great gifts for family and friends. Package it in a small glass jar with a pretty ribbon!
- This seasoning can be used as a dry rub, or even turned into a lemon pepper butter sauce!
🧂 Ingredients
This recipe will yield about ½ cup of homemade lemon pepper seasoning.
- fresh lemons
- black pepper
- garlic powder
- sea salt
This is meant to be a brief overview of the Homemade Lemon Pepper recipe. For step-by-step instructions and a full printable recipe card with ingredients, please scroll down to the teal box below or Jump to Recipe.
🔪 Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 275-degrees F.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Wash the lemons.
- Use the small side of a box grater, or a microplane to zest the lemons. Be sure to only get the yellow part and not the white pith.
- Spread the lemon zest out in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes until the lemon zest is dried out.
- Remove from the oven and allow the zest to cool.
- Using the parchment paper, transfer the dried zest to a spice grinder, coffee grinder, or food processor. (You can also use a mortar and pestle).
- Grind the zest.
- Add the lemon zest to the bowl along with the black pepper, sea salt, and garlic powder.
- Stir to combine.
🥄Equipment
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Here is what you will need to make this lemon pepper seasoning:
- Baking Sheet
- Mixing Bowl
- Spice Grinder or Food Processor
- Microplane Grater or Box Grater
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💭 Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some questions (and answers!) readers often ask about this recipe.
All lemon pepper seasonings are made with black pepper and dried lemon zest. Most also include salt. Some recipes, like ours, include garlic powder also.
Stored properly in an airtight container, homemade lemon pepper will last as long as 3 years!
Lemon Pepper Seasoning is delicious on chicken, fish, and pork, but it adds tons of flavor to veggies, too!
⭐ Tips
✔️ Choose lemons that do not have blemishes on the outside.
✔️ When zesting, be sure to only get the yellow part and not the white pith which is bitter tasting.
Don't waste the lemons!
Just because you've zested the lemons doesn't mean you can't still use the juice! Try one of these mouthwatering recipes:
🍲 Storage
To Store: Keep your lemon pepper seasoning in an airtight container in a cool dark place. A spice cabinet is generally a great spot since it is out of direct sunlight. (These are my favorite airtight containers.)
How to Use Lemon Pepper Seasoning
This yummy seasoning adds tons of zesty flavor (which comes from the fresh lemon peel!) It's a fabulous all purpose spice blend that can be used in the same way that you would use Italian Seasoning mix.
Sprinkle it over seafood or chicken before cooking. It's a great way to add a bright citrus tang to salads and veggies, too.
Related: Try our Lemon Vinaigrette Salad Dressing
📖 Variations
The first time you try any new recipe we recommend that you make it just as it is written on the recipe card since that is how the lemon pepper recipe has been tested. However, the next time you make our recipe, you might want to try one of these ideas:
- If you prefer, omit the garlic powder.
- If you are watching your sodium, omit the sea salt from the lemon pepper mixture.
- Add 2 teaspoons of onion powder to your lemon pepper mixture.
- Customize your lemon pepper spice mix by adding in additional flavor using 1 teaspoon of one of the following:
- dried dill (especially good for seafood!)
- ground chilies
- dried basil
- ground mustard
- dried tarragon
Related: Try our Lemon Garlic Shrimp Scampi
Lemon Pepper Butter Sauce
Melt ¼ cup of unsalted butter in a small microwave-safe bowl.
Mix it with 2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice and 2 teaspoons of this lemon pepper seasoning mix. Add a pinch of minced fresh herbs like chives or parsley, if desired.
This Lemon Pepper Sauce is delicious on everything from seafood to steamed veggies. Toss it with pasta or mix it into your favorite rice dish. Delish!
Related: Try our Cowboy Butter Dipping Sauce
😋 Similar Recipes
Next time, try one of these delicious spice mix recipes:
Not ready to make this Homemade Lemon Pepper yet? When you do make it, please come back and comment and leave me a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating below!
Homemade Lemon Pepper
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Equipment
- Mixing Bowl
Materials
- 3 large fresh lemons
- 4 teaspoons black pepper
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons sea salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 275-degrees F.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Wash the lemons.
- Use the small side of a box grater, or a micro plane to zest the lemons. Be sure to only get the yellow part and not the white pith.
- Spread the lemon zest out in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes until the lemon zest is dried out.
- Remove from the oven and allow the zest to cool.
- Using the parchment paper, transfer the dried zest to a spice grinder, coffee grinder, or food processor. (You can also use a mortar and pestle).
- Grind the zest.
- Add the lemon zest to the bowl along with the black pepper, sea salt, and garlic powder.
- Stir to combine.
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