Copycat Lawry’s Seasoned Salt (5-Minute Homemade Recipe)

That little red-capped jar of Lawry’s goes on everything—fries, eggs, chicken, even cottage cheese—but the price keeps climbing and it always runs dry mid-recipe. This 5-minute copycat nails the same golden color and savory-sweet flavor with pantry spices, no MSG, and no fillers.

If there’s one jar that has earned permanent counter space in kitchens across the country, it’s that little red-capped bottle of Lawry’s Seasoned Salt. It goes on everything — eggs, fries, chicken, burgers, popcorn, even (famously) cottage cheese. But the price keeps creeping up, the jar always seems to run dry mid-recipe, and the ingredient list includes fillers you didn’t ask for. This copycat Lawry’s Seasoned Salt fixes all of that. In about five minutes, with spices you almost certainly already own, you can mix up a homemade version that matches the signature golden color and savory-sweet flavor of the original — no MSG, no anti-caking agents, and you decide exactly how much salt goes in.

Once you make a batch, you’ll stop buying the bottle. It joins the lineup of all-purpose homemade blends that quietly do the heavy lifting in everyday cooking.

Why You’ll Love This Copycat Lawry’s Seasoned Salt

• Tastes like the real thing. Unlike most homemade versions floating around, this one includes the sugar and turmeric that give authentic Lawry’s its slightly sweet edge and golden-orange color — the two ingredients most copycats leave out.
• Ready in 5 minutes. No cooking, no grinding required. Measure, whisk, store.
• You control the salt. Make it full-strength or cut the salt for a low-sodium version that still delivers big flavor.
• No fillers or MSG. Just real spices — no silicon dioxide, no maltodextrin, no mystery “natural flavor.”
• Cheaper by the batch. Pennies per tablespoon when you mix it yourself from pantry spices.
• Endlessly versatile. Beef, poultry, pork, potatoes, veggies, eggs, popcorn — it makes almost anything taste better.

What Is Lawry’s Seasoned Salt?

Lawry’s Seasoned Salt was created in 1938 at the famous Lawry’s The Prime Rib restaurant in Beverly Hills, California. It was the first seasoned salt ever sold at retail, and the brand is now owned by McCormick. The blend is built on salt and rounded out with sugar, paprika, turmeric, onion, and garlic — a balanced, savory-sweet profile that works as an all-purpose substitute for plain table salt.

“Seasoned salt” simply means salt that’s been blended with herbs and spices so you get seasoning and salt in one shake. That’s exactly what we’re recreating here, with the same backbone flavors as the original.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Everything here is a standard spice-rack staple. Here’s what each one does in the blend:

• Fine sea salt or table salt — the base. A fine grain dissolves and distributes evenly, just like the original. (Skip coarse kosher salt here; it shakes out unevenly.)
• Sugar — the secret most copycats skip. A small amount balances the salt and rounds out the savory notes. Real Lawry’s contains it.
• Sweet paprika — adds color and a mild, earthy warmth.
• Onion powder — savory depth.
• Garlic powder — the other half of that classic aromatic punch.
• Ground turmeric — the second ingredient most homemade versions leave out. It’s what gives Lawry’s its signature golden-orange tint. A little goes a long way.
• Celery salt — that subtle, slightly savory background note you can’t quite place.
• Ground black pepper — a touch of bite.
• Cornstarch (optional) — a pinch keeps the blend free-flowing and clump-free, mimicking the anti-caking effect of store-bought without the chemical fillers.

Ingredient Substitutions

• No celery salt? Use a scant 1/4 teaspoon ground celery seed plus a tiny extra pinch of salt.
• Want it salt-free? Swap the sea salt for a potassium-based salt substitute and use garlic and onion powder (not salts).
• Smokier flavor? Use smoked paprika in place of sweet paprika.
• No turmeric? You can omit it, but the color will be paler and less “Lawry’s-like.” It’s worth keeping in.

How to Make Copycat Lawry’s Seasoned Salt

1. Measure. Add all the ingredients to a small bowl.
2. Whisk. Stir or whisk for about 30 seconds, until the color is completely uniform and you don’t see streaks of paprika or turmeric.
3. Optional — refine the texture. For an ultra-fine, store-bought-style powder, pulse the blend in a clean spice grinder for a few seconds.
4. Store. Transfer to a clean, airtight spice jar. Label it and keep it in a cool, dark pantry.

That’s it — no cooking, no resting, ready to use immediately.

Tips for the Best Homemade Seasoned Salt

• Use fresh spices. If your paprika or turmeric has been in the cupboard for two years, the flavor and color will be flat. Fresh, fragrant spices make the biggest difference.
• Whisk until uniform. Streaky color means uneven flavor. Mix until it’s one consistent shade.
• Taste and adjust. Sprinkle a pinch on a cracker or a bit of plain potato. Want it saltier, sweeter, or more savory? Tweak and re-whisk.
• Add the cornstarch if you live somewhere humid — it’s the easiest way to keep the blend from clumping in the jar.

Variations

• Low-sodium Lawry’s: Cut the salt in half. The flavor is slightly different (salt amplifies the other spices), but it’s still robust and far lower in sodium than the store version.
• Salt-free: Replace salt with a salt substitute and use garlic/onion powder instead of celery salt.
• Spicy seasoned salt: Add 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon cayenne or a pinch of chipotle powder.
• No MSG, ever: This recipe is naturally MSG-free — one of the main reasons to make it yourself.

How to Use Lawry’s Seasoned Salt

This is a true all-purpose blend. Think of it anywhere you’d reach for plain salt and want more flavor. A few favorite ways to put it to work:

• Shake it over crispy air fryer French fries or sweet potato fries.
• Toss it with roasted potatoes or roasted potatoes and tomatoes before they go in the air fryer.
• Season breakfast potatoes and scrambled eggs.
• Rub it on chicken, steak, burgers, or pork before cooking.
• Sprinkle over popcorn, roasted vegetables, or homemade chips.
• Stir a pinch into dips, dressings, and ground meat.

Need dinner ideas to put it on? Browse these budget air fryer dinners and our full collection of air fryer recipes.

Homemade vs. Store-Bought

A jar of Lawry’s is convenient, but making it yourself wins on three fronts. Cost: a batch from bulk pantry spices runs a fraction of the bottled price. Control: you decide the salt level and can scale it down for a low-sodium diet. Cleaner label: commercial seasoned salts often include sugar plus anti-caking agents and other additives — homemade has only what you put in it. The trade-off is that you’ll occasionally need to give the jar a shake, since you’re skipping the industrial anti-caking chemicals (a pinch of cornstarch handles most of it).

How to Store

Keep your seasoned salt in an airtight jar in a cool, dark, dry spot — away from the heat and steam of the stove. Stored properly with fresh spices, it stays flavorful for up to a year. Glass jars are best; plastic can trap moisture and cause clumping. Give it a quick stir or shake before each use.

Make It a Gift

Homemade seasoned salt makes a thoughtful, useful gift. Spoon it into a small 4-ounce jar, screw on the lid, tie a ribbon around the neck, and add a handwritten label. It’s a favorite alongside other homemade copycat kitchen staples in a gift basket.

More Copycat Seasoning Recipes to Try

If this blend earned a spot in your spice cabinet, you’ll want these too:

• Copycat Morton’s Nature’s Seasoning
• Copycat Montreal Steak Seasoning
• Copycat McCormick’s Smash Seasoning
• Copycat McCormick Smokehouse Maple Seasoning
• Homemade Chili Seasoning Mix (McCormick Copycat)
• Copycat Kinder’s The Blend
• Copycat Kinder’s Honey Mustard Seasoning

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Lawry’s Seasoned Salt made of? The original blend is made from salt, sugar, paprika, turmeric, onion, and garlic, plus a few other spices. This copycat recreates that profile with sea salt, sugar, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, turmeric, celery salt, and black pepper.

Is seasoned salt the same as Lawry’s? Lawry’s is a specific brand of seasoned salt — the first one ever sold at retail. “Seasoned salt” is the general category: any salt blended with herbs and spices. This recipe is a homemade version designed to taste like the Lawry’s blend specifically.

Does this copycat have MSG? No. This homemade version is naturally MSG-free, which is one of the main reasons people make their own.

Why is there turmeric and sugar in the recipe? Both are in the authentic Lawry’s blend. Turmeric provides the signature golden-orange color, and a little sugar balances the salt and rounds out the savory flavor. Many homemade versions skip them, which is why they don’t quite match the original.

How do I make a low-sodium version? Simply cut the salt by half, or replace it with a potassium-based salt substitute. The flavor shifts slightly because salt amplifies the other spices, but it stays flavorful and is much lower in sodium than the store-bought jar.

How long does homemade seasoned salt last? Stored in an airtight jar in a cool, dark pantry, it keeps for up to a year. Use fresh spices for the best flavor and color, and stir before each use.

Is this recipe gluten-free? Yes — all the spices used are naturally gluten-free. If you’re highly sensitive, check that your individual spice brands are certified gluten-free, since cross-contamination can occur during processing.

How much homemade blend equals a store-bought jar? One batch makes roughly 1/4 cup — about the volume of a small Lawry’s bottle. Use it measure-for-measure anywhere a recipe calls for seasoned salt.

More Easy Seasoning Recipes

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Ways to Use Lawry’s Seasoned Salt

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Related Recipes from Fork To Spoon

• Copycat Morton’s Nature’s Seasoning
• Copycat Montreal Steak Seasoning
• Copycat McCormick’s Smash Seasoning
• Copycat McCormick Smokehouse Maple Seasoning
• Homemade Chili Seasoning Mix (McCormick Copycat)
• Copycat Kinder’s The Blend
• Copycat Kinder’s Honey Mustard Seasoning