Homemade Garlic Salt (easier and better than store-bought!)
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This incredibly versatile garlic salt spice blend adds a world of flavor to any dish! It’s super simple to make, and you’ll quickly find yourself adding it to everything!
Homemade garlic salt is one of those tiny kitchen upgrades I swear by because it makes such a noticeable difference. With just sea salt and garlic granules, you get a seasoning that’s fresher, bolder, and far more flavorful than anything from the store. I love knowing exactly what’s in it, too—no fillers, no additives, just clean garlic flavor balanced with salt.
It also couldn’t be easier to make. In about five minutes, using a simple 3:1 ratio of sea salt to garlic granules, you’ve got a seasoning that’s ready for just about anything. I keep a jar on the counter and reach for it constantly—on roasted vegetables, grilled meats, popcorn, fries, and even avocado toast.
Since it works anywhere you’d normally use salt, the uses are endless. I mix it into dry rubs and marinades, use it to season chicken, fish, shrimp, or beef, and stir it into salad dressings and dips. Once you start using homemade garlic salt, it’s hard to go back to packaged garlic salt.
Variations to try
Here are some additional ways to make your meals sing by making and using your own spice blends.
- Pepper: Adding pepper will add a peppery, woody flavor. It’s also commonly referred to as SPG or salt pepper garlic. In this case, you would add equal parts of all three spices.
- Onion powder: Sharp and sweet, including onion powder in your blend will be great for savory dishes! To turn this combo into an All Purpose Seasoning blend, use the sea salt, garlic granules, onion powder + paprika and pepper. Use half the black pepper and onion powder as you do paprika, garlic, and salt.
- Lemon or lime zest: Adding citrus zest to your spice blend adds a nice zip of flavor. You’ll need to peel a number of lemons/limes and then dry them in order to do this. This is often called lemon garlic salt or lime garlic salt. Check out our recipe for lemon pepper seasoning to learn how to dry citrus peels.
Garlic granules vs garlic powder
The primary difference between garlic granules and garlic powder lies in their size. Granules are larger dried garlic flakes, whereas garlic powder is much finer.
When choosing between garlic granules or garlic powder in a spice blend, granules are your top choice. The reason is that the granules’ texture will mix more consistently and evenly with the other spices than the finer garlic powder.
What’s the best garlic salt ratio?
Garlic salt follows a 3:1 ratio of salt to garlic. This means it’s more salty than garlic-y. This recipe makes ½ cup. If you would like more or less, simply scale the spices up or down, maintaining the 3:1 ratio.
- To make less (¼ cup): Use 3 tablespoons of sea salt and 1 tablespoon of garlic granules.
- To make more (1 cup): Use 12 tablespoons (or ¾ cup) of sea salt and 4 tablespoons of garlic granules.
Homemade Garlic Salt (easier and better than store-bought!)
Ingredients
- 6 tablespoons sea salt
- 2 tablespoons garlic granules
Instructions
- Add the sea salt and garlic granules to a small bowl.6 tablespoons sea salt, 2 tablespoons garlic granules
- Stir until it is well combined.
- Transfer the garlic salt to a jar and either use it right away or store it in your pantry.
Notes
Nutrition
We have thoroughly tested this recipe for accuracy. However, individual results may vary. See our full recipe disclosure here.
This is quite good. I whirled parsley flakes in my spice grinder and added them to the mix – about 3 T.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! 😊 Whirling the parsley flakes into the mix is such a smart idea — I love that little boost of herby flavor. Thanks so much for sharing your tweak!
It adds such a delicious kick to my meals. I use it on everything from roasted vegetables to grilled meats. It’s a must-have seasoning in my kitchen!
Who knew it could be so easy! My family loves garlic salt on pretty much every savory thing, and I love that I can make it myself! Thanks!
If you CAN make it, why not?! Thanks for the ratio.