Greek Seasoning substitute

Best substitute

Homemade Greek Seasoning Blend

Use the same amount as the greek seasoning you are replacing

Best for chicken

Close match

The real answer, mixed from ordinary spice-rack ingredients in about two minutes.

Other greek seasoning substitutes

Ranked, with the exact amount to use

2Salt-Free Version of the Same Blend
Close match
Use the same amount then salt the dish separately
The same mix with the salt left out, which gives you far better control.
What changes
Best for
brined or salted meat, salted feta dishes, low-sodium cooking, rubs
Worth knowing that most commercial Greek seasoning is substantially salt, which is why a recipe calling for a tablespoon of it and a separate teaspoon of salt often turns out too salty. Making it salt-free and seasoning the dish yourself is the single easiest improvement here, especially in anything with feta or olives already in it.
3Italian Seasoning Plus Garlic Powder and Dill
Different taste
For every 1 tablespoon Greek seasoning, use 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning, ½ teaspoon garlic powder and ¼ teaspoon dried dill
The fastest jar-based fix, since both blends are oregano-led Mediterranean herb mixes.
What changes
Best for
chicken, roast vegetables, pasta, marinades, quick weeknight cooking
Genuinely close once the garlic and dill are added. The gap is that Italian seasoning leans on basil and rosemary, which are loud and not especially Greek, so a marinade made this way tastes a little more Italian. The dill is what tips it back toward Greece and is the ingredient people forget.
4Oregano, Garlic Powder and Lemon
Close match
For every 1 tablespoon Greek seasoning, use 2 teaspoons dried oregano, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, salt to taste and the juice of half a lemon added to the dish
The stripped-back version, which is close to how Greek home cooking actually seasons chicken and potatoes.
What changes
Best for
roast lemon potatoes, grilled chicken, souvlaki, fish, salad dressing
Do not underestimate this. Oregano, garlic, lemon, olive oil and salt is the backbone of Greek flavour, and everything else in a commercial blend is a refinement on top. The result tastes brighter and less complex than a blend, and in a roast chicken or a tray of potatoes it is arguably better.
5Herbes de Provence or Za'atar
Taste and texture differ
Use 2 teaspoons of either for every 1 tablespoon Greek seasoning, plus ½ teaspoon garlic powder and salt
Two Mediterranean blends that share a good deal of DNA with Greek seasoning without being interchangeable.
What changes
Best for
roast chicken, lamb, vegetables, flatbreads, improvised substitution
Herbes de Provence is thyme-and-savory-led and often contains lavender, which is unmistakable and unwelcome in Greek food, so check the label. Za'atar brings oregano-family herbs with sesame and sour sumac, which is closer than you would guess and adds a tangy note that suits grilled meat. Both make good food that does not taste specifically Greek.
6Lemon Pepper Plus Oregano
Different taste
For every 1 tablespoon Greek seasoning, use 2 teaspoons lemon pepper and 1 ½ teaspoons dried oregano
A two-jar shortcut that covers the salt, pepper, citrus and herb elements at once.
What changes
Best for
grilled chicken, fish, roast potatoes, shrimp
Surprisingly effective on grilled chicken and fish, because Greek seasoning's job there is herb plus salt plus a citrus lift. It is missing the garlic and dill and lemon pepper blends vary widely in saltiness, so taste before adding any more salt. Weak in a salad dressing, where the dried citrus tastes artificial next to real lemon.

What is Greek Seasoning?

Greek Seasoning is Greek seasoning is a dried blend built around oregano, with garlic, onion, black pepper, salt and usually dill, mint, marjoram, thyme, cinnamon or nutmeg in smaller amounts, sold under brand names such as Cavender's.

Cooking tips

Greek seasoning is doing three jobs at once - herbal aroma from oregano, savoury depth from garlic and onion, and salt. Read the label of whatever blend you are replacing and check whether salt is high on the ingredient list, because if it is, a herb-only substitute will make the dish taste underseasoned even though the flavour is right.
Whatever you use, add lemon and olive oil to the dish as well. Almost every recipe that calls for Greek seasoning is really aiming at the combination of oregano, garlic, lemon and olive oil, and no dry blend on its own reaches that. A squeeze of lemon at the end does more for a Greek dish than any adjustment to the spice mix.
Rub the blend into the meat with the oil, not on dry. Dried herbs are fat-soluble, so mixing your seasoning into a tablespoon of olive oil before rubbing it on chicken or lamb distributes it evenly and keeps the herb flakes from burning in a hot oven or on a grill.
Make a double batch and keep it in a small jar out of the light. A homemade Greek spice blend keeps its punch for around six months, and having it ready means you never think about buying Cavender's again. Label it, because a jar of homemade blend looks identical to every other jar of homemade blend after a month.
For a Greek salad, skip the dry blend on the vegetables and use it in the dressing instead. Sprinkled on cucumber and tomato it stays gritty and sits in patches, while whisked into olive oil and red wine vinegar it dissolves and coats everything evenly.

Frequently asked questions

What is in Greek seasoning?

Oregano is always the backbone, with garlic powder, onion powder, salt and black pepper, and then some combination of dill, marjoram, thyme, mint, rosemary, parsley and occasionally a small amount of cinnamon or nutmeg. Commercial blends such as Cavender's are also quite salty, which is worth knowing before you add more salt to the dish.

Can I use Italian seasoning instead of Greek seasoning?

Yes, and it is the closest single jar. Both are oregano-led Mediterranean herb blends. Add half a teaspoon of garlic powder and a quarter teaspoon of dried dill per tablespoon to move it toward Greek, and be aware that the basil and rosemary in Italian seasoning give it a distinctly Italian accent that no amount of adjustment removes.

Can I just use plain oregano?

Yes, and in a lot of dishes it is all you need. Use about two thirds as much oregano as the blend called for, add garlic powder and salt, and finish the dish with lemon juice. Greek home cooking leans on oregano, garlic, lemon and olive oil far more than on any spice mixture, so this is a substitution toward the tradition rather than away from it.

Can I leave Greek seasoning out entirely?

You can, but the dish will taste plain rather than wrong, since the blend is providing most of its aroma. If you have literally no dried herbs, lean harder on garlic, lemon, black pepper, salt and good olive oil - that combination alone makes very respectable Greek chicken or potatoes. Omitting the seasoning and adding nothing leaves a real gap.

How much homemade blend equals a packet of Cavender's?

Substitute measure for measure - a teaspoon of homemade blend for a teaspoon of the commercial one. The only caveat is salt: if you made the salt-free version, add roughly a quarter teaspoon of salt for every tablespoon of blend to match, then taste and adjust.

Related substitutes

More seasonings substitutes

Greek Seasoning substitute

Other greek seasoning substitutes

2Salt-Free Version of the Same Blend

3Italian Seasoning Plus Garlic Powder and Dill

4Oregano, Garlic Powder and Lemon

5Herbes de Provence or Za'atar

6Lemon Pepper Plus Oregano