Zingy and spicy, this homemade lemon pepper seasoning is the perfect way to add flavor to chicken and seafood dishes. Made with fresh lemon zest, this mix is perfect for adding to your homemade spice blend!
This post contains affiliate links, please read my full disclaimer here.
The full recipe with ingredients/instructions is available on the recipe card at the bottom of the post. Important tips/tricks are also included in the blog post.
Whenever I can, I love to make my own seasonings. You know exactly what goes into them, they have a great shelf life and they are easy to make, plus it's way cheaper too!
This lemon pepper seasoning is made with just 3 ingredients, fresh lemon zest, salt, and pepper - that's it! It has a great shelf life, and the recipe is easily doubled so you can make up a big batch and have it on hand ready to use.
If you want to add some zesty flavor to your plate, this seasoning is the way to go!
Be sure to try my Caribbean Green Seasoning and Homemade Cajun Seasoning too!
How to make lemon pepper seasoning
- Gather your ingredients. You will need some lemons and black pepper. That's it!
- Preheat the oven to 175 degrees Fahrenheit and prepare a sheet pan by lining it with parchment paper.
- Zest your lemons and place the zest on a sheet pan and place in the oven.
- Bake until dried, about 20-25 minutes, stirring the zest occasionally.
- Remove and place dried zest in a grinder with black pepper and kosher salt. Grind until finely ground.
- Use in your favorite recipes and enjoy.
How do you store it?
This lemon pepper seasoning will keep well for up to 3 months. Keep it in a sealed air-tight container or glass jar and keep it in a cupboard out of direct sunlight and away from damp. It's ready to use straight out of the jar.
What's the best way to zest lemons?
A Microplane grater is the easiest and quickest way of zesting lemons, and it creates a more even zest than a box grater. If you don't have a Microplane or box grater, you can use a vegetable peeler to remove the top layer of skin and slice it into thin strips with a knife. Then grind up as instructed.
How do you use it?
I love to use this zesty and spicy seasoning on chicken and fish dishes. It's wonderful rubbed onto wings, thighs or chicken breasts before cooking, or rub some into salmon or cod fillet. It's also great sprinkled into salads or dressings for an extra boost of flavor.
Recipe Notes and Tips
- Some lemons can be coated with wax to help preserve them. Remove this by pouring boiling water over the lemons and giving them a good scrub before zesting.
- Be careful not to grate the lemon down too much. The white lemon pith tends to be quite bitter, so you just want the top yellow skin.
- This homemade lemon pepper seasoning works best if lemon juice is added as well. I like to add at least 1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice to each teaspoon of seasoning.
- This can be stored for up to 3 months.
More Homemade Seasonings
Lemon Pepper Seasoning Recipe
Ingredients
Equipment
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 175 degrees Fahrenheit and prepare a sheet pan by lining it with parchment paper.
- Place lemon zest on a sheet pan and place in the oven.
- Bake until dried, about 20-25 minutes, stirring the zest occasionally.
- Remove and place dried zest in a grinder with black pepper and kosher salt. Grind until finely ground.
- Use in your favorite recipes and enjoy.
Nutrition
Notes
- Some lemons can be coated with wax to help preserve them. Remove this by pouring boiling water over the lemons and giving them a good scrub before zesting.
- Be careful not to grate the lemon down too much. The white lemon pith tends to be quite bitter, so you just want the top yellow skin.
- This homemade lemon pepper seasoning works best if lemon juice is added as well. I like to add at least 1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice to each teaspoon of seasoning.
- This can be stored for up to 3 months.
Judith Fiorentino says
I’m confused, when do I add the lemon juice? After the lemon zest is baked and ground with pepper and salt then put into storage jars? Is so wouldn’t that make the spice wet and hard to use. I sprinkle the McCormick on my chicken thighs and legs!
Tanya says
Hi Judith, I don't add lemon juice to this recipe as is. I'll add lemon juice to the recipe I'm making, using both dry lemon pepper seasoning and lemon juice. You can see it in action in my lemon pepper chicken thighs recipe. https://www.myforkinglife.com/lemon-pepper-air-fryer-chicken-thighs/