Whether you’re cooking homemade burgers outside on a grill or inside on the stove, the first step to making a knock-it-out-of-the-park burger is to season it properly. This super simple Homemade Burger Seasoning takes seconds to make, uses budget-friendly spices you probably already have, and gives your patties a smoky, savory, slightly peppery flavor without needing a store-bought mix. I like to sprinkle it over the outside of the patties right before cooking so the seasoning hits the heat first, helps build a flavorful crust, and keeps the burger tender and juicy!

Side view of homemade burger seasoning in a jar with a spoon.

“This is hands down the best burger seasoning I’ve ever had! Amazing and the hubby loved it. Said he felt like he was eating at a restaurant.”

— Ginger

The Easiest Way To Season Burgers

I always use this burger seasoning on our homemade hamburgers, but it’s just as useful for chicken burgers, veggie burgers, or any simple patty that needs a little more savory, smoky flavor. The sweet paprika, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, cayenne, and salt all do their own jobs, but the two paprikas make the blend taste more layered by adding an earthy sweetness and a deeper, cookout-style smokiness.

The cooking method brings out different sides of the seasoning, too. On the grill, the smoked paprika plays up that smoky BBQ flavor, cast iron helps the seasoning toast against the hot surface for a deeper savory crust, and a regular skillet still gives the seasoning enough heat to bloom and flavor the patty.

A good burger still starts with the meat, though, and the seasoning should work with it. Fat adds richness and moisture, while salt enhances the savory flavor in the patty, which is why 80/20 ground beef is such a great choice for juicy, flavorful burgers. Leaner patties, like chicken burgers or extra-lean beef burgers, usually need a little more seasoning help because they don’t have as much fat to carry the flavor. I like to sprinkle this blend over the outside of the patties right before cooking instead of mixing it into the raw meat, since too much salt worked directly into the meat can draw out moisture and create a firm, bouncy texture instead of a tender burger.

Recipe developer stirring homemade burger seasoning in a bowl

Tips for Using Burger Seasoning

  1. A little goes a long way. A thin, even coating of seasoning is what you want. If the seasoning is heavily caked on the surface of your burgers, it may taste too salty or leave the outside a little gritty after cooking. Use about ¾ teaspoon per ¼-lb burger, divided between both sides.

  2. Make a bigger batch. This recipe makes about 1 tablespoon of burger seasoning, which is enough for about 4 burgers (¼ lb each). Simply scale up the ingredient amounts proportionally if you’d like to mix a larger quantity to keep on hand.

Recipe

Cost: $0.20 per batch / $0.05 per serving | Servings: 4

Ingredients

  • 1 tsp sweet paprika
  • ½ tsp smoked paprika
  • ½ tsp onion powder
  • ½ tsp garlic powder
  • ¼ tsp freshly cracked black pepper
  • ⅛ tsp cayenne pepper
  • ½ tsp salt

Instructions

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and stir until evenly blended. Sprinkle about ¾ teaspoon over each ¼-lb patty, divided between both sides, just before cooking. Store any remaining seasoning in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 6 months.

This blend keeps well in the pantry, so making a double or triple batch means you’ll always have great burger seasoning ready when grilling season calls for it.