This Homemade Sazon Seasoning is versatile and flavorful, all without any MSG, artificial colors, and anti-caking agents that you often find in storebought versions. I use this 6-ingredient rub once a week for pulled pork, fish, chicken, beef, beans and rice, and more! 

Sazon - Homemade Mix Seasoning In Small White Marble Dip Bowl

I had no idea Sazon Seasoning was a thing until my foodie trip to Columbus several years ago, when North Market Spices sent me home with a packet of sazon to try.

At first I had no idea what to do with it, but I decided to rub it onto some pork shoulder, popped into the slow cooker, and became hooked forever.

Since then I’ve sure been making up for lost time.

No joke, this seasoning is always in my pantry now, and I make pulled pork with it at least once a week.

I literally have some sazon seasoned pork in the slow cooker cooking right now, and I also enjoy it with other meats, potatoes, rice, and more. The flavor is incredible!

Tips for Best Results

Use fresh spices – Spices, especially ground spices, tend to lose their flavor rapidly as they sit in the pantry. The general rule of thumb is that they will stay potently fresh for 3 to 6 months after opening. They won’t necessarily be “bad” at that point, but less flavorful. So try to use freshly purchased spices here for optimal flavor.

Store in an airtight container – A glass jar or container is my favorite for keeping air and moisture out of the sazon seasoning. I don’t recommend a ziptop plastic bag, because they tend to puncture easily and can be too breathable.

Boneless Pork Shoulder In Crockpot With Homemade Sazon Mix Seasoning

If you’re not familiar with this magical spice mix, it’s a staple of Latin cooking. The iconic packet of Sazon Goya is beloved my many, though personally I am uncomfortable with ingredients like monosodium glutamate, artificial colors, and anti-caking agents. They really are not necessary here anyway.

North Market Spices’ ingredients list for it is: Annatto, Garlic, Salt, Cumin, Black Pepper, Coriander, and Oregano.

For my final version after many rounds of tweaking and testing, I mostly stuck with this blend of spices, with a few minor changes.

Ground Annatto, Ground Coriander, Ground Cumin, Dried Oregano, Garlic Powder, Onion Powder In Marble Bowl For Homemade Sazon Mix

I found I like adding a little bit of onion powder to the mix, and I also like making the actual sazon seasoning without salt or black pepper.

This comes from a personal preference of seasoning the meat separately since it’s hard to tell how much salt is going on when there’s salt already mixed in.

I do this with all my homemade seasoning blends, whether it’s Cajun Seasoning, Fajita Seasoning, Taco Seasoning, or Everything Bagel Seasoning.

I’ve developed a knack for knowing how much salt and pepper to add to meat just by eyeing it, but a good rule of thumb to start with is 3/4 tsp of salt per pound of meat.

That number will vary based on the salt you’re using, and personal taste. But it’s easiest to calculate when you know you don’t have to factor in extra salt in the seasoning.

Sazon Seasoning - Mixed Together In White Dip Bowl

Ingredients Needed

The six Sazon seasoning ingredients you’ll need are ground coriander, ground cumin, ground annatto seed, garlic powder, onion powder, and dried oregano.

If you’re not familiar with it, annatto seeds come from the fruit of the achiote tree, that’s ground and often used as a dye. I first discovered it a few years ago when I noticed it as a common ingredient in cheddar cheese. But annatto isn’t just for vibrant color. It has a distinct flavor too that makes it a key ingredient here, that has a warm and earthy taste.

Some people say that sweet paprika with cayenne pepper is a good substitute for the annatto, but I disagree. Because there are only six ingredients here, you really need the annatto. See the FAQ below on where to find it.

As far as using the sazón seasoning for pulled pork, I simply rub a few tablespoons of the spice blend all over a boneless, tied pork shoulder, season with salt and pepper, then throw it into the slow cooker on low for about 8 hours, per my Slow Cooker Pulled Pork method (or I add it to this Smoked Pork Butt).

Then you can shred the meat and toss it back into the juices.

Pulled Pork Seasoned With Sazon Mix In Green And Brown Ceramic Bowl

Ways to Use It

Sazon Seasoning is incredibly versatile. Here are some of the ways I use it in my own kitchen.

Meats: It’s great not just for pork of any kind (try it on Carnitas), but also pretty much all other meats, but especially steaks like Grilled Ribeye. Also try rubbing it on Santa Maria Tri Tip or a Reverse Sear Prime Rib. Sazon spice also works well for poultry like Spatchcock Chicken and Crockpot Chicken Breast.

FYI you do not have to put olive oil on the meat first, but you can if you wish to turn it into more of a paste.

Potatoes: Sprinkle sazon onto Steak Fries, Crispy Smashed Potatoes, Homemade French Fries, or any other potato preparation.

Eggs: Add sazon seasoning to eggy breakfast preparations like a Potato Frittata, Breakfast Burritos, and Omelettes.

Rice: Add a tablespoon to your next batch of Mexican Rice, Arroz Con Pollo, or yellow rice.

I hope you give this magical dry rub a try. I really love keeping it on hand!

For those who would rather buy it than make it, I saw that North Market Spices has an online shop to buy it. I don’t recommend the typical grocery store brands, which have MSG and artificial colors and ingredients in them. It’s so easy to mix some up yourself.

Recipe FAQ and Tips

How do you store Sazon Seasoning?

Keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 6 months. It won’t necessarily be “bad” after this, but the flavors will not be as potent. I recommend a glass jar or container.

Where do you get the ground annatto?

Annatto powder isn’t always available in grocery stores, though groceries with Latin foods and hispanic markets tend to have it. I order mine online. Amazon has plenty of choices for only a few dollars (like this one – affiliate), and I usually get Badia brand. Ground annatto sometimes goes by the name “achiote.”

Did you enjoy the recipe? Please leave a 5-star rating in the recipe card below and/or a review in the comments section further down the page. Or, follow me on Facebook, Instagram or Pinterest!

Sazon Seasoning Homemade In Small White Marble Dip Bowl

Sazon Seasoning

Servings: 5 tbsp
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes
This Homemade Sazon Seasoning combines a handful of simple spices for a mix that’s versatile and flavorful. I use it once a week for pulled pork, and it’s also great with fish, chicken, beef, beans and rice, and more! 
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Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp ground coriander
  • 1 tbsp ground cumin
  • 1 tbsp ground annatto seeds*
  • 1 tbsp garlic powder
  • 2 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 tsp onion powder

Instructions 

  • Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and mix until the spices are evenly distributed.
  • Or, place all ingredients in a resealable plastic bag or jar, and shake.

Notes

*This is the one spice that your local grocery may not carry. I usually have to order it online. Amazon has many choices for only a few dollars (like this one). Some people substitute turmeric in place of annatto, and while I don’t think it’s a similar flavor, the mix does taste delicious with turmeric substituted in.
Storage: Keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 6 months. It won’t necessarily be “bad” after this, but the flavors will not be as potent. I recommend a glass jar or container.
Scaling: Feel free to double or triple the batch as you like.

Nutrition

Calories: 24kcal, Carbohydrates: 4g, Protein: 1g, Fat: 1g, Sodium: 5mg, Fiber: 2g

Nutrition is estimated using a food database and is only intended to be used as a guideline for informational purposes.

Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Mexican
Author: Joanne Ozug