Ingredients

• The specific ingredients for Italian seasoning vary according to recipe and come with different accents, like spicy-hot and mild. The basic herbs included in most recipes are basil, oregano, parsley, garlic and onion. Some Italian seasoning mixes also include other traditional Italian herbs, such as thyme, dill, black pepper, dried red pepper flakes and rosemary. The herbs and spices are dried before packaging or mixing and stored in an airtight container.

How to Use

• Use Italian seasoning mix in almost any dish that calls for ground beef. Add seasoning mix to raw beef before cooking and then thoroughly mix the ground beef to ensure an even distribution of the herbs and spices. Add seasoning mix to cooked ground beef as a light, zestful finish by sprinkling on top of the meat.

Dish Ideas

• Add Italian seasoning mix to ground beef before making meatballs, hamburgers or meatloaf. Use Italian seasoning mix in ground beef for lasagna and pasta dishes, such as spaghetti Bolognese, where the seasoning mix can be added to the meat beforehand or sprinkled on top of the finished creation.

Making Italian Seasoning Mix

• Make your own mix at home by purchasing each of the herbs you want to include separately from the spice rack in a grocery store or Italian deli. Use a spice grinder to crush dried herbs into an even consistency before mixing together. If you don't have a spice grinder, use a small bowl and the back of a spoon.