How to Use Italian Market

If you grabbed Italian Market and thought, “Okay, what do I actually do with this,” you are in the right place.

This post is built to make you confident fast. You can skim the top for a quick win, or keep going and learn how to use Italian Market in a way that makes everyday food taste intentional.

We build blends for flavor first, not salt first. Start light, taste, then salt to your palate.

Jump to what you need

• Quick Start

• What it tastes like

• What to use it on

• How much to use

• When to add it

• Region inspired easy wins

• Flavor building templates

• Questions and troubleshooting

• Shop and stay connected

Quick Start

Taste in plain words

• Savory and herby

• Tomato and garlic forward

• Classic Italian comfort vibes

• A little smoky depth

• Gentle heat in the background

Best on

• Red sauce and meat sauce

• Meatballs

• Roasted veggies

• Potatoes

• Beans

• Italian sandwiches

• Olive oil dip

• Dressing when adding vinegar

Start here

• Proteins: 1 tablespoon per pound, then taste.

• Sauces: 1 to 2 teaspoons per 24 ounces of tomato base, then taste.

Fast dinner move

• Warm olive oil in a pan.

• Add Italian Market and garlic.

• Add crushed tomatoes.

• Simmer 10 to 15 minutes.

• Finish with a little butter or olive oil, then taste and adjust.

If you feel like you used too much

• Add more of the base food first.

• Then add fat and time.

• A little olive oil or butter smooths it out.

• If it tastes sharp, give it a few more minutes of simmering.

Starter map note: This is our starter map. We update it as we test new ideas and as customers share what they’re cooking.

What it tastes like

Italian Market is meant to give you that Sunday sauce comfort on a Tuesday night.

It brings:

• Savory base: tomato, garlic, onion

• Herby backbone: oregano, thyme, basil

• Classic Italian depth: fennel and black pepper

• Smoky support: smoked paprika

• Gentle heat: crushed red pepper, Aleppo pepper

• Lift: citric acid

It is not meant to taste salty. It is meant to taste complete. You choose the salt level that works for you.

What to use it on

Italian flavor feels familiar, but people still get stuck in the same rut. Here is a simple starter map to keep it practical and repeatable. We update it as we test new ideas and as customers share what they’re cooking.

If it is a protein, a bean, a grain, or a veggie, Italian Market is a safe place to start.

Best first uses

These are the fastest wins if you’re new to Italian Market.

• Red sauce or quick marinara style sauce

• Meat sauce

• Meatballs

• Roasted broccoli, zucchini, peppers, or onions

• Roasted potatoes

Great next uses

Once you have a feel for it, try these.

• White beans with olive oil and lemon

• Chicken cutlets, baked chicken, or chicken thighs

• Italian sandwich flavor boost for subs or wraps

• Olive oil bread dip

• Dressing base with olive oil plus vinegar

• Soups with tomato base

• Pizza sauce shortcut

• Scrambled eggs or frittata with a pinch mixed in

Popular right now

These are dinner formats people lean on because they’re fast, flexible, and easy to repeat.

• Pasta bowls

• Sheet pan chicken and veggies

• Meal prep bowls with beans and roasted veggies

Want to help us grow this list? Tell us what you cooked with Italian Market in the comments.

How much to use

If you only remember one thing, remember this:

Start light, cook, taste, then adjust.

Here are reliable starting points that keep you in control.

Sauces

• Crushed tomatoes or tomato sauce: 1 to 2 teaspoons per 24 ounces

• For a bolder sauce, go up to 1 tablespoon per 24 ounces

• Let it simmer. Time matters.

Proteins

• Chicken, beef, pork, turkey: 1 tablespoon per pound

• If you want bolder: up to 1 and a half tablespoons per pound

Meatballs or meatloaf

• 1 tablespoon per pound of meat

• Add it directly to the mix.

Roasted veggies and potatoes

• 1 to 2 teaspoons per sheet pan

• Toss with oil first, then add seasoning so it sticks.

Beans

• 1 teaspoon per can, or 2 teaspoons per pot

• Finish with a squeeze of lemon for lift.

Olive oil dip and dressing

• Bread dip: 1 to 2 teaspoons per 1 and a half tablespoons olive oil

• Dressing base: 1 teaspoon per 2 tablespoons olive oil, then add vinegar and taste

When to add it

Timing is the difference between “seasoned” and “flat.”

For sauce

• Add Italian Market early so it has time to build depth

• Let it simmer at least 10 minutes if you can

• Taste at the end and adjust

For meatballs and ground meat

• Add it directly into the mix before cooking

• For meat sauce, add it as the meat browns

For roasted foods

• Season before roasting

• Taste after roasting

• If you want more aroma, add a small pinch after roasting

For dressings and dips

• Mix it into olive oil first

• Then add vinegar or lemon

• Taste and adjust

Region inspired easy wins

These are not complicated recipes. They are simple, foundational dishes that give you an authentic, feels right starting point without needing a whole spice cabinet.

Quick red sauce that tastes like you planned ahead

What to buy

• Olive oil

• Garlic

• Crushed tomatoes

• Optional: onion

• Optional: butter

• Optional: parmesan and fresh herbs

How to do it

1. Warm olive oil in a pan.

2. Add garlic and optional onion, cook until fragrant.

3. Add crushed tomatoes.

4. Stir in 1 to 2 teaspoons Italian Market per 24 ounces.

5. Simmer 10 to 15 minutes.

6. Finish with a little butter or olive oil. Taste and adjust. Salt to your palate.

Make it stand out

• Add a spoon of pasta water when tossing with noodles.

• Top with parmesan and fresh parsley or basil.

Meatballs that taste like a neighborhood spot

What to buy

• Ground beef and pork, or all beef

• Breadcrumbs

• Milk

• Egg

• Parmesan

• Italian Market

• Optional: fresh parsley

How to do it

1. Soak breadcrumbs in milk for 2 minutes.

2. Mix meat, egg, parmesan, and 1 tablespoon Italian Market per pound.

3. Form meatballs gently.

4. Bake or pan sear until browned and cooked through.

5. Simmer in sauce if you want them extra tender.

Make it stand out

• Finish in sauce for 10 minutes.

• Add a pinch of Italian Market at the end of the sauce for aroma.

White beans that feel restaurant simple

What to buy

• Canned white beans

• Olive oil

• Garlic

• Lemon

• Optional: spinach or kale

How to do it

1. Warm olive oil in a pan.

2. Add garlic, cook 30 seconds.

3. Add beans and a splash of their liquid.

4. Add 1 teaspoon Italian Market per can, simmer 5 minutes.

5. Finish with lemon. Salt to your palate.

6. Stir in greens if using until wilted.

Use it for

• A side dish

• A bowl with roasted veggies

• A sandwich filler with greens and cheese

Flavor building templates

These are the “use it forever” systems. Print these mentally and you will not need a recipe.

Template 1: The Red Sauce Blueprint

• Base: crushed tomatoes or tomato sauce

• Fat: olive oil and optional butter

• Seasoning: Italian Market early, then taste later

• Time: simmer at least 10 minutes

• Finish: parmesan, fresh herbs, or a squeeze of lemon if needed

Template 2: The Sheet Pan Italian Win

• Veggies: broccoli, zucchini, peppers, onions, potatoes

• Protein: chicken thighs, sausage, or pork

• Oil first, then Italian Market

• Roast hot until browned

• Finish with lemon and fresh herbs

Template 3: The Olive Oil Shortcut

• Bread dip: olive oil + Italian Market

• Dressing: olive oil + Italian Market + vinegar. Taste and adjust, then drizzle on salads, bowls, and sandwiches.

Questions and troubleshooting

“I do not know what to put it on.”

Start with these three easiest wins:

• Quick red sauce

• Roasted veggies

• Meatballs or meat sauce

Once you taste it there, you will recognize where it belongs.

“What if I add too much?”

Most people will not, because it is not built to be salt forward. If you do:

• Add more base

• Add fat

• Give it time, especially in sauce

“My sauce tastes sharp.”

• Simmer longer

• Add a little fat

• If needed, add a small pinch of sugar, but time usually fixes it

“It tastes bold but still kind of flat.”

That is a brightness problem.

• If it tastes bold but not alive, it needs brightness

• Lemon fixes more than more seasoning

• Add lemon, vinegar, or fresh herbs

Shop and stay connected

If this helped you feel more confident in the kitchen:

Shop Italian Market

Italian Market - Italian Seasoning Blend

$15.00

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