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GET IT NOWFor years, I kept my steak seasoning simple—just salt and pepper. And while I still love that, this Montreal steak seasoning has totally won me over! It’s bold, smoky, and has just the right hint of heat. I first tried it on sirloin steak and filet mignon, and it takes both of them to the next level… among other cuts. If you love flavor where S&P just isn’t enough, make my quick steak seasoning recipe with me—I think you’ll be hooked!
Why You Need My Montreal Steak Seasoning Recipe
- Better than store-bought – I studied the labels of popular steak seasoning brands to see what really goes into them. They hide some of the ingredients, but I made my own original version by taste testing side by side — minus the fillers — and love this one even more. Plus, it’s gluten-free and sugar-free, so you know exactly what you’re getting: Pure, iconic flavor!
- Easy to make – Just stir together a few pantry spices! I always keep a jar on hand—it lasts for months and makes steak night even better.
- Many ways to use it – I originally made this Montreal steak seasoning as a dry rub for beef, but have since used it for beef brisket, burgers, pork chops, veggies, seafood, and even chicken. It’s very versatile!
Ingredients & Substitutions
Here I explain the best ingredients for my homemade Montreal steak seasoning, what each one does, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card.
- Salt – If there’s one ingredient that a steak needs, this is it. My rule of thumb that I learned from Julia Child is a teaspoon of salt per pound of beef, so I developed my steak seasoning recipe to reflect this amount when you use it as a blend. I always use sea salt, but kosher salt or Himalayan works, too.
- Flavor – The combo of garlic powder, onion powder, coriander, and dill seed gives this seasoning its signature bold, herby taste. If you don’t have dill seed (I know it’s less common), try fennel, caraway, or even oregano.
- Heat – Black pepper and red pepper flakes for the perfect kick, plus smoked paprika for a little smoky depth. I used crushed black pepper for a texture more similar to fresh cracked, but you can use ground if you like. Want it spicier? Add more red pepper flakes or a pinch of cayenne pepper!
How To Season Steak
To make this homemade Montreal steak seasoning, simply stir or whisk these ingredients in a small bowl, or shake them together in a glass jar (my favorite for instant storage).
Then sprinkle the spice mix all over both sides of your steaks. I roll the edges on the cutting board afterward to get the sides.
You need more than you might think! My rule of thumb for this steak seasoning recipe is 1 tablespoon per pound of meat, or 1/2 tablespoon for each 8-ounce steak. See my picture below of a seasoned filet mignon, which gives you an idea of how much to use.
My Tips For Seasoning
- Since it’s tough, I always recommend marinating this cut of steak. The marinade helps break down the meat fibers, making it juicier and easier to chew. You could also try my balsamic vinegar marinade if you like.
- For the best flavor and tenderness, marinate the steak overnight or even up to 24 hours. I listed 3 hours as the bare minimum, but (I repeat!) this cut is tough, so the longer, the better. Just don’t go over 24 hours or it starts to get mushy.
- Let steaks come to room temperature before cooking. This helps them cook more evenly—straight from the fridge, the outside can overcook before the inside is done. I usually set mine out for 30-60 minutes while I prep my side dishes.
- Use a cast iron skillet. It heats up so well for the best searing and goes straight from the stovetop to the oven. This one I use comes in lots of fun colors!
- Avoid moving the steaks constantly, as it prevents a good sear. While I do flip often when cooking skirt steak and other pan seared steaks, I recommend leaving them alone (until it’s time to flip) with this stovetop-to-oven method.
- Be careful not to overcook. For best results, use a probe thermometer (I have this one) and set it to your desired temperature. It’ll beep when your steaks are perfectly done. If you don’t have one, an instant-read thermometer works too, but keep in mind that piercing the meat can cause some juices to leak out.
- Remove your steaks from the pan before resting. Resting is important for redistributing the juices back into the meat, but if you leave them in the skillet, they will overcook. (If you’re wondering, I placed them back in the skillet for some of my pictures after it cooled down a bit. 😉)
For more tips on cooking steak, check out my top sirloin steak post!
Storage Notes
You can store this Montreal steak seasoning just like other homemade spice blends: in an airtight container in the pantry for up to 1-2 years. I use a small glass jar like this, but these spice jars with labels are perfect for spice racks!
Want it to last even longer? Pop it in the freezer to keep the spices fresh.
Ways To Cook Your Steak
There’s no wrong way to cook a great steak, but here are my favorite methods to pair with this Montreal steak seasoning:
- Oven – Most of my steak recipes use the stovetop-to-oven method—a quick sear, then finish in the oven. Besides filet mignon I mentioned above, you can use this seasoning on New York strip, London broil, ribeye steak, or even tomahawk steak. It’s even great on roasts, like my sirloin tip roast!
- Pan Sear – I’ve got a tutorial for how to pan sear any steak, or you can even use this steak seasoning on my fancier steak Diane or stovetop filet mignon.
- Grill – I love this steak rub for grilling because the spices work so well with the smoky grilled flavor. It’s amazing on my grilled steak or grilled London broil.
- Air Fry – This is my go-to hands-off option. I’ve tested air frying sirloin steak and air frying filet mignon, but it should work with other cuts, too.
- Reverse Sear – This takes a bit more time, but my reverse sear method (pictured above!) makes the most evenly cooked steak I’ve ever had.
Montreal Steak Seasoning
Make my Montreal steak seasoning recipe in minutes! This bold, smoky, homemade spice blend is perfect for your steaks, burgers, and more.
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Instructions
Tap on the times in the instructions to start a kitchen timer.
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Stir or whisk all ingredients together in a small bowl, or shake in an airtight jar.
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To use the steak seasoning, I recommend 1 tablespoon per pound of beef.
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To cook, you can pop your steak in the oven after a quick sear on the stove, or use my recipes for grilled steak, air fryer steak, or pan seared steak.
LAST STEP: Leave a rating to help other readers, or tag me @wholesomeyum on Instagram. I’d love to hear from you!
Maya’s Recipe Notes
Serving size: 1 teaspoon
- Tips: Check out my recipe tips above to help you season your steak the right way.
- Ways To Cook Your Steak: I mentioned a few ways here on the recipe card, but above I have more recipes you can cook with this steak seasoning.
- Recipe yield notes: This mix makes 1/2 cup, or enough for 8 pounds of steak, at 1 tablespoon per pound. The serving size and nutrition info is based on a steak serving of 1/3 pound.
I provide nutrition facts as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see my nutrition policy.
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Montreal Steak Seasoning
14 Comments
veronika
0So glad I finally found the perfect steak seasoning. I stopped buying the Montreal steak seasoning since it has unnecessary bad ingredients in them. I use your version all the time I make steak.
Wholesome Yum D
0I’m so glad you found this one, Veronika! It’s such a great feeling to have a go-to seasoning you can feel good about. Thanks for making it a staple in your kitchen!
Ed Church
0One of the reasons I’m looking for a recipe is that all of the steak rubs I’ve used have way too much salt. I’m wondering why your nutrition facts have no mention of sodium while salt is one of the main ingredients. Would really like to know what the sodium rating is.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Ed, I provide nutrition facts as a courtesy, and you can learn more about the reason in my nutrition policy. Even different types of salt vary in sodium with volume measurements. This is not a low sodium recipe, so you may want to use less salt if that’s a concern.
teyminah minodi
0Nice recipe, try you won’t regret.
Mike
0Ok seasoning mix but nothing like McCormick seasoning.
Lori M.
0The spices listed are the ones historically attributed to “Montreal Seasoning”. The variations I’ve seen are just on exact amounts of each spice. It’s McCormick that hides the ingredients by citing “Spices (including …)” and leaving some out and “Natural Flavors”. Though they do list most of them and admit to the dill on their chef’s version web page. The biggest difference on Wholesome Yum’s version, is Maya’s preference for smoked paprika. What flavors do you determine to be missing or added?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thank you for the support, Lori! I think you summed it up well.
Sandra
0Oh, my gosh! I can’t believe the timing of coming across this spice seasoning AND your recommendation on the metal spice rack!
Just 2 days ago, I went through all of the many spices that were in the kitchen pantry (I won’t tell you how many of them were outdated). Have to finish doing this yet. I also decided to replace the plastic racks that we have. The racks only hold the round jars, and these days, many spices come in the square shape. So I took a look at the ones that you mentioned. There are also labels & jars that can be purchased through this same company. Thank You, Maya for posting that too. Can’t wait to get this all organized. And this happened only because I saw the recipe for the Montreal steak seasoning.
Sandra W.
Shelley
0Awesome to be able to make my own, so I know exactly what’s in it – no surprises. Also great that it stores so well for so long, too! And thanks for sharing Julia Child’s rule of thumb – I’d actually never heard that before, but it’s super helpful!
Cathleen
0Why have I never thought of making this at home?? This is genius, thank you so much for this recipe! It turned out great 🙂
Adriana
0Really enjoy smoked paprika and homemade seasonigs I will try yoru Montreal seasoning in the next grilling gathering.
Jacque Hastert
0I can’t wait to toss these ingredients together and make my own seasoning at home. We grill out year around so we are always looking for different spices and seasonings to try. This will be getting made soon. Thank you!
Andrea Metlika
0Homemade seasonings are the best. I love how easy this one is and all your tips on using it.