Vegeta Seasoning (Copycat Recipe) - Alyona’s Cooking (2024)

Homemade Vegeta Seasoning recipe made with a blend of dehydrated vegetables, salt, and spices! Add this spice blend to vegetable soup, Potato wedges, and mashed potatoes to enhance the flavor of your food! It’s MSG-free and is the classic all-purpose seasoning mix, many Europeans use!

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This is how to make Vegeta Seasoning at home with a step-by-step tutorial. Home cooks can use this blend of spices to season Potato Wedges, Mashed Potatoes, Homemade Soups, and so many other dishes like steamed vegetables and meats! For more vegetable recipes try out our roasted vegetables tossed in olive oil for a healthy pizza topping!

What Is Vegeta Seasoning?

Vegeta is a popular spice blend from former Yugoslavia invented by a woman namedZlata Bartl.After the idea of producing dehydrated soup packs was a hit, the spice blend was created in 1959 as an all-purpose seasoning to enhance the flavor of many foods! Vegeta all-purpose seasoning can be sprinkled on roasts, grilled meat, poultry, and fish. However, in soups, stir-fries, rice, casseroles, and vegetables it’s best to add it during the last 5 minutes of cooking. My Ukrainian family and relatives use this as the primary seasoning for mashed potatoes, baked potatoes, Borscht, and so many other dishes, especially soups! Eastern European recipes can easily call for this spice when cooking.

I altered this Vegeta recipe from a friend’s cookbook called “Spice Thyme.” It’s a really good cookbook with plenty of spice recipes! I’ve had mine for years and have featured these beef enchiladas from her cookbook a few years ago too (they are amazing!) If you can’t find a copy of her cookbook you can contact me for more details. It’s one of my favorite cookbooks!

What Is In Vegeta Seasoning:

Now that we know it’s a good seasoning for vegetables and more, let’s jump to the list of vegetables it’s made of. Vegeta is a blend of salt and dehydrated vegetables like carrot, parsnip, onion, potato, and celery. Nutmeg, sugar, black pepper, and msg are among the other ingredients found in Vegeta, however, the homemade version is MSG-free. It still remains plenty seasoned without MSG and tastes like, the real spice blend! I buy organic parsnips from Azure Standard, and in case you’re wondering what to do with parsnips you need to try these Parsnip Patties!

Can I Use Frozen Vegetables?

Root vegetables generally freeze well, however, potatoes don’t do well in the freezer if frozen raw. If you find your seasonal vegetables are on the edge of spoiling, go ahead and chop the vegetables up (except the potatoes) and freeze them for drying later. Buying vegetables in season is some of the best vegetables to get, however, most of these ingredients are available year-round. When using frozen vegetables squeeze out any excess liquid in a cheesecloth before dehydrating.

Ingredients Needed:

This vegetable seasoning is made of all the mixed vegetables found in the original spice blend. The types of vegetables you use are completely up to you to create the taste you are going for. So, feel free to mix and match any fresh vegetables that you have on hand.

• Dehydrated Vegetables-like carrots, parsnips, onions, potatoes, and celery are used for this recipe. I generally use equal amounts of vegetables.
• Spices-salt, sugar, black pepper, and nutmeg are the other spices used to make this Vegetables seasoning
• Herbs- dried parsley leaves from the grocery store is what I have used.
• Nutritional Yeast-are yellow flakes of deactivated yeast rich in B vitamins and other minerals. It has a strong Umami flavor with notes of Cheesy flavor. You can get it at most natural food stores. It is the ingredient that makes Vegeta seasoning look yellow.

What Is Nutritional Yeast?

Nutritional yeast is made by culturing yeast to medium growth typically from sugarcane, or beet molasses. When the desired yeast growth is ready from fermentation it is deactivated with heat and then harvested, washed, dried, and packaged. It is the opposite of baker’s yeast and is popular in Vegan and Vegetarian food for its good source of vitamins and savory flavor. I buy Nutritional yeast from this natural food store. This can be sprinkled into sauces, pasta, veggies, and snacks (popcorn) for a nutty, cheesy, savory flavor.

How To Make Vegeta Seasoning:

Homemade Vegeta is so easy to make! I first made this recipe in my oven and then purchased this food dehydrator to dry the vegetables. If your oven goes down to 175°F you can dry them in there for 4-5 hours. I use myfood processor to chop up all the vegetables in batches to make a “riced” consistency. Use a vegetable chopper that will make fine pieces.

1. Peel and wash all the vegetables. Cut up each vegetable into chunks for easy chopping in your food processor. I like to work with each vegetable in batches.
2. Chop up the vegetables using a food processor to make small even pieces of vegetables for drying.
3. Place all the chopped vegetables into a colander lined with cheesecloth. Let the vegetables drain for 30 minutes then wring out and squeeze any liquid.
4. Gently spread out vegetables on dehydrator trays (mine took up 3 trays.)
5. Set the dehydrator to 125°F and dry for 4 hours.
6. Let vegetables cool completely.
7. Put cooled veggies and 1/4 cup of dried parsley into a blender, and pulse (mix) until coarse crumbs form.
8. Transfer to a mixing bowl and whisk in the nutritional yeast and the remaining ingredients.
9. Store in an airtight spice container.

Oven Dehydrating Tip:if your oven settings don’t go down to 175°F, you can preheat your oven to 300°F then turn it off and place the vegetables in. Allow the vegetables to cool down in the oven then remove the sheet pan and keep repeating the process until the vegetables are dried.

Storing Vegeta:

Keep Vegeta seasoning in a cool dry place after making. You can store it in a spice container, glass jar, or zip-lock bag. This Vegeta recipe makes about 2 3/4 cups of seasoning. I think it would make great gifts for friends and family, simply place some into 4 oz glass jars for presents! Vegeta can keep longer in air-tight containers and if stored properly it can keep well up to a year.

Creative Ways To Use Vegeta Seasoning:

Vegeta can be used up in so many different ways! If you make too much, gift some to friends and family in these cute 4 oz jars. Here are ways to use this vegetable seasoning recipe;

• Season a pot of vegetable soup or stock. I use Vegeta in this Meatball soup, Borscht recipe, and Mushroom Gravy.
• Make your own Potato Wedges Spice Mix by combining 1 Tbsp of Vegeta, paprika, and garlic salt. Sprinkle over potato wedges and bake with olive oil.
• Use as the salt for Mashed Potatoes.
• Season the ground meat for cabbage rolls with Vegeta.
• Make these Ukrainian Potato Fries
• We love this Pelmeni soup with Vegeta!

What are your favorite ways to use Vegeta? Let me know in the comments below!

How To Make Vegeta: