Did you know creating seasoning blends is one of my specialties? I have over a dozen custom blends on my site and always keep them, including this Thai Spice Blend, in my pantry! (Sometimes my readers give them away as gifts. Truth.)

For this particular blend I wanted to capture some of the complex flavors of Thai cuisine in a dry, powdered spice blend (as opposed to a wet curry paste). I succeeded! And guess what? Most of the ingredients are easy to find. There are a couple of tricky ones, but I’ll give you some tips on where to look for them.

Use this blend in place of curry paste in a pinch. Or add it to roasted vegetables, stir fries, or rice dishes for a fun, exotic twist.

Thai Spice Recipe ingredients

I'm going to say up front, that this isn't an authentically Thai spice blend.

*gasp* 

It's more... Thai-inspired. And closer to a curry powder, but with a different little twist. Here's what you'll need:

• Paprika: Just regular paprika. Sometimes called sweet paprika.
• Turmeric: Just the turmeric you probably already have.
• Ground Black Pepper: Freshly ground or pre-ground both work
• Ground Coriander: Love this seasoning and use it a lot in Mexican spice blends, too.
• Ground Fenugreek: This might be the sticking point. I found some in the bulk spice section of a nicer grocery store. Others might have it in the spice section. Or you can always find fenugreek online. See below for possible substitutions.
• Dry Mustard: Easy to find!
• Ground Cumin: Another staple that you probably already have.
• Ground Ginger: Pretty straightforward
• Cayenne Powder: Optional. I put in about ⅛ tsp, but if you don't want any heat at all, the omit it from the recipe.

How to make Thai Seasonings Blend

Combine all the spices well and store it in a spice jar or another lidded jar at room temp with your other spices. It’s that simple!

Is There a Fenugreek Substitute?

As your eyes run down that list of spices you're probably thinking "Ugh. I don't have fenugreek. Is there a fenugreek substitute?"

Short answer: Sort of. You could replace fenugreek with some garam masala (a blend commonly used in Indian dishes), yellow mustard seeds and brown sugar or just leave it out.

Long answer: Fenugreek really makes this Thai seasoning blend stand out. Have you ever used fenugreek? I see it pop up in ethnic recipes here and there, but I had never purchased any until now.

Fenugreek tastes like a cross between celery leaves and maple syrup. (I know. It sounds weird) It's hard to duplicate.

It really makes this spice blend taste.... more authentically Thai. (According to someone who has never been to Thailand and has probably never had truly authentic Thai food. Just humor me, OK?)

Where Can you Buy Ground Fenugreek?

If you can find fenugreek, please use it! If your grocery store doesn't carry it, try a natural/fancy-pants grocery store like Whole Foods. Or an ethnic grocery store that carries Asian spices, if you happen to have one nearby.

Amazon has it, too: Ground Fenugreek. Honestly I'd rather get it there then drive all over town hunting.

I'm excited for you to use this seasoning blend! If you're wondering what you'd use it for, here are a few of my favorite recipes that highlight this Thai Seasoning Blend.

Recipes Using Thai Seasoning

You can use Thai seasoning on roasted vegetables, as a rub for grilled chicken or steak, or in marinades. Here are a few recipes with Thai seasoning, if you're needing more inspiration...

This Paleo Thai Shrimp and Vegetable Skillet is a light, fresh meal that comes together really quickly -- like a stir fry. It's also low-carb & Whole30 compliant and great for summer.

This Thai Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Coconut and Lime was surprisingly tasty. I never thought to pair sweet potatoes with Thai seasoning, but it's really magical.

Especially with toasted coconut flakes all over the top. Mmm.

This Quick Thai Fish Curry is a recent favorite of mine. MMM.

In this recipe, the Thai Seasoning Blend acts like Thai curry paste. But it's shelf-stable, which is nice.

This recipe is FABULOUS with Instant Pot Coconut Rice, by the way.

I loved this Thai seasoning so much that I included it in the spice blend section of my first cookbook -- The Big Book of Paleo Slow Cooking and used it in two recipes:

Thai Pulled Pork Tacos with Creamy Chili Slaw (pictured above) -- This might be my favorite recipe in the whole book. That's saying a lot for someone who was never a fan of pork before. This recipe made me a believer.

Thai-Spiced Seafood Soup with Zoodles -- This one is a creamy, coconut curry-like soup with chunks of flaky cod and shrimp. And lots of zoodles. I'm a huge fan of this one.

Give this blend a whirl and let me know what you think!

How to store this Thai Spice Blend

Store your homemade spice blend in an airtight container at room temperature.

More Recipes on Perry's Plate

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