Vegetarian Kansas City Spice Rub
Bold, smoky-sweet, and built entirely from pantry staples, this spice blend brings serious barbecue energy to your kitchen without a single animal-derived ingredient in sight. Coconut sugar and maple sugar granules form a caramelizing base that develops a gorgeous crust when heat hits it, while Ceylon cinnamon adds a delicate warmth that sets it apart from harsher blends. Turmeric and ginger layer in earthy depth, and the garlic, onion, thyme, and oregano round everything out with that classic Kansas City backbone. It comes together in minutes — just whisk and jar — and keeps at room temperature for up to three months, so you can batch it once and reach for it all season long. Press it onto tofu, tempeh, portobello mushrooms, cauliflower steaks, or hearty root vegetables before grilling, roasting, or smoking for results that are genuinely crave-worthy. Store-bought rubs often sneak in hidden additives or preservatives, so making your own means you know exactly what's going on your food.
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Learn more →Ingredients
8 servings
- 2 tbsp coconut sugar
- 1 tbsp maple syrup granules sugar or maple sugar
- 2 tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp ground ceylon cinnamon
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp fine sea salt
- ½ tsp dried thyme
- ½ tsp dried oregano
Instructions
- 1
Combine the coconut sugar, maple sugar, turmeric, ginger, Ceylon cinnamon, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, thyme, and oregano in a small bowl and whisk until evenly blended with no visible streaks of turmeric.
- 2
Transfer to an airtight jar and store at room temperature for up to 3 months.
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