Our Favorite Cajun Seasoning
Since adding this homemade Cajun seasoning blend to our spice cabinet, we’ve used it so many times! I love using it to season pretty much everything from veggies to seafood to meat. I bet you even have most of what you need already! Cajun seasoning stems from Louisiana and is a bold blend of spices popular in Creole and Cajun cuisine. It combines influences from Native American, West African, Caribbean, and French cooking styles, resulting in a unique and flavorful seasoning. We use it all the time in our kitchen. I specifically place it towards the front since I use it so often. I especially love using it to make this Cajun shrimp and this Cajun butter grilled corn. I even add it to my favorite meatloaf! For more homemade spice blends, try our seriously good chili powder, this healthier taco seasoning, or my seasoned salt. Key Ingredients Hot Paprika or Cayenne: Our homemade blend is intentionally bold and a bit spicy. The heat comes from Hungarian hot paprika or cayenne pepper. They work interchangeably, so use what you have. Sweet Paprika: To balance the heat, add color, and add some sweetness, we stir in sweet paprika. It’s mild with a hint of fruitiness, and most importantly, it’s not spicy at all. Chili Powder: New Mexico chili powder or a standard non-spicy chili powder does this trick here. This just makes the blend taste more interesting. Dried Thyme: Adds an earthy, minty, and savory note to the blend. We love it. It’s also a common ingredient in Cajun cuisine. Sugar and Salt: To balance the heat and make our blend taste over the top delicious, we add a bit of salt and sugar. We tested this blend 4 times with varying amounts of sugar, and this (Cajun seasoning No. 4) was the winner. Hot Paprika or Cayenne: Our homemade blend is intentionally bold and a bit spicy. The heat comes from Hungarian hot paprika or cayenne pepper. They work interchangeably, so use what you have. Sweet Paprika: To balance the heat, add color, and add some sweetness, we stir in sweet paprika. It’s mild with a hint of fruitiness, and most importantly, it’s not spicy at all. Chili Powder: New Mexico chili powder or a standard non-spicy chili powder does this trick here. This just makes the blend taste more interesting. Dried Thyme: Adds an earthy, minty, and savory note to the blend. We love it. It’s also a common ingredient in Cajun cuisine. Sugar and Salt: To balance the heat and make our blend taste over the top delicious, we add a bit of salt and sugar. We tested this blend 4 times with varying amounts of sugar, and this (Cajun seasoning No. 4) was the winner. To help you when you are shopping for spices to make this easy blend, we’ve included a photo of each ingredient. You do not need to use the same brands, but this will hopefully give you an example of each ingredient. We love using New Mexico chili powder (shown in the bag), which we find in the International aisle of our grocery store and Mexican markets. If you don’t have this, use a standard non-spicy chili powder. How to Make Cajun Seasoning To make our Cajun spice blend, whisk all the spices together, and use however you like. A recipe to make about 3 tablespoons is below this article, but here’s an overview of the ratios so you can make as much as you want: 1 part hot paprika or cayenne pepper 2 parts sweet paprika (not spicy) 2 parts chili powder (New Mexico or standard, non-spicy chili powder) 1 part dried thyme 3 parts sugar 2 parts fine sea salt 1 part hot paprika or cayenne pepper 2 parts sweet paprika (not spicy) 2 parts chili powder (New Mexico or standard, non-spicy chili powder) 1 part dried thyme 3 parts sugar 2 parts fine sea salt How to Use Cajun Seasoning Now that you have your very own Cajun spice blend, you can use it. Think of it as a bold, all-purpose seasoning for meats, seafood, and veggies. Our DIY Cajun seasoning adds a vibrant, earthy, and smoky flavor to whatever you use it with. The sugar included in the blend also helps when blackening meats and fish. Here are some ideas for using it: Make Cajun butter and use it with vegetables, like this grilled corn Use the seasoning with shrimp and fish. I love this Cajun shrimp Dust it over salmon, then cook them seasoning side-down for blackened salmon. Add a spicy kick to pasta sauces for a Cajun-inspired pasta Make Cajun butter and use it with vegetables, like this grilled corn Use the seasoning with shrimp and fish. I love this Cajun shrimp Dust it over salmon, then cook them seasoning side-down for blackened salmon. Add a spicy kick to pasta sauces for a Cajun-inspired pasta Our Favorite Cajun Seasoning PREP 5 mins TOTAL 5 mins PREP 5 mins TOTAL 5 mins Our Cajun seasoning is crafted to be spicy (without overwhelming heat), bold, and well-balanced, with a subtle sweetness from a hint of sugar (trust me). Use this DIY spice blend by generously seasoning your meats, seafood, and veggies. Store leftover seasoning in an airtight jar or container in a cool, dry place, such as your spice cabinet, for up to one year. Makes 3 tablespoons (1.5 ounces) You Will Need 1 teaspoon hot paprika or cayenne pepper, see notes 2 teaspoons paprika, sometimes called sweet paprika 2 teaspoons chili powder, we love New Mexico chili powder, see notes 1 teaspoon dried thyme 3 teaspoons sugar 2 teaspoons fine sea salt Directions 1Add hot paprika (or cayenne), sweet paprika, chili powder, thyme, sugar, and the salt to a small bowl. Use a whisk to blend the spices. 2Transfer to a spice jar or an airtight container, store in a cool, dry place, and use within one year. 1Add hot paprika (or cayenne), sweet paprika, chili powder, thyme, sugar, and the salt to a small bowl. Use a whisk to blend the spices. 2Transfer to a spice jar or an airtight container, store in a cool, dry place, and use within one year. Adam and Joanne's Tips Hot paprika: This is spicier than sweet or smoked paprika (my jar is labeled “Hungarian hot paprika”). It’s just as spicy as cayenne but more flavorful. Feel free to substitute cayenne for hot paprika in this spice blend. Mild version: For a milder spice blend, reduce the hot paprika (or cayenne) by half. Spicy Cajun blend: As written, the spice blend has quite a bit of heat, but to make it spicer, increase the hot paprika or cayenne by 1/2 teaspoon or more. Chili powder adds a smoky, earthy note to this spice blend. Use regular, non-spicy chili powder, or if you can find it, try New Mexico chili powder (we find ours sold in small bags in the International aisle of our grocery store as well as in Mexican markets). Storing: Keep homemade Cajun seasoning in a spice jar or airtight container in a cool, dry place like your spice cabinet for up to 1 year. The nutrition facts provided below are estimates. Hot paprika: This is spicier than sweet or smoked paprika (my jar is labeled “Hungarian hot paprika”). It’s just as spicy as cayenne but more flavorful. Feel free to substitute cayenne for hot paprika in this spice blend. Mild version: For a milder spice blend, reduce the hot paprika (or cayenne) by half. Spicy Cajun blend: As written, the spice blend has quite a bit of heat, but to make it spicer, increase the hot paprika or cayenne by 1/2 teaspoon or more. Chili powder adds a smoky, earthy note to this spice blend. Use regular, non-spicy chili powder, or if you can find it, try New Mexico chili powder (we find ours sold in small bags in the International aisle of our grocery store as well as in Mexican markets). Storing: Keep homemade Cajun seasoning in a spice jar or airtight container in a cool, dry place like your spice cabinet for up to 1 year. The nutrition facts provided below are estimates. Nutrition Per Serving Serving Size 1 teaspoon / Calories 8 / Total Fat 0.2g / Saturated Fat 0g / Cholesterol 0mg / Sodium 481.1mg / Carbohydrate 1.9g / Dietary Fiber 0.4g / Total Sugars 1.4g / Protein 0.2g AUTHOR: Joanne Gallagher We’re Adam and Joanne, a couple passionate about cooking and sharing delicious, reliable recipes since 2009. Our goal? To inspire you to get in the kitchen and confidently cook fresh and flavorful meals.More About Us