Homemade Cajun Seasoning

Basic spice blends can be super helpful when trying to pull together a quick weeknight dinner. They can transform boring meat or vegetables into something new and crave-worthy, and pull you out of your dinner rut. I’ve been asked to create a collection of simple spice blends, and having lived in south Louisiana for 16 years, I knew Homemade Cajun Seasoning had to be on the list! This spice blend is spicy, smoky, full of savory herbs, and will add serious flavor anywhere it’s added. Read on to see how versatile this seasoning blend is below…

Homemade Cajun Seasoning

How to Use Homemade Cajun Seasoning

This spice blend is great for adding to just about any meat or seafood (grilled, pan seared, slow cooked, baked), roasted vegetables and potatoes, chicken or potato salads, pasta, soup, beans, or dips (like sour cream based dips, bean dips, or cheese sauces). It’s such a great all-purpose blend that you can almost add it to anything! Check out how I used it in my One Pot Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta. I also use a slight variation on this blend to make my Blackened Shrimp Tacos and Blackened Shrimp Pasta.

Store Bought vs. Homemade Cajun Seasoning

So when should you mix up your own spice blend vs. buying a pre-mixed bottle from the store? IMHO, if it’s something you don’t use often (less than 2-3 times per month), I don’t suggest buying a bottle pre-mixed. It’s much better to mix it up yourself, as needed, so the remainder doesn’t go to waste. If it’s something I use on a very regular basis, I’m more open to buying a pre-mixed blend because I know it will get used and it saves me time not having to measure out 6-8 spices every time I want to use it.

The other major thing to consider when comparing store bought and this homemade Cajun Seasoning blend is the salt content. Some store bought Cajun seasonings, like Tony Cachere’s, contain a lot of salt. I tend to use those more like a seasoning salt, adding them to food at the table or after cooking. Because this homemade blend is much lower in salt, I can add it liberally to food during the cooking process, without accidentally over salting. My blend has just enough salt to help the flavors pop.

Homemade Cajun Seasoning

This homemade Cajun Seasoning is spicy, smoky, and will add TONS of flavor to your meat, vegetables, beans, pasta, and more. 

• 2 tsp smoked paprika ($0.20)
• 1 tsp oregano ($0.10)
• 1 tsp thyme ($0.10)
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder ($0.05)
• 1/2 tsp onion powder ($0.05)
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper ($0.02)
• 1/4 tsp black pepper ($0.02)
• 1/4 tsp salt ($0.02)

1. Combine all the ingredients and use immediately to season food, or store in an air-tight container, away from sunlight.

*This seasoning is moderately spicy. You can control the heat by either adding more or less cayenne pepper. 

No step by step photos this time, because there is only one step! Mix all the ingredients together and go! 😅

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