The best homemade spicy or mild Cajun seasoning recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the difference between Cajun spice and Cajun seasoning? ›

Cajun seasoning, also known as Cajun spice or spice mix, is a fragrant blend of dried herbs and ground spices originating from Louisiana, home of Cajun cuisine. The spice blend is typically made of spices that are common to Cajun cuisine, such as paprika, oregano, salt, pepper, and cayenne.

Cajun spice mix is a Louisiana seasoning that packs a punch when it comes to flavors. The delicious (and mildly spicy) seasoning lends itself to so many wonderful dishes — like pastas, shrimp, chicken, fish, and much, much more.

While spicy dishes are found in both cuisines, every dish isn't necessarily spicy…it all depends on how much cayenne pepper is used in the recipe. Cajun dishes tend to be a bit hotter than Creole.

Exactly what is Cajun seasoning, you might ask? It's a rustic seasoning blend that hails from Louisiana, the home of delicious Cajun cuisine. Everyone tends to have their own spin on it, but in general, it's a spicy blend featuring lots of paprika, cayenne, garlic powder, pepper and oregano.

Since—as mentioned above—Cajun seasoning is basically just a blend of cayenne pepper and garlic, Cajun flavor is most often described as equal parts bold and spicy (from the pepper) and earthy (from the garlic).

Chili powder + dried thyme + cayenne pepper

If you really don't have many ingredients in your pantry, you can pull together a basic substitute for Cajun seasoning using 1 tablespoon of chili powder, 1 teaspoon of dried thyme and 1/4- 1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper.

The spicy heat comes from the cayenne pepper, while other flavors come from bell pepper, paprika, green onions, parsley and more.

Cajun seasoning is primarily salt, cayenne (red pepper), and garlic powder. It is hot and salty. Paprika can be mild, hot, or smoked but is predominantly a mild red colored pepper in dried and powdered form. It contains no salt and has a very mild flavor (except for the hot variety).

Both are varieties of ground red pepper but cayenne is spicier. My mother occasionally made deviled eggs and used flavorless paprika that was probably 15 years old.

What's the Difference Between Old Bay and Cajun Seasoning? While the two include some of the same ingredients, this Old Bay replica uses more spices and has a bay leaf, celery salt, and mustard base. Cajun seasoning concentrates on paprika and is a little spicier because of the cayenne pepper.

Why is Cajun seasoning so good? ›

Getting a deeper look into Cajun Seasoning

While the exact components vary, Cajun spice mixes frequently contain paprika, cayenne pepper, black pepper, garlic powder, thyme, and salt. This versatile flavor is known for its ability to give meals a robust and fiery taste.

Cajun seasoning is a blend of spices that originated in Louisiana (which is why it's also sometimes known as Louisiana cajun seasoning). It typically contains a mix of peppers (paprika, cayenne, black pepper) and garlic powder.

The "holy trinity" in Cajun cuisine and Louisiana Creole cuisine is the base for several dishes in the regional cuisines of Louisiana and consists of onions, bell peppers and celery. The preparation of Cajun/Creole dishes such as crawfish étouffée, gumbo, and jambalaya all start from this base.

Slap Ya Mama Cajun Seasoning Recipe mainly includes onion, paprika, salt with white pepper, it may also have cayenne, turmeric, and herbs such as oregano and thyme.

"Creole/Cajun spice" blends such as Tony Chachere's are sometimes used in Cajun kitchens, but do not suit every cook's style because Creole- and Cajun-style seasoning is often achieved from scratch, even by taste.

The origin of the Cajun blend or blend. The Cajun mixture or Cajun assembly is a spice composition that comes from Acadian cuisine (French from Louisiana in the USA). It is an assembly of cultures where French aromatic herbs encountered the hot spices of Mexico and Caribbean.

Cajun food, which is known for its intense heartiness and spicy notes, is a style of food that was developed in the southern parts of the United States. It originated with Acadian immigrants, who ended up in the south after fleeing Canada in the 18th century.

In discussions of food, many people use the word “Cajun” as short-hand for anything spicy or highly flavored. True “Cajun cuisine” though is a unique style of cooking native to South Louisiana, developed by French-speaking Acadians who moved into the area during the 18th century.