Cajun Seasoning Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What cajun seasoning is made of? ›

Typical Cajun seasonings (including store-bought like Slap Ya Mama and Tony Chachere's) are made with black pepper, white pepper, cayenne pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, and paprika. For different flavors, some Cajun spice mixes include salt, mustard powder, chile peppers, or cumin.

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 main difference between Creole and Cajun seasoning blends comes down to the ingredients: Cajun seasoning features an array of ground peppers—black, cayenne, and white—while Creole seasoning is more herbal, with recipes often containing oregano, thyme, rosemary, and paprika.

Old Bay and Cajun seasoning do have differences, but in many cases they can be used interchangeably. The ingredients in the foundation of each spice make them easy to incorporate into various recipes.

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.

Hot paprika is a common cayenne pepper substitute at most grocery stores. Although these two seasonings aren't identical, they both come from chilies and are similar in color.

Is jerk seasoning the same as Cajun? No, it isn't. Cajun seasoning is mainly herbs and hot pepper. Jerk seasoning enjoys spices such as allspice, ginger, cinnamon, and nutmeg that you won't find in Cajun mixes.

Cajun seasoning has paprika in it, but it's got a whole bunch of other tasty stuff too like garlic, onion, thyme, and cayenne. It's got a nice flavor that's a bit more complicated than just paprika.

A: Yes, Tony Chachere's seasoning is a brand of Cajun seasoning. The Tony Chachere's blend is a combination of spices used in Cajun cuisine.

So What Makes Them Different? The main difference between Cajun and Creole cuisine is that Cajun cuisine is typically spicier than Creole cuisine. This is because Cajun cuisine uses more spices, such as cayenne pepper and paprika. Creole cuisine, on the other hand, is typically milder.

Which is hotter, Cajun or Creole seasoning? ›

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.

We all prefer Zatarain's boil over home mixes or Old Bay. It is spicy and infuses a lovely flavor in foods. I even add a little of the boiled water to gumbos and jambalayas as it enhances the spices I add myself.

OLD BAY Seasoning features a premium blend of 18 herbs and spices including celery salt, red and black pepper and paprika to add beloved, unmatched taste that enhances any chef-inspired recipe.

Most of the flavor comes from mustard, paprika and celery salt, along with mace, nutmeg, bay leaf, red pepper and cardamom, and while it's an obvious pairing with seafood, it's also a surprising twist on fried rice and chickpeas. Even now, I'm eating fistfuls of popcorn dusted with Old Bay.

Crawfish, shrimp, fish, oysters, chicken, alligator and Andouille sausage are just a few of the delicious ingredients from both land and sea used in Creole and Cajun cooking alike.

So, what's the difference between these two cuisines? While they are very similar, they do utilize different ingredients. Cajun food is typically spicier than Creole food, and it also contains more pork and crawfish. Creole food utilizes more ingredients like tomatoes, shrimp, oysters, and crab.

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.

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.