Cajun seasoning is a simple mix of nine herbs and spices, most of which you likely have on hand. Blending your own is so economical per ounce! Using individual spices allows you to control the saltiness, herb ratio and heat level, not to mention to be sure there is no gluten in this mix.
Purchased cajun seasonings tend to have a lot of salt, and our lower-salt diet doesn't allow us to use brands like McCormick or Tony's. Some brands contain celery seed, which I haven't included here, but you could if you like that taste.
To make a recent batch of my savory Red Beans and Rice, I needed some Cajun seasoning. I was so sure I had some in the house, I didn’t buy any when I was at the market.
Once home, could I find any anywhere? Nah.
Go back to the store? Blah. What to do? Make my own.
Luckily between my daughter-in-law and me, we had all the ingredients.
What is in Cajun seasoning?
This Cajun blend recipe is a hybrid of several recipes that I've often seen on other websites and cookbooks. The key ingredients are paprika, oregano, thyme, onion and garlic powders, white and black pepper, and cayenne.
In some recipes the white pepper is left out, but I think it's really important to the flavor!
My version is fairly low-salt so that I can adjust the salt in each recipe. The seasoning needs to have some spicy bite but not too much; if people want my red beans to be spicier that’s why there is hot sauce on the table!
This recipe makes about a half cup, and my red beans recipe calls for 1½ teaspoons of that. So the quantity you end up with here will season 5 or 6 batches of red beans and rice. Needless to say, I’ve got my seasoning in an airtight container for the future!
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Making your own is economical
If you plan to prepare Cajun food or any recipe that contains herbs and spices like this, your best money-saving bet is to buy the individual seasonings in bulk. I'm fortunate that Natural Grocers carries herbs in bulk, and all are organically grown. Or you may have a food co-op near you - or find Amazon the easiest place to find bulk herbs.
If you purchase on Amazon, especially if you choose to buy organically grown, as we do, be prepared for an investment of money and space! But you can make so many cuisines with this set of herbs and spices. Add cumin and coriander, and you have the makings for most Mexican dishes as well.
These seasonings all keep well, with the exception of onion and garlic powders that can clump up in humid areas. In Hawaii I keep these two in the refrigerator to keep them from turning to stone.
As always, if you make this recipe, leave me a comment below so that I know how it went. I'd love to hear from you!
Beth
Other seasoning blends and recipes on A Meal In Mind
2 Gluten-Free Taco Seasoning Recipes
Shop Cajun seasoning recipe
Naturevibe Botanicals Organ...Shop on Amazon
Starwest Botanicals Organic...Shop on Amazon 
Frontier Co-op Onion, White...Shop on Amazon
Pure Original Ingredients G...Shop on Amazon
Spring Chef Stainless Steel...Shop on Amazon
Frontier Co-op Pepper, Whit...Shop on Amazon
Starwest Botanicals Organic...Shop on Amazon
REDMOND Real Sea Salt - Nat...Shop on Amazon
Starwest Botanicals Organic...Shop on Amazon
Frontier Co-op Fancy Thyme ...Shop on Amazon
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Cajun Seasoning
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons paprika
- 2 teaspoons pink sea salt
- 2 tablespoons garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon ground white pepper
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1-2 teaspoons cayenne
- 1 ½ teaspoons dried thyme
Instructions
- Stir the seasonings together. If the onion or garlic powders have gotten clumpy, press the lumps with a back of a spoon or in a small mortar and pestle.
- Measure out the amount you need for your recipe, and store the rest in an airtight container. See note.
Notes
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Julia Osgood
I've often wondered what went into to Cajun seasoning. I will try this the next time I make beans. I'm sure it will help spice them up. Great pictures too!
Beth
Julia, it's an easy seasoning mix if you have all or most of the ingredients already, which I usually do. And in fact, my next post will be for red beans! Thanks for the kind words about the photos!
Erika
I love cooking with a lot of spices and bringing lots of flavors to my dishes. I love the cajun seasoning.
Beth
Erika, thank you! Seasonings are great for any eating plan, aren't they? And I'm with you as I love experimenting and cooking with them.
Shari Eckstrom
What a beautiful post. I love all the colors and your creativity here. Not to mention, the cajun seasoning itself. Perfect for my keto lifestyle.
Beth
Shari, thank you so much for such a wonderful comment! It means a lot to me because I'm still finding my way with photos, hoping they will make the food look good. And in this case, the seasoning is good, and should work well for your keto plan!
Patrice
I used to make my own seasoning blends but then stopped for some reason. You've reminded me how great they can be. Your cajun seasoning sounds delicious!
Beth
Patrice, thank you for that comment. I will say that the spices for the blends can take up a lot of room, especially if you buy in bulk as I do. But I like being able to adjust it for our taste!
Jacqueline Debono
Such a good idea to make ones own Cajun seasoning. I love your photos, really beautiful!
Beth
Jacqueline, thank you. I like making the blends in advance because it saves time when I'm cooking. And the comment about the photos means a lot to me!
Simone
I make all my own seasoning blends too, thanks so much for another great recipe!
Beth
Simone, you are more than welcome, and isn't it fun mixing herbs and spices?
Nart | Cooking with Nart
This is great, Beth! I love that you made it low-salt so that it can be adjusted. Thanks for sharing!
Beth
Thanks, Nart! We are eating very low-salt these days so I realize others might appreciate a low-salt recipe too. Thanks for the comment!
Anindya Sundar Basu
I love the pictures and though in India this seasoning is not much in use, I will definitely try this at home
Beth
Anindya, yes I can imagine that there are so many wonderful seasoning recipes that there would already be so much to explore in Indian cuisines. Keep this one for a day that you want to feel like you are in Louisiana!
Angela Greven | Mean Green Chef
I am all about making my own spice bends too and this looks like a fabulous and versatile blend for so many proteins! I'd venture to say it's even great on tofu too, thank you for sharing 🙂
Beth
Angela, yes I can imagine it would be great on tofu, which soaks up seasonings so well. I felt the same adjectives apply to your blackened seasoning! And it's so much fun to adjust it to taste.