Cajun Seasoning

This Cajun Seasoning is the perfect blend of spices to add bold flavor to any meal. It’s made using common pantry ingredients you probably already have on hand. You’ll love sprinkling this on vegetables, pasta, meats, or any dish you want to add an extra “oomph!”.

Cajun seasoning is a spice blend that is both bold and spicy. The primary ingredients in Cajun seasoning are black pepper, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper.

This recipe takes it a step further by including pantry staples, such as paprika, white pepper, oregano, onion powder, chilli powder, and salt.

Since I first visited New Orleans, I was hooked on Cajun seasoning. While there are plenty of pre-made Cajun seasoning blends that you can buy at the store, I was determined to create a homemade version that tastes like the ones I remember in Louisiana.

Why you’ll love this Cajun seasoning

It’s healthy – You can control the ingredients and limit the amount of added salt, sugar, and other preservatives.

It’s affordable – You probably already have everything you need to make this Cajun seasoning at home. It has a long shelf-life so you can use this spice blend for many future recipes.

You can tweak the heat level. Store bought seasoning can be either too spicy or too mild tasting. When you make your own spice blend, you can control the amount of heat based on your preference.

This recipe is a medium heat level. If you want it milder, use less cayenne pepper or leave it out completely. If you want it hotter, increase the amount of cayenne pepper.  

Cajun seasoning recipe ingredients

White pepper: White pepper has a milder and smoother flavor compared to black pepper, which has a spicy flavor.

Chili powder: This adds good flavor and a mild heat to the seasoning.

Black pepper: This is traditionally used in Cajun seasoning to give a spicy flavor.

Sea salt: You can control the amount of salt you wish to add to your spice blend.

Onion powder: This adds good flavor to the spice blend.

Garlic powder: This is traditionally used in Cajun seasoning to add flavor.

Sweet paprika & smoked paprika: I like to use a mix of both sweet and smoked paprika in this recipe. You can use any type of paprika you prefer.

Dried oregano: This adds a nice herby flavor to the spice blend. If you’re not a fan of oregano, use dried thyme instead.

Cayenne Pepper: This is traditionally used in Cajun seasoning to give it heat. You can adjust the amount of cayenne pepper based on your spice tolerance. If you’re serving this to kids, I would leave the cayenne pepper out. 

How to make Cajun seasoning

In a small bowl, whisk all the ingredients together until well combined. Store in an airtight container or a glass spice jar.

The spice blend should keep up to 1 year. Make sure to keep it away from heat and direct sunlight.

How to use homemade Cajun seasoning

There are many ways you can use Cajun seasoning to add a little flair to your meal. Below are some of my favorite ideas:

Traditional Cajun food: Gumbo, jambalaya, red beans and rice.

Proteins: Chicken, shrimp, tofu, fish, steak, or pork.

Vegetables: Roasted potatoes, roasted vegetables, French fries.

Pasta: Cajun chicken pasta, Cajun beef pasta, Cajun vegetable pasta.

Dips: Cajun ranch, Cajun dipping sauce for fries, Cajun crab dip.

What’s the different between Cajun and Creole seasoning?

While both spice blends can be used interchangeably, the main difference is that Cajun seasoning is spicier because it uses a combination of peppers (cayenne, black and white) and Creole uses more herbs such as paprika, thyme, oregano, and basil.

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