Cajun Seasoning

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This homemade cajun seasoning blend is easy to make and tastes so good! If you like the flavor and heat of cajun food, then this spice blend will be essential.

This recipe makes 1 ½ tablespoons of cajun seasoning, which is typically enough for one recipe serving 4 to 6 people.

It's perfect if you want to make red beans and rice, gumbo, cajun shrimp, or cajun grilled fish. It's a versatile blend that adds a lovely kick of flavor and heat to any dish!

What is Cajun Seasoning?

Cajun seasoning is a spicy seasoning blend that's typically a combination of cayenne, paprika, garlic, pepper, and oregano.

It originated in Louisiana during the 18th century when cajun cuisine, also called rustic cuisine, became a fusion of West African, French, and Spanish cooking.

This cajun spice blend is similar to blackening seasoning, but it's a bit spicier. Blackening seasoning usually has less cayenne.

It's also similar to creole seasoning, and can sometimes be used interchangeably. Creole seasoning tends to have more dried herbs in the mixture.

Why You'll Love This Cajun Seasoning Blend

This easy-to-make spice mixture is ready in just a few minutes and will add loads of kicky flavor to any dish. It's especially good in Cajun and Creole cuisine.

This perfect blend of aromatic spices, spicy peppers, and herbs is perfectly balanced to add maximum flavor to your food.

By making your own cajun seasoning mix you can ensure it's made with the freshest herbs and spices. Dried herbs especially don't keep for very long.

Whenever a recipe calls for a seasoning blend I like making my own spice blend because I know it will be fresher and have a stronger flavor in the dish.

Homemade Cajun Seasoning Mix Ingredients

The best thing about this homemade cajun seasoning recipe is that it calls for common ingredients and pantry staples you probably already have.

• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• ½ teaspoon onion powder
• ½ teaspoon dried oregano
• ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

If you'd like your seasoning blends on the spicier side you can add ½ teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes or ½ teaspoon of chili powder as well.

If you'd like less heat, reduce the cayenne to ¼ teaspoon.

Recipes with Cajun Seasoning

You can use homemade cajun seasoning in so many ways! Here are a few of our favorite recipes that can include cajun spices.

• Grilled Red Snapper - Pictured above, one of the best ways to use cajun seasoning is on fish.
• Remoulade for Crab Cakes - You can use cajun seasoning in remoulade sauce
• New Orleans Gumbo - an authentic gumbo made with a dark roux, vegetables, chicken, sausage, and shrimp, and served over rice.
• Creamy Cajun Chicken - a juicy, golden, pan-fried chicken in a zippy cream sauce. It's ready in only 30 minutes! 
• Red Beans and Rice - a quick version of traditional Creole red beans and rice, this delicious recipe is made with smoked sausage, red kidney beans, and vegetables.
• Easy Cajun Shrimp - an insanely delicious recipe that only takes 5 minutes to make is the kind of dinner that dreams are made of! 

More Homemade Spice Blends

If you like making your own spice blends, try some of these great spice mixes.

• Chicken Seasoning Blend - a fantastic blend for chicken with herbs, garlic, onion, and mustard.
• Homemade Ramen Seasoning - a wonderful blend for ramen that can replace the seasoning packet or be used with fresh noodles.
• Lemon Pepper Seasoning - a citrusy blend with lots of kick!
• Fajita Seasoning - a fantastic blend with chili, cumin, paprika, and herbs.
• Italian Seasoning - a herbacious blend that's great in soups and on chicken.

Tips for Making this Recipe

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Specialty Ingredients - This recipe calls for simple ingredients that should be available in every grocery store. If you want to really maximize the flavor, I would suggest buying fresh dried herbs every 6 months (as they quickly lose their flavor).

I get all my dried herbs from The Spice House. I especially like the Mexican Oregano.

Storing Tips - Homemade seasonings like this one will keep for up to 6 months if you store it in an airtight container in a cool, dry place (like your spice cabinet or spice drawer).

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