Homemade Creole Seasoning

Creole Seasoning… A word that shouts “Spice things up”!!

Is 10 minutes of your life worth the flavor explosion you will see in your recipes? This famous New Orleans spice blend will add those delicious and bold Southern flavors to any meal.

Once I have this magic sprinkle ready, I start thinking about all the tasty dishes I can jazz up with it. Jambalaya, gumbo, blackened fish, or shrimp are just a few ideas. And it’s not just for Southern food. I can add it to any stew or pot dish for an instant flavor boost. It’s like adding a punch of yumminess to every bite!

The good news? Most of the ingredients that go in this spice bottle are already hidden somewhere in my pantry. Grab, Measure and Mix. Your very own homemade Creole seasoning ready in 10 minutes. 🙂

In America, Southern food is my kind of food. It’s bold and extremely flavorful with generous hands of different herbs and spices. I don’t get excited if food is bland and tasteless. I always say to GET the flavors you need to ADD them into your food.

They don’t have such a problem in New Orleans. The food there has that punch from their famous Cajun and Creole seasonings, as well as an abundance of veggies and different kinds of meats.

Creole & Cajun cuisine of Louisiana

When it comes to Creole and Cajun cuisine, they’re both pretty similar, but with some differences. Creole food is what you find in cities, while Cajun is more in the countryside.

Creole cuisine comes from the mix of French and Spanish settlers in New Orleans, along with African influences. So, it’s a blend of different cultures. Cajun, on the other hand, comes from French colonists who settled in rural Louisiana.

One big difference is that Creole dishes are often more soupy and tomato-based, while Cajun food has its own unique flavors. Both love to use lots of spices and herbs to make their dishes super tasty!

So what is Creole seasoning vs Cajun?

Cajun and Creole seasonings are actually very similar and to most they are interchangeable. Cajun started as a simpler blend, consisting of only a few ingredients like paprika and/or cayenne along with salt and pepper and sometimes oregano.

Creole on the other hand goes beyond this base by adding more oomph with different herbs and other spices.

Verdict: Creole is more complex and invariably adds more flavors, whereas Cajun has more heat.

However, as time has passed, the Cajun and Creole cuisines have been together so long that they started to look similar, and that’s why they are interchangeable to the unfamiliar palate.

Ingredients Needed

• Paprika
• Cayenne pepper
• Onion powder
• Garlic powder
• Black pepper
• Oregano
• Basil
• Thyme
• Parsley
• Sea salt or salt flakes

See, I told you, most of these are already in your pantry.

Creole Seasoning Recipe

Well, it’s just a matter of measuring the ingredients and mixing them in a bowl. Once it’s all mixed up, I transfer the seasoning to an airtight spice jar. If I’m making a big batch, I might even use a mason jar. Easy, huh?

How to store

I usually store this seasoning for up to 6 months in an airtight spice jar. It’s important to keep it in my pantry or spice cabinet, away from direct sunlight. Even though Creole seasoning can last a while, its freshness and flavor start to fade over time.

Since it’s easy to mix up, I prefer to only make enough to last 6 months at a time. That way, I always have that fresh, vibrant flavor ready to go whenever I need it!

Some variations

1. Play with spices and herbs: Some like it HOT, some NOT. Feel free to add or subtract a teaspoon of any ingredients to your liking. For example, cayenne. Use more or less. Missing some herb that day? No worries, Creole seasoning minus some parsley, for example, would still turn out awesome. You can have some extra add-ons like smoked paprika or even red chili flakes for some extra sizzle.
2. Vary salt or omit it altogether: You can use salt-less Creole seasoning. For me, salt is such an important thing in my food that I never do that. But it’s your seasoning. Or instead of sea salt, use Himalayan salt, kosher salt or even regular table salt.
3. Grind it into powder: I love the coarse nature of my Creole seasoning, but if you prefer otherwise, you can grind it into powder by giving it a quick whirl in your spice grinder.
4. Make a big batch: I Love NoLa food too much. Doubling or tripling the recipe means I have plenty for those gumbo and jambalaya nights.

How to use It

You are going to love this one so much that shortly you are going to use this to flavor anything and everything.

• Creole seasoning is MUST for some classic Southern dishes like jambalaya, gumbo, grillades and grits, and soups like yakamein.
• I use it as a rub for meats and seafood: Think how much flavor you will add to simple chicken tenders, pork chops or steak.
• Some days I use it as a marinade: I mix it with oil and vinegar or lemon and marinate whatever I fancy.
• My flavor booster for veggies: I sauté, roast or grill them with a dash of Creole seasoning… yum!

Look at these GypsyPlate creations using Creole seasoning…

Grillades & Grits

Shrimp Remoulade

Don’t they make you want to have your own seasoning blend in your pantry? Homemade seasoning blends are so great and easy, you can even make them in bulk, put them in some mason jars or cute spice bottles and gift them to your friends and family on holidays or special occasions. (Great economic personalized gift idea… wink, wink)

Let me know if you whip up my version of homemade Creole seasoning in your very own kitchen and try some of our NoLa delicacies. Many more flavors are just round the corner. Don’t shy away from them just because you are not familiar with them. Try them and who knows… they might become your favorites.

GypsyPlate is all about that… Bringing you new flavors and deliciousness. One such thing called is Yakamein, New Orleans’ best kept secret. I’m bringing it just for you, in my next post… stay tuned!! Meanwhile, subscribe to GypsyPlate and make this Creole seasoning ready to go in your pantry… as you’ll need it for this upcoming New Orleans special, Yakamein in the bowls below!

Creole Seasoning, in our Gypsy Bowl… enjoy!

Spruce up your food with these other great flavor enhancers!
Cuban Mojo Marinade
Montreal Steak Seasoning
African Chermoula Marinade
Jamaican Jerk Marinade
Homemade Sofrito
Green Seasoning
Salsa Taquera

Creole Seasoning

Yield: About 1.5 cups

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 5 minutes

My homemade Creole Seasoning is a great addition to your pantry. This flavor enhancer is great for Creole recipes but also enhances so many other dishes!

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Ingredients

• 6 Tbsp paprika
• ½ - 1 Tbsp cayenne
• 3 Tbsp onion powder
• 3 Tbsp garlic powder
• 2 Tbsp oregano
• 2 Tbsp basil
• 2 Tbsp thyme
• 1 Tbsp parsley
• 2 Tbsp black pepper
• 1 - 1½ Tbsp granulated or sea salt

Instructions

1. Place all the ingredients in a bowl and mix well with a dry spoon so everything is well combined.
2. Store in an airtight spice jar and keep it in a pantry.

Notes

1. This is my perfect blend, but you can always customize the proportions of the herbs and spices to personalize your recipe.
2. To make a smaller quantity, simply replace tablespoon measurements with teaspoons.

Nutrition Information

Yield 70 Serving Size 1 tsp
Amount Per Serving Calories 5Total Fat 0gSaturated Fat 0gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 0gCholesterol 0mgSodium 200mgCarbohydrates 1gFiber 0gSugar 0gProtein 0g

Nutrition information calculated by Nutritionix.

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Welcome to GypsyPlate! I'm Alpana, former wordwide tour manager and professional caterer, now full time blogger. I love exploring cuisines from around the world, and my recipes have been featured on sites such as MSN, Parade, Brit + Co, CNET and AOL. You can explore my entire collection of sortable recipes in my Recipe Index or learn more about me here.