Name: Homemade Cajun Seasoning Recipe
Prep time: 10 min
Total time: 10 min
Ingredients: ¾ cup sea salt; ¼ cup chili powder; 2 tablespoons garlic powder; 2 tablespoons black pepper; 2 tablespoons paprika; 4 teaspoons celery salt; 4 teaspoons mustard powder; 4 teaspoons dried basil; 1 tablespoon ground sage; 2 ½ teaspoons cayenne pepper ((we used 90K H.U., but you can use milder if you prefer)); 2 teaspoons arrowroot powder; 2 teaspoons dried onion flakes; 2 teaspoons dried oregano; 2 teaspoons dried thyme

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Learn how to make the best Cajun Seasoning blend in this easy spice mix recipe.

White mixing bowl filled with piles of dried spices and seasonings used to make cajun seasoning

This DIY creole substitute tastes better than Tony Chachere’s, Louisiana, Slap Ya Mama and other store bought brands.

Try it on chicken, shrimp, seafood, veggies, fries and more! Naturally gluten and dairy free.

Table Of Contents

Ingredients
Equipment
By the Numbers: How to Make Cajun Seasoning
Tips & Tricks for Making & Using Cajun Seasoning
Homemade Cajun Seasoning Recipe

Ingredients

¾ cup sea salt
¼ cup chili powder
2 tablespoons garlic powder
2 tablespoons black pepper
2 tablespoons paprika
4 teaspoons celery salt
4 teaspoons mustard powder
4 teaspoons dried basil
1 tablespoon ground sage
2 ½ teaspoons cayenne pepper – (we used 90K H.U., but you can use milder if you prefer)
2 teaspoons arrowroot powder
2 teaspoons dried onion flakes
2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 teaspoons dried thyme

Equipment

Mixing bowl
Spoon
Measuring cups and spoons
Glass jar

By the Numbers: How to Make Cajun Seasoning

Follow these simple steps to make a pint of the best homemade cajun seasoning you’ll ever taste.

Step 1: Measure out your spices and seasonings.

The first step is to measure out your sea salt, chili powder, garlic powder, black pepper, paprika, celery salt, mustard powder, basil, sage, cayenne, arrowroot, onion flakes, oregano and thyme.

Bowl of dried spices and seasonings to make homemade cajun seasoning

I like to do this just in case I’m lower on one ingredient than I realized. There’s nothing worse than having to drive to the grocery store and overpay for one spice that I could have bought in bulk.

Step 2: Combine your ingredients.

After you’ve measured all of your cajun seasoning ingredients out, add them to a mixing bowl and stir until well combined.

Clear glass mixing bowl of homemade cajun seasoning being mixed with a spoon on a wood table

You may be tempted just to put everything into a jar and try to mix it up there by shaking the jar. I don’t recommend doing that if you want everything well combined. Take the extra time to use a mixing bowl.

Step 3: Transfer to Storage Jar.

I like to keep this recipe in a pint sized mason jar, but any storage jar you have should work. Make sure it’s airtight because spice mixes start to clump and stick together if moisture gets into the jar.

Cajun Seasoning in a pint sized mason jar

Tips & Tricks for Making & Using Cajun Seasoning

Answers to all of your questions about making this easy and authentic cajun seasoning recipe.

1. How do I use this blend?

You can use this on any meat, seafood, veggies, fries or any recipe that calls for cajun seasoning. It’s seriously delicious on everything we’ve tried it on.

Sprinkle a nice layer over bone-in, skin-on chicken and bake as usual for a super easy entree. Add it to boneless skinless chicken breasts in the Instant Pot for flavorful salads, pasta and more.

Our Instant Pot Jambalaya and Crock Pot Red Beans & Rice recipe both use this seasoning mix as well. The kids love eating pinches out of the jar too!

2. Is this a copycat Tony’s Cajun Seasoning recipe?

Yes it is! I based my Cajun Seasoning mix on the flavors in that blend with some modifications that we enjoy.

We spent a lot of time experimenting and taste testing to get the flavors just right. We like this recipe better than the Tony Chachere, Louisiana, Slap Ya Mama and every store bought brand we’ve tried.

3. What’s in cajun seasoning and can I omit ingredients?

There are a lot of ingredients in this recipe and I don’t recommend leaving any of them out. All of the flavors meld together perfectly, and the starch helps thicken recipes you use it in.

You may want to reduce the salt in this recipe if you’re on a low sodium diet. Check with your nutritionist or registered dietician for advice.

4. Which Cayenne Pepper to use?

There is a wide range in the level of spiciness of ground cayenne pepper, so pay attention. We use 90 H.U. cayenne in this cajun spice mixture, which means it’s extremely spicy.

If your cayenne pepper is milder (35 H.U. is standard), you may need to increase how much you add. It’s best to start with less and add more until you get the spicy level your family prefers.

You can get several different heats of cayenne pepper from Starwest Botanicals.

5. Cajun vs Creole – What’s the Difference?

You probably see these words used interchangeably. That’s because both cuisines are native to Louisiana and found in New Orleans restaurants. You can use this blend in either, but they do have some differences.

For example, you typically won’t find tomatoes in Cajun cuisine, but you will find them in Creole dishes. I’ve also heard Cajun recipes referred to a country food and Creole recipes as city cuisine.

Other than that, they’re pretty similar. They frequently use green bell peppers, onions and celery and use plenty of sausage and shrimp.

6. Best place to buy bulk spices?

I buy all of my spices in bulk because I make all of our seasoning blends from scratch. Starwest Botanicals has great prices on bulk spices, so that’s who I source most of my spices and seasonings from to make my own mixes.

If you want to make some of my other homemade spice blends, these are popular choices: