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My Creole Seasoning Mix recipe packs so much flavor into such a simple, easy-to-make blend! Use it for everything from chicken, pork, and seafood, to steak, potatoes, peppers and onions, and other roast vegetables. If you're like me, you won't be able to get enough of this seasoning!
Homemade Creole Seasoning
Living in Florida, it's not uncommon for my family and I to take a trip over to Louisiana. You can bet the first thing we do every time we visit is find a good Creole restaurant to enjoy!
Every time we would come back home from one of those trips, I would crave the flavor of that distinctive Creole spice. Naturally, I had to figure out how to make a homemade Creole seasoning mix to enjoy whenever I wanted!
And let me tell you, this easy Creole spice mix goes with everything. Enjoy it with grilled shrimp, chicken breast, beans and rice, and even in your eggs for breakfast.
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Creole Seasoning vs Cajun
If you've seen my Cajun seasoning recipe, you might see some similarities! Cajun and Creole seasoning are similar in many ways. In fact, Cajun seasoning is a common Creole seasoning substitute!
Despite that, there are some important differences in the flavor profiles of each spice blend. A good Creole seasoning blend will include more herbs than Cajun seasoning, giving it a more herbal aroma and flavor.
Creole spice tends to be found in Jambalaya, seafood dishes, chicken, and red bean dishes.
Creole Seasoning Ingredients
- Paprika: Regular, Turkish, or Smoked paprika would all be excellent for Creole seasoning. I like to use a blend of sweet paprika and smoked paprika!
- Salt: You can use any sort of salt for this. Larger grains can sometimes separate from the rest of the seasoning, so try to use sea salt or kosher salt with smaller grains.
- Onion Powder: The sweetness of onion powder is perfect for Creole dishes!
- Garlic Powder: Mellow and mild, garlic powder adds another layer of flavor without overpowering the others.
- Dried Oregano: The classic herbal bite of oregano brings a lot of distinct flavor!
- Dried Basil: Basil adds a delicious herbal spice that you won't want to miss!
- Dried Thyme: The aroma of thyme is unmistakable, and gives Creole seasoning its signature gentle herbal flavor that makes it so distinctive.
- Black Pepper: Use freshly cracked black pepper if you can; it's a key component of the heat and bite of this seasoning.
- White Pepper: Just like black pepper, use freshly cracked white pepper. I highly recommend using both kinds of pepper for a blend of types of heat that one pepper alone won't provide.
- Cayenne Pepper: Creole seasoning packs a punch, and cayenne is where it comes from! You'll be using plenty, but feel free to scale back on it if you want a slightly less spicy mix.
How to Make Creole Seasoning
1: Add to a bowl
Add the seasonings to a bowl, or a mortar and pestle if you have one.
2: Mix and enjoy
Mix thoroughly, bottle, and enjoy! If you have a mortar and pestle, grind it well beforehand to turn the herbs to smaller pieces.
Try Blending It!
If you're looking for a powdery smooth spice blend, add all of the ingredients to a coffee grinder or mortar and pestle and blend it up! If you choose this route, you can also add larger seasonings such as adding in a bay leaf and a half tablespoon of dried rosemary.
Homemade Seasoning Recipes
- Shrimp Seasoning - the perfect seasoning for just about every shrimp recipe!
- Fry Seasoning - My favorite seasoning for homemade fries that takes them above and beyond!
- My Signature Burger Seasoning - I won't serve burgers without this seasoning anymore. It adds a whole new world of flavor!
- Italian Seasoning - Making your own Italian seasoning means never buying expensive pre-made spice blends again. Trust me, it's so much cheaper and so much easier!
- Pork Seasoning - This is one of those seasonings that works with just about every recipe. It's that perfect blend of sweet, smoky and spicy that takes pork to the next level!
Tips for Homemade Creole Seasoning
- You can add more seasonings if you pulse the blend in a coffee grinder! I like adding red pepper flakes, a bay leaf, and dried rosemary to the mix if I plan on blending it smooth.
- Creole seasoning is perfect for seafood like grilled crab legs, but you can also add it to vegetables, scrambled eggs, soups, stews, and poultry. Scroll further for all sorts of great recipes that taste even better with a pinch of Creole flavor!
Storing Homemade Creole Seasoning
Because all of the ingredients in this DIY seasoning blend are shelf-stable, you can store it in the pantry in a jar or airtight container for just about forever. That said, dried seasonings mellow out over time, so I recommend using it up within 3 months.
Creole Seasoning Recipes FAQ
Not quite, but they're close cousins! Cajun seasoning doesn't have as heavy an emphasis on the herbs, and has a higher ratio of pepper. In the meanwhile, Creole seasoning tends to be slightly more mild on the heat with more herbs and garlic.
What doesn't Creole seasoning go well on? It's perfect with beans, rice, chicken, seafood, and stirred into sauces such as Remoulade or added to homemade vinaigrette! I like adding some to roasted potatoes or cauliflower, or coating chicken wings with it!
Recipes to Serve with Creole Seasoning
- Jalapeno Popper Deviled Eggs - Add some Creole seasoning to the mashed yolks for even more spice!
- Spanish Beans and Rice - Creole seasoning boosts the flavor of this already flavorful and simple meal to something truly exceptional!
- Cuban Ropa Vieja - One of those meals that can't go wrong with more spices! Plus, the seasonings are very similar, so you can just use Creole seasoning instead.
- Shrimp and Beef Paella - There's so much flavor in this paella, adding Creole seasoning only makes it more incredible.
- Air Fryer Shrimp Tacos - Use Creole seasoning as the spices for these super-fast shrimp tacos and you'll be making them a regular meal!
Creole Seasoning
Equipment
- Coffee grinder optional
- Mortar and pestle optional
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons Paprika
- ½ Tablespoon Salt
- 1 Tablespoon Onion powder
- 1 Tablespoon Garlic powder
- 1 Tablespoon Dried oregano
- 1 Tablespoon Dried basil
- ½ Tablespoon Dried thyme
- ½ Tablespoon Black pepper
- ½ Tablespoon White pepper
- ½ Tablespoon Cayenne pepper
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to a small bowl, coffee grinder, or mortar and pestle.2 Tablespoons Paprika,½ Tablespoon Salt,1 Tablespoon Onion powder,1 Tablespoon Garlic powder,1 Tablespoon Dried oregano,1 Tablespoon Dried basil,½ Tablespoon Dried thyme,½ Tablespoon Black pepper,½ Tablespoon White pepper,½ Tablespoon Cayenne pepper
- Mix, blend, or grind until thoroughly incorporated, then bottle and store!
Notes
- You can add more seasonings if you pulse the blend in a coffee grinder! I like adding red pepper flakes, a bay leaf, dried oregano, and dried rosemary to the mix if I plan on blending it smooth.
- Creole seasoning is perfect for seafood, but you can also add it to vegetables, scrambled eggs, soups, stews, and poultry. Scroll to the bottom of this recipe for all sorts of great recipes that will taste even better with a pinch of Creole flavor!
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