Kevin Is Cooking | Course | Pantry Staples | Spice Blends | Creole Seasoning Recipe
By Kevin
published Oct 16, 2017, updated Jan 23, 2024
5 from 3 votes
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My homemade Creole seasoning is a blend of flavorful ingredients that are easy to find — and easy to pronounce! No preservatives, no excess salt, and no fuss.
Creole seasoning is a Lousisana-style blend of spices that has more to offer than just heat! It combines the unique tastes of southern European, Native American, African, and Caribbean cuisines — the melting pot of people that make up the Creole culture of New Orleans.
Table of Contents
- Cajun or Creole?
- Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- How to Make Creole Seasoning
- Recommended Tools
- Storing
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Homemade Creole Seasoning Recipe
It has more to offer than just heat. An authentic Creole seasoning recipe contains a variety of fresh and herbal seasonings including thyme and oregano, keeping the heat more on the mild side. It’s a great blend for adding rich, savory flavor without overwhelming the taste buds with spice.
Pork, beef, shrimp, and beans — there isn’t a protein you can’t pair with Creole seasoning. I use it when I prepare shrimp and grits, Southern-style pulled pork sandwiches, and authentic New Orleans jambalaya.
Tip From Kevin
Cajun or Creole?
Cajun and Creole cuisines both hail from Louisiana but have distinct roots and flavors. Cajun cooking originates from the Acadian settlers, focusing on hearty, rustic dishes with French and Southern influences. It features ingredients like smoked meats, game, and trinity vegetables (onions, bell peppers, and celery). Creole cuisine, on the other hand, stems from New Orleans’ multicultural history, blending French, Spanish, African, and Caribbean elements. Creole dishes tend to be more refined, using a variety of spices, tomatoes, and seafood. While both celebrate Louisiana’s rich culinary heritage, Cajun is rural and robust, while Creole is urban and sophisticated.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Paprika – Smoked paprika gives this blend its hot red color. It’s also one of the most pronounced flavors — substituting isn’t recommended.
- Garlic Powder & Onion Powder – This dynamic duo adds much-needed depth and complexity to any homemade spice blend.
- Cayenne Pepper – Made with cayenne peppers that have been dried and finely ground, this spice is responsible for most of the heat in this blend. If you find this Creole seasoning recipe to be too hot for your liking, you can lessen the amount of cayenne added.
- Dry Mustard – Rather flavorless on its own, dry mustard adds heat and bitterness once cooked. There’s no good substitute, other than adding prepared mustard to whatever dish you’re adding the Creole seasoning to.
- Salt – I use only a small amount of salt in homemade blends — not only because I like to keep the sodium low, but also because it’s simply easier to add salt as needed while you’re cooking.
- Black Pepper – As heat is derived from a couple of seasonings in this blend, there’s no need to overdo the black pepper. Taste test and add more if desired while cooking.
- Dried Oregano – Bitter and earthy, this herb can be replaced by dried basil or parsley if needed.
- Celery Salt – It’s aromatic and grassy, adding much of that fresh “green” flavor attributed to Creole cuisine.
- Thyme – This herb is a bit “woodsy” — peppery, earthy, and lemony. Try rosemary or marjoram if you need a substitute.
How to Make Creole Seasoning
- Blend & Store. Add all of the spices to a spice grinder or food processor. Pulse several times until all seasonings are evenly distributed. Transfer to an airtight storage container and keep in a cool, dry place for up to 6 months.
- Spice Grinder or Food Processor – The best way to ensure all of the salt, pepper, herbs, and spices are evenly distributed in a spice blend is to use a spice grinder or food processor. You could even use a coffee bean grinder in a pinch!
Storing
While ground spices don’t necessarily have an expiration date, they aren’t going to remain strong and fresh-tasting forever.
Once opened, spices tend to lose their intensity in 6 to 8 months. This Creole seasoning recipe could last longer, depending on the freshness of the spices and if you ground them fresh yourself rather than using store-bought spices.
The best way to keep your homemade spice blends fresh is to keep them in a cool, dry place and store them in an airtight container. Take care while storing if you live in a humid climate.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between Cajun and Creole Seasoning?
The Creole people were the direct descendants of the Cajun settlers in Louisiana. As such, the two cuisines are very closely related and sometimes indiscernible. Whether a dish is Cajun or Creole may even simply come down to the ancestry of the person who created the recipe!
The easiest way to contrast the two is to say that Cajun seasoning is hot, while Creole seasoning is more herbal. But blends vary, and you may well find a Creole recipe with more heat than you bargained for!
How do you store spices so they don’t clump?
Any blend that contains salt is prone to clumping. The chemical composition of salt makes it naturally attract water from the air, which in turn causes the granules and surrounding ground spices to clump together.
The best defense, therefore, is to keep spices stored in a dry place — away from stoves, windows, and any place in your kitchen in which the temperature fluctuates often.
Finally, use a good container. I like to clean and reuse old spice containers that I’ve bought from the store!
What can I substitute for Creole seasoning?
If the spices used in my Creole seasoning recipe aren’t readily available, then a Cajun blend is an acceptable, albeit hotter, alternative.
Residents of the Mid-Atlantic will offer Old Bay as a good alternative, especially if you’re preparing seafood. If you look at the ingredient list in my homemade Old Bay substitute, you’ll see that the spices and herbs are actually very similar!
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Homemade Creole Seasoning
5 from 3 votes
Homemade Creole seasoning takes 10 minutes to make and lasts months! Use this herbal spice blend to jazz up any meat or seafood recipes.
Servings: 34 servings
Prep: 10 minutes mins
Total: 10 minutes mins
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Ingredients
- 2 tbsp paprika
- 2 tbsp garlic powder
- 1 tbsp salt
- 1 tbsp celery salt
- 1 tbsp black pepper
- 1 tbsp cayenne pepper
- 1 tbsp onion powder
- 1 tbsp dried oregano
- 1 tbsp thyme
- 1 tsp dry mustard
Instructions
Add all the ingredients to a spice grinder or food processor and pulse several times to combine and store in an airtight container.
Notes
This recipe makes 34 servings (1 tsp).
Nutrition
Calories: 5kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Sodium: 411mg | Potassium: 26mg | Vitamin A: 275IU | Vitamin C: 0.5mg | Calcium: 6mg | Iron: 0.3mg
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Course: Spice Blend
Cuisine: Creole
Author: Kevin Is Cooking
Have You Made This Recipe? Let Me Know on InstagramTag @keviniscooking or tag me #keviniscooking!
Kevin
Whether in the kitchen or on the grill, you’ll find me cooking American favorites with a love for BBQ, Mexican and Tex Mex. I’m passionate about making tasty food because life’s too short to be bland!
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