This homemade blackened cajun seasoning is a spice blend of paprika, smoked paprika, garlic powder, cumin, dried oregano, chili powder, brown sugar, salt, and black pepper.
This blackened cajun seasoning is great for pan-seared rainbow trout, blackened chicken breast, or cajun shrimp alfredo. Bring cajun cuisine and its bold flavor to your kitchen with this versatile seasoning blend.
Homemade Cajun Seasoning
Cajun seasoning is one of my favorite homemade spice blends (next to taco seasoning and Lebanese 7 spice) because it has so much flavor. There are benefits to making your own spice blends. One, you don't have fillers or anti-caking agents. Two, you can tweak the flavor profile to your liking. Adjust the spice level and salt. Make a big batch and use about 2.5 tablespoons of this spice blend for every pound of meat.
Ingredient Notes
Most of these spices are probably already in your pantry. Some cajun blends have dried thyme, cayenne pepper, and onion powder. I have small kids at home, so I've opted for mild chili powder instead of cayenne pepper. In my opinion, a good blackening seasoning has brown sugar to balance out the salty, smokey flavors. I like smoked paprika in my own seasoning blend because I like the added smokey flavor. You can make this blend with all smoked paprika or just regular paprika, but paprika is the star ingredient!
How To Make Cajun Seasoning
Measure out the spices. Add them to a large bowl.
Mix well. Store blackening spices in a small glass jar or spice container.
Add 2.5 tablespoons of cajun seasoning for every pound of meat. Make sure the meat is dry, so the cajun spice blend sticks well to the outer surface. Grill or pan-fry in a cast iron skillet (you can use a nonstick skillet too). This cajun spice blend is great for blackened shrimp.
Spice Tips
Paprika and smoked paprika are interchangeable for this recipe. If you only have paprika on hand, substitute it for smoked paprika. Chili powder means different things depending on where you live in the world. In the U.S., chili powder is a mild spice blend used in ground tacos and chili stew. In other parts of the world, chili powder is like cayenne pepper. Ingredients in the recipe card have links (affiliate) to the different spices.
Store this spice mix in an airtight container for up to a year. I have a lot of spices, so I bought a spice rack to organize them. It goes over my pantry door, and I highly recommend it!
Ways to Use Blackened Seasoning
Blackened seasoning is an all-around spice blend that goes well with chicken breast, cajun shrimp, scallops, and white fish like cod, halibut, or rainbow trout. One of my favorite combinations is blackened shrimp alfredo because it has smokey and creamy flavors all in one bowl.
📋 Recipe
Blackened Cajun Seasoning
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon McCormick's chili powder or equivalent
- 2 teaspoon smoked paprika sub paprika, see note 1
- 2 teaspoon ground paprika
- 2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1½ teaspoon dried oregano
- 1½ teaspoon salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Measure out spices into a bowl. Mix well.
- For every pound of meat, use 2½ tablespoon of the cajun spice blend.
- Store in an airtight container or sandwich bag.
Equipment
Notes
- Paprika and smoked paprika are different and bring on a different flavor profile. However, if you only have paprika or smoked paprika, you can use either. If omitting smoked paprika, double the amount of paprika and vice versa.
judy says
used this for cod and it was a tasty.
Lily says
Thanks for the comment!