The Best Homemade Cajun Seasoning (substitute recipe)

Make your own Cajun Seasoning! This recipe is the perfect blend of common ingredients already in your spice drawer. You’ll love the spicy flavor for your traditional Cajun recipes. 

Have you ever made your own Cajun seasoning? I started making my own Cajun spice blend at home a few years ago. Everything I found in the store was TOO salty, even Old Bay seasoning!

I love Cajun cooking and the flavors or New Orleans, but wanted to be able to actually taste my food without it tasting like a salt lick, you know? 

If your recipe calls for Cajun seasoning but you don’t have any on hand, I have good news! This mix of spices can be used in place of Cajun seasoning in any recipe. 

And as a bonus, this Cajun seasoning blend will tickle your tastebuds without too much added sodium. 

Smoked paprika is the main ingredient in this easy Homemade Cajun Seasoning Recipe. It is one of my favorite seasonings! If you don’t have smoked paprika on hand, regular paprika is a good substitute.

Why Make Your Own Spice Blends:

Making your blend of spices at home is a good idea for many reasons:

1) It saves money! The markup on seasoning blends is quite high. 

2) And, you can control the quality of the ingredients! Store bought blends usually have some filler in them. These filer ingredients are used to keep the spice blends fresh and prevent caking. I really think my Cajun food tastes better since I started making my own seasoning! 

3) Making your combination of spices allows you to to have FULL control over the spice level and salt. If you want to adjust the spicy heat of this Cajun seasoning, all you have to do is adjust the omit one teaspoon of cayenne pepper. You can even omit all of the cayenne pepper!  

Recipe Additions: 

If you’re feeling frisky, try adding:

• A pinch of mustard seed
• A tablespoon of chili powder (adds a rich, deep flavor) 
• Sub white pepper for black pepper

Serving Suggestions: 

This simple blend of paprika and common spices is super versatile. It is a great substitute and can be used in traditional Cajun cuisine, creole dishes and fusion recipes. Consider trying it in:

• Red beans and rice
• To season homemade pork sausage
• On grilled protein. This makes an excellent steak seasoning! (Try it on my my Marinated Beef Kabobs for the Whole Family)
• On baked sweet potatoes with a pat of butter. This Cajun blend balances the natural sweetness of the potatoes so well!
• In my Cajun Chicken Alfredo or Spicy Cajun Pasta with Sausage and Tomatoes
• In my Cajun Shrimp Boil, Cajun Shrimp and Grits or Rob’s Famous BBQ Shrimp Recipe (New Orleans BBQ Shrimp)
• As a rub for Deep Fried Cajun Turkey, Easy Air Fryer Turkey Breast, or Smoked Boneless Turkey Breast for Thanksgiving.

Best Cajun Seasoning Substitutes:

Of course, you can always buy seasoning at grocery stores. I won’t get judge you for it!

If you’d rather buy your Cajun seasoning, I prefer Slap Ya Mama or Cajun Two-Step Seasoning. They are both DARN good seasoning blends that pack a lot more flavor than your standard Old Bay!

I think this recipe has a similar flavor profile to Cajun Two-Step, but is less salty. 

Storage: 

Store this versatile spice blend in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 6 months. Keep away from humidity to prevent caking.