Blackened Seasoning

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A staple recipe for homemade blackened seasoning that’s savory and spicy at the same time! Season any protein with this spice mixture for a major flavor upgrade.

I’m so excited to share this seasoning blend with you! It’s super simple, but a recipe I think everyone needs to have in their kitchen. It’s so versatile and can be used on essentially any protein!

If you are frying, baking or grilling protein without marinating or seasoning first, you’re totally missing out. A little marinade or seasoning goes a long way and will really step up your cooking game. Once you start taking a little time to season your protein, you will be impressing your family and friends with delicious, flavorful food. Promise.

Glass jar with blackened seasoning. A teaspoon of paprika is in the background.

What is “Blackened Food”?

If your mind immediately goes to burnt food, get that out of your mind! Blackened food traditionally means coating food in melted butter and then a mixture of spices. The spices stick to the butter, darken in color and create an incredibly delicious crust to the food. If you want to make blackened food a little healthier (or dairy-free), you can use olive oil or avocado oil in place of the butter and it’s still super flavorful!

Glass bowl with spices for blackening seasoning before being mixed. Spices are salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, oregano, and paprika.

Ingredients in Blackened Seasoning

Blackened seasoning is just a spice blend – so everything you need for this recipe is in your spice cabinet.

  • paprika
  • thyme
  • dried onion powder
  • dried garlic powder
  • oregano
  • pepper
  • sea salt
  • cayenne pepper

There’s a good chance you have all of these ingredients in your pantry, but if need blackened seasoning for a recipe and don’t have time to make this blend you can buy cajun seasoning at the store! It’s a premixed spice blend that includes a lot of the same ingredients in this blackened seasoning blend.

This blend does have a little kick from the cayenne pepper. I LOVE the spicy flavor but if you don’t like spicy foods, you can omit the cayenne pepper from the blend.

Glass jar with blackened seasoning. A teaspoon of paprika is in the background.

How to Use Blackened Seasoning

One of the best things about blackened seasoning is that you don’t have to remember to prep it in advance like you do with marinating! If I want to pre-season a protein for grilling, I’ll typically measure out all of the spices into a ziplock baggie, coat my protein with olive oil, add the protein to the spice mixture and shake it up! If I’m cooking something in a pan (like shrimp), I’ll just add the butter or oil as well as the seasoning blend and toss to coat. It’s so easy and super flavorful.

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4.86 from 7 votes

Blackened Seasoning

A staple recipe for homemade blackened seasoning that’s savory and spicy at the same time! Season any protein with this spice mixture for a major flavor upgrade. 
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes

Ingredients  

  • 1 ½ Tablespoons paprika
  • 1 Tablespoon thyme
  • 1 teaspoon dried onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon dried garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon oregano
  • 1 teaspoon pepper
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Instructions 

  • Stir together all ingredients and add to an airtight jar or storage container. Store in a cool, dark place until ready to use.

Nutrition

Serving: 1Tablespoon | Calories: 16kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 1g | Fiber: 1g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Spice Blend
Cuisine: Cajun
Keyword: blackened seasoning
Did you make this recipe?Mention @eatingbirdfood and tag #eatingbirdfood!

About Brittany

Hey there, I’m Brittany, the creator of Eating Bird Food, cookbook author, health coach and mama of two littles. Here you’ll find quick and easy recipes that make healthy fun and enjoyable for you and your family!

More about Brittany
Chicken fajita filling on a sheet pan with a wooden spoon. Tortillas are resting on the bottom of the sheet pan.
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Recipe Rating




11 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    Who knows the power of seasoning to make food delicious better than Indians:) I am from India and we try to season our foods whenever it is possible.
    Just loved your recipe!

  2. 5 stars
    I made this seasoning earlier & used it to cook blackened tilapia. It turned out perfectly & I’m definitely keeping a jar of this on hand. I can’t wait to try it on salmon. Thank you so much, Brittany! This was a big hit tonight!

  3. 4 stars
    I made this, it was almost exactly what I was looking for.. But not quite. Couldn’t tell what was missing though. Delicious¡

  4. 5 stars
    I made this last night to make Jamaican jerk roasted cauliflower last night and it was sooo good! This seasoning is a tad spicy, but in a good way, and it pairs well with lime. I’m really sensitive to spicy foods but this was just the right amount of heat.

    1. Woo! I’m so glad to hear that, Leah! The lime really sets off the flavors. Thanks so much for making it and leaving a review. I really appreciate it 🙂