What to use instead of cajun seasoning

Q: What can I use instead of cajun seasoning for seasoned coating on fried fish or vegetables?

Old Bay (1:1 by volume). Celery salt and mustard lead where cayenne should, so it reads Chesapeake rather than Louisiana. Roughly the same salt level. Paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne and salt (2 tsp paprika + 1 tsp garlic powder + 1 tsp onion powder + 1/2 tsp cayenne + 1 tsp salt per 2 tbsp Cajun seasoning). Near enough to the jar that most people cannot tell. Smoked paprika pushes it towards barbecue, so use sweet paprika for a cleaner crust. Blackening seasoning (1:1 by volume). More thyme and oregano and usually more black pepper. It burns darker in the pan, which is what it is built to do. Berbere (3/4 the volume). Hotter, with fenugreek and ginger underneath. The crust goes deeper red and the dish stops reading Southern entirely.

Q: What can I use instead of cajun seasoning for heat and salt stirred through a sauce or gravy?

Creole seasoning (1:1 by volume). More herb-forward with oregano and basil and usually a touch less heat. The gravy tastes greener. Paprika, cayenne, white pepper and salt (1 tbsp paprika + 1/2 tsp cayenne + 1/2 tsp white pepper + 1 1/2 tsp salt per 2 tbsp). White pepper gives the lingering back-of-throat heat the commercial blends rely on. No garlic in it, so add a clove to the pan. Jerk seasoning (half the volume). Allspice and thyme dominate and scotch bonnet runs several times hotter than cayenne, so the gravy goes Caribbean and fierce.

It depends entirely on what it's doing in the dish. Here's the job, what else does it, and what to skip.

Seasoned coating on fried fish or vegetables

The blend is mostly salt and paprika, so it seasons the crust and colours it red-brown while the garlic and cayenne survive the fryer.

Old BayRan out

1:1 by volume

Celery salt and mustard lead where cayenne should, so it reads Chesapeake rather than Louisiana. Roughly the same salt level.

Paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne and saltRan out

2 tsp paprika + 1 tsp garlic powder + 1 tsp onion powder + 1/2 tsp cayenne + 1 tsp salt per 2 tbsp Cajun seasoning

Near enough to the jar that most people cannot tell. Smoked paprika pushes it towards barbecue, so use sweet paprika for a cleaner crust.

Where to buy it →

Blackening seasoningRan out

1:1 by volume

More thyme and oregano and usually more black pepper. It burns darker in the pan, which is what it is built to do.

Where to buy it →

BerbereRan out

3/4 the volume

Hotter, with fenugreek and ginger underneath. The crust goes deeper red and the dish stops reading Southern entirely.

Where to buy it →

What doesn't work: Chili powder from the Mexican aisle. Cumin and Mexican oregano dominate it and there is no salt in the jar, so the crust tastes of taco and the fish underneath stays bland.

Heat and salt stirred through a sauce or gravy

In a pan gravy it delivers salt, cayenne heat and a dusty paprika body in one spoon, which is why smothered pork chops need nothing else.

Creole seasoningRan out

1:1 by volume

More herb-forward with oregano and basil and usually a touch less heat. The gravy tastes greener.

Where to buy it →

Paprika, cayenne, white pepper and saltRan out

1 tbsp paprika + 1/2 tsp cayenne + 1/2 tsp white pepper + 1 1/2 tsp salt per 2 tbsp

White pepper gives the lingering back-of-throat heat the commercial blends rely on. No garlic in it, so add a clove to the pan.

Where to buy it →

Jerk seasoningRan out

half the volume

Allspice and thyme dominate and scotch bonnet runs several times hotter than cayenne, so the gravy goes Caribbean and fierce.

Where to buy it →

What doesn't work: Hot sauce measured spoon for spoon. It brings vinegar and water where the blend brings salt and paprika, so the gravy thins and turns sour long before it gets near the right heat.

Salt is the first ingredient in most jars, so season the dish after the blend goes in rather than before.