Group · Herbs & spices
Cajun spices
Cajun spices come from Louisiana, from the cooking of the Acadians deported in the 18th century. The blend is simple and recognisable: paprika as the base, Cayenne pepper for heat, garlic and onion powder, and dried oregano and thyme.
On nutrition facts: 327 kcal per 100 g, 37.8 g of carbohydrate, 27.7 g of fibre and 12.6 g of protein, from the Ciqual entry « Spice (average food) ». As with all blends, no specific measurement exists.
Macronutrient breakdown
Nutrition table per 100 g
| Calories | 327 kcal |
| Kilojoules | 1370 kJ |
| Protein | 12,6 g |
| Carbohydrate | 37,8 g |
| Fat | 7,9 g |
| Fibre | 27,7 g |
Micronutrients per 100 g
All measured nutrients, ranked by share of the daily reference intake.
- Manganese13,6 mg680 %
- Vitamin K1116 µg155 %
- Iron18 mg129 %
- Copper0,93 mg93 %
- Potassium1430 mg72 %
- Calcium479 mg60 %
- Magnesium186 mg50 %
- Vitamin E4,76 mg40 %
- Vitamin B9dietary folate equivalents26,3 µg
See the other 14 nutrients
- Vitamin B51,65 mg28 %
- Phosphorus190 mg27 %
- Omega-3 ALA0,53 g27 %
- Vitamin B60,31 mg22 %
- Selenium9,18 µg17 %
- Zinc1,63 mg16 %
- Omega-6 LA1,49 g15 %
- Vitamin B10,12 mg11 %
- Vitamin B31,52 mg10 %
- Vitamin B20,09 mg6 %
- Iodine9,12 µg6 %
- Vitamin A46,1 µg6 %
- Vitamin C4,29 mg5 %
- Vitamin D0,09 µg2 %
Anses Ciqual 2025. Source: Anses, 2025, Ciqual food composition table
Tips
Salt is the real issue. Most shop-bought Cajun blends are salted, and some very much so: salt sometimes comes first in the ingredients list. In a dish that takes two tablespoons, that stops being a minor detail. Look for a blend with no added salt and season it yourself: you stay in control of your salt intake.
Blackening, without the butter. The technique is to coat a fish or chicken fillet in spices and then sear it over a very high heat. The original recipe first dips the piece in melted butter; a drizzle of olive oil is enough and saves around a hundred kilocalories per portion.
It goes well with plain starchy foods. On kidney beans, brown rice or oven-baked sweet potato wedges, it adds interest to foods that taste bland without fat.
Measuring the chilli. The amount of Cayenne varies enormously from one brand to another. Start with half of what the recipe says, taste, adjust: you can add chilli, but you cannot take it out.
Not to be confused with Creole. The Creole blend from New Orleans contains more herbs and less chilli. The two are interchangeable, but the result does not have the same intensity.
Sources
Average nutrition values per 100 g, given for guidance (spices are eaten in small amounts).