Caribbean Green Seasoning Recipe
Caribbean Green Seasoning is a powerhouse of blended herbs that taste better than storebought green seasoning, I love DIY seasoning blends, they take your recipes to another level, whether it’s dry seasoning blends or fresh.
Check out my other seasoning recipes, Easy Curry Powder Recipe, Italian Seasoning Recipe, and Jamaican Jerk Seasoning.
So this recipe brought me back to years ago when we lived in New Jersey. We would go to lunch with my friend Kamilla, a Trinidadian. She made the best vegan pelau using her homemade green seasoning recipe.
The memories of her delicious pelau remain with me to this day, also our fellowship, laughter, and love make her food even more amazing!
In Jamaica, we mostly prepare our seasonings on hand even though we finely chop ours, so in order to keep close to the authentic recipe, I wanted to make Trinidadian green seasoning.
I called my friend Gillian here in Florida, who is also Trinidadian, and she gave me the exact herbs that she uses. She said you basically use a blend of green seasonings with culantro or cilantro, thyme, and green onion.
Green seasoning is a household seasoning blend in Trinidad, just like how Jerk sauce is synonymous with Jamaica, pesto to Italy, mole to Mexico. mirepoix to the French, ‘holy trinity’ to the Cajuns, and sofrito to Puerto Rico.
Bottles of green seasoning can be purchased in Caribbean supermarkets but none of them taste as good as the homemade version.
What Is Trinidad Green Seasoning?
Green seasoning is a blend of herbs from the Caribbean. Traditionally it is blended and stored in the refrigerator for use as a marinade for meats, chicken, fish, stews, curries, and rice dishes. The recipes vary from household to household and from island to island.
Use this seasoning blend in all your Caribbean recipes for stews, now you can use it to marinate vegetables, tofu, and soy curls if you are vegan.
Why You’ll Love This Green Seasoning
- Versatility: This seasoning is incredibly versatile and can be used in a wide range of dishes, including stews, sauces, curries, soups, and as a marinade. It adds a burst of flavor to various types of cuisine.
- Fresh Ingredients: The recipe uses fresh herbs and vegetables, ensuring that the seasoning is packed with vibrant and natural flavors.
- Authenticity: The recipe aims stays true to the authentic Trinidadian green seasoning, using the same herbs and ingredients that are traditionally used in Caribbean households.
- Simple Preparation: The recipe is straightforward, requiring minimal effort and time to prepare. You can make a batch in just a few minutes.
Ingredients Needed
- Cilantro – I used culantro also called shado beni, recao or bandhania, a cousin of cilantro that is sold in the Caribbean, Asian or Hispanic supermarkets.
- Parsley
- Celery
- Green Onion
- Garlic
- Onion
- Ginger
- Thyme
- Scotch Bonnet Pepper – You can substitute with milder and super flavorful Caribbean peppers called pimiento and aji dulce. They have the flavor of Scotch bonnet pepper without the heat. They are found in Caribbean supermarkets. If you can’t find any of these peppers then substitute with 1 bell pepper.
- Other optional herbs include – red bell pepper, basil, oregano, and rosemary. Spanish thyme
How To Make Green Seasoning
- To prepare green seasoning you can use a blender or the food processor. If you use a blender then you will need to add a little water to get the blender going.
- Roughly chop up the cilantro, parsley, celery, and green onions. Remove stems from the bell pepper, and add to the blender, along with the garlic, onion, ginger, and thyme.
- Process until the mixture looks pureed like baby food. If you are using a food processor then you will not need to add water. Process until the seasoning looks like pureed baby food, scrape down sides, and process again.
To use your green seasoning, use about 2 tablespoons of green seasoning per recipe.
Expert Tips
- If you are using a blender, chop the onion and add it to the base. Since it has more water content than your herbs, it will help to produce liquid and you will need less added water.
- If you have both cilantro and culantro, then you could use both for the added flavor profile.
- When using frozen green seasoning, it is not necessary to thaw before using just add the cubes to your recipe.
Storage Tips
You can prepare them in large batches, refrigerate for about a week and freeze them in ice cube trays.
After they are frozen, remove the cubes from the trays and store them in freezer bags.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, you can customize the heat level by choosing different types of peppers. Scotch Bonnet peppers are often used for their spiciness, but you can opt for milder peppers like pimiento or aji dulce for a less spicy version. You can also adjust the quantity of pepper to control the heat.
While green seasoning is a staple in Caribbean cuisine, it can be used to add flavor to a wide range of dishes from various culinary traditions. It’s a versatile seasoning that can enhance the taste of many recipes.
Homemade green seasoning can be stored in the refrigerator for about a week. To extend its shelf life, you can freeze it in ice cube trays, and once frozen, transfer the cubes to freezer bags for longer-term storage.
A general guideline is to use about 2 tablespoons of green seasoning per recipe, but you can adjust the amount based on your taste preferences and the specific dish you are preparing.
Other Seasoning Blends To Try
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Caribbean Green Seasoning Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 bunch cilantro (I used culantro/Shado Beni)
- 1/2 bunch parsley
- 2 stalks celery
- 3 green onions/scallion
- 10 cloves garlic
- 1 small onion
- 1 inch ginger
- 8 sprigs thyme
- 1 Scotch Bonnet pepper or 5 pimiento/aji dulce peppers(no-heat)
Instructions
- To prepare green seasoning you can use a blender or the food processor, if you use a blender then you will need to add a little water to get the blender going.
- Roughly chop up the cilantro, parsley, celery, green onions, remove stems from the pepper and add to the blender, along with the garlic, onion, ginger, thyme.
- Process until the mixture looks pureed like baby food. If you are using a food processor then you will not need to add water, process until the seasoning looks like pureed baby food, scrape down sides and process again.
- If you are using a food processor then you will not need to add water, process until the seasoning looks like pureed baby food, scrape down sides and process again.
- To use your green seasoning, use about 2 tablespoons of green seasoning per recipe.
- You can prepare in large batches and freeze them in ice cube trays, after they are frozen, remove the cubes from the trays and store in freezer bags.
I’m going to dehydrate all ingredients and use it dry!
Great idea Rita. You are giving me ideas. Love it
I know that the recipe says 16 servings but what size is a serving? A tsp, ounce, Tbsp? Just want to freeze a bunch for later use and don’t know if I should double the recipe or if this is enough. Please and thank you.
Hi Debbie, I just checked the one I have in my refrigerator from the last batch I made. It is a 2 cup jar and I don’t do exact measurements at home only for the website. This recipe was done in 2019, so based on the photo that would be a one cup version which means 1 tablespoon per serving.
Good to have this in your house
Absolutely, thank you Romaine
Very delicious I Love it
Can you recommend a substitute for the celery please? Got both celery-hatred (😂) and allergy to cater for! 🙏💚
Zoie, you can leave it out.
Can I substitute dry thyme for fresh? My grocery store hasn’t been getting in the fresh lately
Yes you can Kathy, I hope you enjoy.
This looks lovely! I just have a quick question… How hot is it with the Scotch bonnet? I’ve never had anything with one in it but have heard _lots_ about them, and while I like some heat (sriracha is life lol)… I can’t get pimiento/aji dulce here, and definitely don’t want to go the bell pepper route.
Sue, Scotch Bonnet is very hot, how about substitute with habanero without the seeds if you would like the heat? I hope you enjoy it!
I don’t seem to be able to get a printer friendly copy…..
Chris use the 2 printer tabs on the page, the first one is right below the first image and the second is right below the recipe.
Hello Michelle, can you keep this in the refrigerator long? How long you can keep this without freezing?
Enoka the seasoning will last for a week refrigerated, to keep longer freeze the seasoning in a freezer Ziploc bag or ice cube mold. Just cut off what you need, it will melt fast.
Hello there! When you say 2 stalks of celery, do you mean 2 bunches of celery or 2 ribs of celery? People use “stalk” differently. Just want to clarify before I make it! :) I’m so excited! It sounds delicious.
Nicole, I meant 2 stalks from one head of celery, it is very confusing so I’m happy you asked for clarification.
A quick search on Google and this is what I found, ‘As a recipe writer, I’ve gone back and forth on celery. By most definitions, a whole head of celery is a stalk and a single “stick” from the stalk is a rib. Some dictionaries use the accurate but clunky term “leafstalk” for a single rib.
But if you stopped 10 people on the street, held up a rib of celery and asked what it is, most would say “a stalk of celery.” So after years of using “rib,” I bowed to the majority and switched, so that a head of celery is made up of many stalks.
It’s not a perfect solution. But I also trust readers to apply logic. Other than a cream of celery soup, how many recipes use an entire head of celery?’
I use green seasoning all the time, but I often have trouble finding it in the grocery store. I had no clue it was so easy to make, and will absolutely be using it. Thank you for this!
Karyl, I find the homemade version tastes better than the store-bought ones. I hope you enjoy my recipe.
Hi Michelle
Just made this recipe and can’t thank you enough. Have used it twice so far, and wow! It’s just so delicious!! My husband is on a low salt diet, and he loves this recipe. Will be using it often. . Thank you and stay safe!