Green Seasoning
Green Seasoning – Sometimes called green sauce, this customizable seasoning boasts fresh, flavorful herbs and veggies, including basil, parsley, celery, thyme, rosemary, garlic, onion, green onion, and habanero peppers. Green seasoning gives your favorite meats and dishes a real flavor boost! 😋
Have you ever made a recipe and thought, “Something is missing.”? I know I have. That’s when I grab a jar of ready-made seasoning or spice mix. I ask myself what mood I’m in and then reach for the herbs or spices that come to my brain first. And one of those options is this fabulous green seasoning.
This version of green seasoning is a marriage of various herbs like basil, parsley, celery, thyme, rosemary, garlic, onion, green onion, and habanero. Most people include cilantro or culantro for a Caribbean green seasoning. Sometimes I do, sometimes I don’t. You be the boss!
Content…What Is It? |
What Is Green Seasoning?
It’s a versatile sauce or paste common throughout the Caribbean and certain parts of Africa. We use it mainly to marinate beef, chicken, or fish. Each region and country has its own variation with different herbs and spices to suit their tastes.
Recipe Ingredients
- Vegetables – Celery, onion, green onion, garlic, and grated ginger all make an appearance thanks to their aromatic and flavorful characteristics. Green hot peppers will kick up the spiciness.
- Herbs – A delicious blend of fresh herbs (thyme, basil, rosemary, and parsley) gives this sauce lots of flavor and a bright green hue. 🌿
- Spices – Since the herbs and veggies are pretty potent in this seasoning, we go light on the spices. So salt and optional Maggi powder are the only extras.
How to Make Green Seasoning
- Grind – Puree all the ingredients in a food processor or blender into a fine paste. You might have to do this in batches. If using a blender, add as little water as possible to facilitate blending. If using a food processor, you don’t need liquid. (Photos 1-7)
- Store it in glass jars with airtight lids in the fridge. If not using it within a couple of days, pour it into an ice cube tray and freeze it. After the cubes are completely frozen, take them out of the tray and store them in ziplock bags for 3-6 months. Thaw before using unless they’re going in a soup or stew. (Photos 8-10)
Tips and Tricks
- You can vary this blend’s flavor by adding more of your favored herbs and less of what you don’t care for. My favorites are basil and parsley, so I included more of them. Feel free to adapt each herb to suit your taste.
- This seasoning makes a great basting or grilling sauce for your favorite meat. Alternatively, drop a cube or a tablespoon in stews or soups to ramp up their flavor.
- You don’t need extra liquid if using a food processor. But if you use a regular blender, add barely enough water or oil to blend the ingredients.
Make-Ahead Instructions
You can make green seasoning for up to two days before using it if you store it in the fridge. Or you can freeze the seasoning into an ice cube tray. When the seasoning is completely frozen, remove the cubes and store them in ziplock freezer bags for 3-6 months.
Thaw the cubes if using them as a marinade, but it’s not necessary if adding them to soups and stews.
FAQs
While my recipe doesn’t use vinegar, some people do add it. Vinegar gives the green seasoning a bit of a tang and preserves the blend for longer.
My recipe calls for habanero pepper, but you can customize it with any peppers you like. Bell peppers, pimento peppers, scotch bonnet peppers – any peppers you enjoy can go into the mix.
Most grocery stores carry some kind of green seasoning on the aisle with ethnic foods. But let’s be real: nothing beats the flavor of freshly blended, preservative-free, homemade green seasoning. This is one DIY seasoning that is 100% worth the effort. 💪
Recipe Variations
- The best thing about green seasoning is a million ways to personalize it. Add or subtract any herbs or veggies you want. Or add more of your favorite herbs to highlight specific flavors. Then make it mild, or make it extra spicy. You can literally make it any way you like.
- If you want a more stable shelf life in the fridge, add ¼ cup of olive oil and a dash of vinegar for something similar to chimichurri.
How to Use Green Seasoning
Use green seasoning to flavor all your favorite meats. I love it on chicken and often add it to fish in banana leaves. It’s also delicious in rice dishes, pasta, meat, fish, soups, and stews. Try adding a cube to albondigas soup or oxtail soup to up your flavor game.
More Amazing Sauce and Seasoning Recipes to Try
- Browning Sauce – A sweet and savory three-ingredient sauce that gives a wide array of dishes a deep flavor and beautiful color.
- Creole Seasoning – A homemade Cajun spice mix that will add depth of flavor and a spicy kick to all your favorite meats and more.
- Homemade Taco Seasoning – Everything you love about taco seasoning without the shady ingredients (ahem; MSG and preservatives) that are all too common in the store-bought variety.
- Jamaican Jerk Seasoning – Make your own jerk seasoning to bring Caribbean dishes to life.
- Sazon Seasoning – An all-purpose spice mix that’s as flavorful as versatile for a Tex-Mex flair.
Watch How to Make It
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This blog post was published in May 2013 and has been updated with additional tips, new photos, and a video
Green Seasoning
Ingredients
- 1 cup green onions, chopped
- 2 cups parsley, chopped
- 1 cup celery leaves, chopped
- 1 cup fresh thyme
- 2 cups sweet basil, chopped
- 3 tablespoons rosemary
- 1 cup onion, chopped
- 1 teaspoon ginger, grated
- ½ cup garlic, chopped
- ½ tablespoon salt
- ½ tablespoon Maggie powder, optional
- Water or vegetable oil as needed
Instructions
- Blend all the ingredients in a food processor or blender into a fine paste. You might have to do this in several batches. If using a blender, add as little water as possible to facilitate blending. If using a food processor, you don't need liquid.
- Store it in glass jars with airtight lids in the fridge. It's best used in a couple of days, or you can pour it into an ice cube tray and freeze it. After the cubes are completely frozen, take them out of the tray and store them in zip lock bags for up to two months—Thaw before using unless you're going to throw them in a soup or stew.
Tips & Notes:
- You can vary this blend’s flavor by adding more of your favored herbs and less of what you don’t care for. My favorites are basil and parsley, so I included more of them. Feel free to adapt each herb to suit your taste.
- This seasoning makes a great basting or grilling sauce for your favorite meat. Alternatively, drop a cube or a tablespoon in stews or soups to ramp up their flavor.
- You don’t need extra liquid if using a food processor. But if you use a regular blender, add barely enough water or oil to blend the ingredients.
- Please remember that the nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary significantly based on the products used in the recipe.
Tomatoes? I don’t see any tomatoes in the ingredient list.
Green seasoning doesn’t have any tomatoes. I’m sure it would be delicious if you want to add some. Please let me know how it goes if you decide to try it.
hi I love your recipes, can you tell me what maggie powder is and where I can purchase it, thank you
Hi, Janet. I’m referring to Maggi chicken powder or chicken bouillon. Most grocery stores carry it. But just leave it out if you can’t find one. The recipe would still turn out great. Thanks for stopping by.
I was wondering the same thing but I looked it up and you can buy it @ Wal;Mart.
Great that you find it. Share your experience once you try it. Thanks
Hi my name triciaanne l make this all the time …but l make different kinds if l want to persevere this mixer on the shelf not in the refrigerator what do l need to do…
Hi Tricianne. Since this seasoning is made with only fresh ingredients, it is best to store it in the refrigerator. Even so, it still needs to be used within a week! I haven’t tried preserving this sauce out of the refrigerator.
Hi. Can I just use it immediately without putting it away?
You sure can.
Green seasoning doesn’t have a specific recipe but cilantro or culantro is necessary for an authentic Caribbean flavor. Basil and rosemary aren’t commonly used either. Thanks for your recipes. They are so clear and organized! I use them as a starting point to recreate family favorites.
can you use the green seasoning as a dip or sauce
It’s use mostly to add flavor to stews, soups, and proteins; as a marinade
I blended everything and tasted it and it taste bitter and spicy! What went wrong, HELP!
You may add more tomatoes and/or onions to reduce the bitter taste. Do not over blend.
Can you put the entire thyme herb instead of just the leaves? Picking out the leaves to fill a cup is taking a long time 🙁
You sure can.
I wouldn’t suggest it. I’ve ruined chicken noodle soup before by including the thyme stems. Just pinch one end of the stem and run both your fingers down the side.
WOWZERS! i tried this last winter (just now chiming in) and have been making it ever since…..what an explosion of fresh flavors! ok, so i wasn’t sure what “maggie powder” was, so i left it out…..can you give me a hint what that might be? are you referring to maggi chicken cubes/powder? help! LOL even w/o that, this green sauce was just divine THANK YOU for sharing
You are right! Am referring to Maggi Chicken powder or Chicken bouillon. So glad you enjoyed it