It’s mind-blowing how this Easy Jamaican Jerk Seasoning is so simple to make yet bursting with flavor. With ingredients like thyme, cayenne pepper and cinnamon, this vibrant spice blend is the perfect topping for any vegetable or plant-based protein source.
With just a few ingredients from your pantry, you can bring Caribbean flavors to your kitchen, infusing your meals with depth and warmth. It will leave you wondering why it hasn’t already been a staple in your spice rack!
Throughout my cooking journey, I’ve experimented with and tasted so many cuisines from around the world. Caribbean cuisine is one of those that I find particularly captivating, especially when it comes to their iconic jerk seasoning. It’s bold and fiery with sweet yet smokey notes, incorporating a unique combination of spices from around the world. In this post, I want to share with you my take on an easy Jamaican jerk seasoning to elevate your cooking game.
What is Jerk Seasoning?
The History of Jerk: A Fusion of Cultures
Jerk isn’t just a cooking style—it’s a story of survival, culture, and resilience. The roots of jerk trace back to Jamaica’s Indigenous Taíno people and the Maroons. The Taíno, Jamaica’s first known inhabitants, introduced techniques for preserving and smoking meat. When the Spanish arrived in the 1500s, they brought enslaved Africans. These Maroons formed their own settlements and blended their West African traditions with Indigenous cooking methods. Together, they perfected the jerk technique—a slow-cooking process over a smokeless fire using pimento wood, and bold spices to flavor, preserve and grill the meat.
Jerk: The Legacy of Jamaica
Traditional jerk seasoning featured simple but powerful ingredients like bird peppers, pimento (allspice), and pepper elder leaves and was made in either marinade or paste form. The Maroons used underground pits to cook, ensuring their location remained hidden from British forces. The result? Meat that was not only delicious but also tender, smoky, and infused with layers of spice.
Once a necessity, jerk has become one of Jamaica’s most iconic flavors. Modern jerk recipes are used all around the Caribbean and even across the globe, which include Scotch bonnet peppers, scallions, garlic, ginger, thyme, cinnamon, and nutmeg. And of course, it is not just limited to meat, but is used on vegetables, tofu and many other plant-based foods as well!
A Simpler Way to Make Jerk at Home
Authentic jerk can be a labor-intensive process, often requiring slow smoking and a carefully blended marinade made from fresh ingredients. While nothing quite matches the depth of true, pit-cooked jerk, this simplified version offers a quicker way to enjoy those signature bold flavors with less effort.
Why this Homemade Jerk Seasoning is better than store-bought
- It’s cheaper and healthier than store-bought. By using many common and cheap pantry ingredients, you can make this seasoning for much cheaper than the store-bought version. And, at home you can control how you make it – without the unnecessary ingredients like citric acid, xanthan gum and stabilisers, making it better for your health.
- It’s versatile. You can use this seasoning on just about everything – I love to use it on vegetables like cauliflower or mushrooms, or even on tofu and seitan for a fiery protein feast!
- Ready in just 5 minutes. This recipe combines just a few ingredients that you probably have in your pantry already – basic dried spices mixed and ready in just 5 minutes.
- It’s completely customizable. It’s easy to customize to make it perfect for YOU. If there’s a spice or herb you don’t particularly like, no problem! That’s the beauty here, you can adjust the measurements according to your taste. If you can’t handle too much heat, simply use less of the cayenne and chili.
Try this Jerk Seasoning and come back to leave a review!
Ingredients you’ll need to make this Jamaican Jerk Seasoning
Here’s what you’ll need to make this simple Jerk seasoning:
- Aromatics: Onion, garlic and ginger powder
- Sugar: To add a touch of sweetness. I like to use brown sugar but you can also use coconut sugar.
- Spices: Allspice, smoked paprika, regular paprika, cinnamon, nutmeg, cumin and clove
- Heat: For the fiery element, add some cayenne pepper and hot pepper flakes.
- Seasoning: Salt, pepper and vegetable stock powder.
- Herbs: Some earthiness from dried thyme and parsley.
How to make Jerk Seasoning:
This recipe is so simple it only has two steps! If you want the full recipe card with detailed measurements, you can scroll to the bottom of this post.
Gather spices
In a small bowl or small plate, measure all the spices as per the measurements in the recipe card below. Here you can double or triple the recipe if you wish.
Mix together!
Using a small spoon or whisk, mix all the spices together until thoroughly combined. And voilà! Your spice mix is ready. You can use it on any vegetable or plant-based protein of your choice.
Extra tips and suggestions
- Use whole spices: If you want to elevate the flavor further, try dry roasting some whole spices like cinnamon sticks, black peppercorns and dried chilis in a pan to bring out the flavor and simply blend in a spice grinder or smash with a pestle and mortar.
- Make a paste or marinade by combining the spice blend with olive oil and lime juice, or even fresh chilis
- Try other varieties of chili: You can even dehydrate scotch bonnet peppers or fresh red chili and blend into a powder for an added punch of spice. Habanero peppers also work.
- Adjust blend ratio: While this is my preferred spice blend ratio – feel free to adjust the measurements based on your personal preference. Add more spice, pepper or reduce the chili.
- Bulk up! This seasoning is easy to make in bulk – double, triple or even quadruple the recipe
How to use this Jamaican Jerk seasoning
Given its bold and deep flavor, this seasoning can be used on just about anything. Feel free to experiment and see what works for you. I like to use it in the following ways:
- Spread the spice blend and a bit of olive oil on Oyster Mushrooms and fry in a pan or roast in the oven for a punchy dish.
- Top the seasoning on some Seitan or tofu and fry in a pan, serve with Jamaican style rice and some fresh mango salsa.
- Make a marinade with the seasoning using olive oil and lime juice, and spread all over a head of cauliflower. Roast in the oven for a delicious cauliflower feast.
- Any other vegetables of your choice either pan fried or roasted in the oven.
FAQs
How can I store the Jerk Seasoning?
Store in a glass jar or spice jar and keep it in your spice rack or pantry.
How long does it last?
This seasoning should last around 6 months to 1 year – but be sure to keep an eye on it. If you are in a hotter or humid environment, the spices may start to go stale and change in color. If this happens, be sure to throw it out.
Let me know if you Like it!
This is a simple but delicious recipe packed with flavor. If you try out this recipe or have any questions, please let me know or leave a comment below. I’d love to hear your feedback!
If you like this recipe, don’t forget to share this recipe with your family and friends.
Easy Jamaican Jerk Seasoning
With just a few ingredients from your pantry, you can bring bold and fiery Caribbean flavors to your kitchen with this Easy Jamaican Jerk Seasoning. Ready in just 5 minutes!
Prep Time 5 minutes mins
Total Time 5 minutes mins
- 1 tbsp onion powder
- 1 tbsp garlic powder
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 2 tsp cayenne pepper or less depending on your spice level
- 2 tsp ground black pepper
- 2 tsp dried thyme
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tsp vegetable stock powder
- 1 tsp ground allspice
- 1 tsp dried parsley
- 1 tsp smoked paprika or regular paprika
- 1 tsp regular paprika
- ½ tsp hot pepper flakes
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground nutmeg
- ½ tsp ground clove
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- ¼ tsp ginger powder optional
In a small bowl, measure all the spices as per the measurements in the recipe card below. Here you can double or triple the recipe if you wish.
Using a small spoon or whisk, mix all the spices together until thoroughly combined.
And voilà! Your spice mix is ready. You can use it on any vegetable or plant-based protein of your choice.
- You can switch out the smoked paprika for regular paprika
- Turn this dry spice blend into a paste or marinade by adding 1 tbsp of olive oil and 1 tbsp of lime juice with 1-2 tbsp of the seasoning.
- You can use as much of the seasoning as you like – don’t be afraid to use more if you prefer a more intense flavor! I recommend using 2-3 tbsp of seasoning to start with and then adjust accordingly.
- Store in a glass jar or spice jar and keep it in your spice rack or pantry.
- For a fresher and more aromatic blend – try using whole spices instead of powder. Just dry roast them in a pan until aromatic and use a spice grinder to make your own powder!
Keyword easy, Jamaica, Jerk, Jerk Seasoning, seasoning, spice blend, spices
