Grenadian Green Seasoning Recipe

Yesterday I came across a quote on instagram, that started me thinking about the way we cook as Grenadians/West Indians. It said “We don’t measure anything, we just add a little bit of this and a little bit of that until our ancestors whisper in our ear to stop.”

I agree – to a point, when you think of Caribbean food, there are a few basic things that come to mind. The first is green seasoning, a fresh fragrant blend of various herbs and other aromatics that form the basis of many of our dishes. This ‘seasoning’ is used as a marinade for meats, fish, curries, stews, sauces, gravies even soups.

In typical Caribbean fashion, this ‘green seasoning’ has no absolute measurements, you can adjust it how you like, it’s literally a little bit of this and a little bit of that. I’ve made an attempt to pull together a quick list of the most common ingredients.

If you are craving that authentic Caribbean taste, here’s a quick and easy way to make your own green seasoning. All you need are fresh ingredients. Luckily these days, you can find a variety of herbs year-round at your local grocery.

grenadian green seasoning

2 cups chopped green onions
2 cups chopped celery
2 packed cups chopped cilantro
1 cup fresh thyme leaves
2 tablespoons fresh rosemary
2 cups chopped onions
1 cup chopped garlic
1 finger of ginger
2 to 3 whole Seasoning peppers
4-5 cloves (optional)
1/2 teaspoon all spice (optional)
2 tablespoons salt
1 cup water or vegetable oil
1 tsb vinegar

Divide the ingredients into two equal batches. Add to food processor one batch at a time. Pulse or let whirl until all the ingredients are very fine. Drizzle in just enough water to moisten the mixture. Repeat with the second batch of ingredients.
Transfer to glass jars with airtight lids and store in refrigerator or, for longer storage, pour into ice cube trays and freeze.
Remove frozen cubes and store in a zip-top bag and store in the freezer.

Note: The cubes can be used directly from the freezer without thawing. If you are using it for marinades, thaw first.

Are there any other ingredients in your green seasoning?

Share below! Happy cooking 🙂