Caribbean Green Seasoning

By
Cynthia Nelson
Cynthia Nelson
Cynthia Nelson
Food columnist and blogger Cynthia Nelson is the author of "Tastes Like Home: My Caribbean Cookbook." Living in Barbados, Cynthia shares her love of the diverse food of the islands.
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Updated on 03/8/22
Green onions
Guy Montag
Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 0 mins
Total: 20 mins
Servings: 30 servings
Yield: 4 cups

This green seasoning recipe will impart a genuine taste of the islands to your food.

It's that certain something that comes to people's flavor memories when they think of Caribbean food. When West Indians living abroad crave a taste of home, they are usually yearning for a taste of a stew, curry, or baked poultry or meat in which green seasoning has been used. It is very similar to sofrito but spicy.

Making your green seasoning is easy. All you need are fresh ingredients. And, these days, you can find a variety of herbs year-round.

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Ingredients

  • 2 cups chopped green onions

  • 2 cups chopped Chinese celery

  • 1/2 cup chopped cilantro, packed, including leaves and young stems

  • 1 cup fresh thyme leaves

  • 4 cups sweet basil leaves, packed

  • 1/2 cup fresh marjoram

  • 2 tablespoons fresh tarragon

  • 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary

  • 2 cups chopped onions

  • 1 cup chopped garlic

  • 3 to 4 whole Scotch bonnet peppers

  • 2 tablespoons salt

  • 1 cup water, or vegetable oil

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. Divide the ingredients—green onions, celery, cilantro, thyme, basil, marjoram, tarragon, rosemary, onions, garlic, peppers, salt, and oil—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.

  3. Transfer to glass jars with airtight lids and store in refrigerator or, for longer storage, pour into ice cube trays and freeze.

  4. Remove frozen cubes and store in a zip-top bag in the freezer.

Tips

Scotch bonnet peppers are very hot, so feel free to use less to lessen the heat, if you'd like. When handling the peppers, you should wear gloves and be careful not to touch your hands to your eyes until you thoroughly wash them with soap and warm water.


It is best to use fresh ingredients when making green seasoning.

How to Use

Green seasoning is great to put in stews, curries, soups, or as a marinade or topping on meats including chicken, lamb, pork, or beef. You can use it as a topping on cooked rice or steamed vegetables, too.

How to Store and Freeze

This green seasoning recipe can be stored in the refrigerator in glass jars with airtight lids for up to five days.


You can also freeze it. Pour into ice cube trays and freeze. When frozen, remove the cubes and store them in a zip-top bag for several months. When ready to use: The cubes can be used directly from the freezer without thawing. If you are using it for marinades, thaw first by defrosting overnight in the fridge. You will need to stir the green seasoning to marry all the ingredients back together.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
20 Calories
0g Fat
5g Carbs
1g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 30
Amount per serving
Calories 20
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g 0%
Saturated Fat 0g 0%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 432mg 19%
Total Carbohydrate 5g 2%
Dietary Fiber 1g 4%
Total Sugars 1g
Protein 1g
Vitamin C 9mg 46%
Calcium 30mg 2%
Iron 1mg 4%
Potassium 103mg 2%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)