Blackened Seasoning Calculator, Scaled to Your Batch

By , Ready Utilities

This blackened seasoning calculator scales The Kitchn's Blackened Seasoning, which mixes paprika, kosher salt, onion powder, garlic powder, black pepper, cayenne, oregano, and thyme and makes about 1/3 cup.

Common batch sizes

Tap a batch size to load it into the calculator, and the exact amounts appear below.

Blackened seasoning calculator

Scale by

Weight mode needs a USDA gram weight for every ingredient; smoked or sweet paprika, or a combination doesn't have one.

From 0.25 to 20. Use 0.5 for half a batch.

Salt

Grind changes how much salt fits in a spoon. Amounts match by weight.

Heat

Heat changes only the cayenne pepper. It's a taste preference, not part of the recipe.

Your batch

Paprika is the largest ingredient at about 35% by volume, with kosher salt and onion powder next. The Kitchn suggests using 2 to 3 teaspoons of this per fish fillet or chicken thigh before searing it hard in a very hot pan, which is where the blend gets its name.

Salt and heat settings are preferences. Taste as you go.

The base recipe

Blackened Seasoning

Adapted from Blackened Seasoning, The Kitchn

Yield: Makes 1/3 cup

  • 2 tablespoons smoked or sweet paprika, or a combination
  • 1 tablespoon kosher salt
  • 1 tablespoon onion powder
  • 2 teaspoons garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
  1. Stir all the ingredients together in a small bowl until evenly combined.

Scale this recipe

On this page

Batch size chart

IngredientHalf batchBase batchDoubleTriple
smoked or sweet paprika, or a combination1 tbsp2 tbsp1/4 cup1/4 cup + 2 tbsp
kosher salt1 1/2 tsp1 tbsp2 tbsp3 tbsp
onion powder1 1/2 tsp (3.6 g)1 tbsp (7.2 g)2 tbsp (14 g)3 tbsp (22 g)
garlic powder1 tsp (3.1 g)2 tsp (6.2 g)1 tbsp + 1 tsp (12 g)2 tbsp (19 g)
freshly ground black pepper1/2 tsp (1.2 g)1 tsp (2.3 g)2 tsp (4.6 g)1 tbsp (6.9 g)
cayenne pepper1/2 tsp (0.9 g)1 tsp (1.8 g)2 tsp (3.6 g)1 tbsp (5.4 g)
dried oregano1/4 tsp1/2 tsp1 tsp1 1/2 tsp
dried thyme1/4 tsp1/2 tsp1 tsp1 1/2 tsp
Total volume2 tbsp + 2 1/2 tsp1/4 cup + 1 1/2 tbsp1/2 cup + 3 1/2 tbsp1 cup + 1 tbsp

Blackened Seasoning from The Kitchn, scaled with the site's kitchen rounding. Weights from USDA FoodData Central where USDA lists the exact form. Salt is shown as the recipe lists it.

How the scaling works

Blackened Seasoning totals 1/4 cup + 1 1/2 tbsp as published, across 8 ingredients. Every one is multiplied by the same number, so smoked or sweet paprika, or a combination stays 35% of the blend whatever size you make. Pick a multiplier directly, or enter the amount you want and the calculator works back to it from that 1/4 cup + 1 1/2 tbsp total.

The salt and heat controls change only those lines. Turning the cayenne pepper down does not make the paprika go up. Amounts under 3 teaspoons round to the nearest 1/8 teaspoon, and larger amounts round to the nearest 1/4 teaspoon in tablespoons.

Worked example: doubling the base recipe

IngredientBasex 2
smoked or sweet paprika, or a combination2 tablespoons1/4 cup
kosher salt1 tablespoon2 tbsp
onion powder1 tablespoon2 tbsp
garlic powder2 teaspoons1 tbsp + 1 tsp
freshly ground black pepper1 teaspoon2 tsp
cayenne pepper1 teaspoon2 tsp
dried oregano1/2 teaspoon1 tsp
dried thyme1/2 teaspoon1 tsp

How this was checked

This recipe is The Kitchn's Blackened Seasoning, developed by Maria Do and tested by Kitchn food editor Patty Catalano. Cedrick Reese checked the amounts against The Kitchn's own recipe page for Ready Utilities, and the calculator shows every amount exactly as published before scaling. The recipe lists kosher salt without naming a brand, so the salt line is shown as a range between the two major brands rather than picking one. Gram weights come from USDA FoodData Central; paprika shows no weight because the recipe allows smoked, sweet, or a combination, and those forms weigh differently.

Frequently asked questions

What is in blackened seasoning?

The Kitchn's recipe uses 2 tablespoons paprika, 1 tablespoon each of kosher salt and onion powder, 2 teaspoons garlic powder, 1 teaspoon each of black pepper and cayenne, and 1/2 teaspoon each of dried oregano and thyme.

How much blackened seasoning should I use?

The Kitchn recommends about 2 to 3 teaspoons per fish fillet or chicken thigh, pressed onto the surface before searing in a very hot, well-oiled pan.

Is blackened seasoning the same as Cajun seasoning?

They overlap but aren't identical. The Kitchn describes blackened seasoning as built for a hard, high-heat sear and generally milder than Cajun seasoning. This site's Cajun page uses a different, separately sourced recipe.

Who invented blackened seasoning?

Chef Paul Prudhomme popularized blackened fish and the seasoning that goes with it at K-Paul's Louisiana Kitchen in New Orleans in the 1980s.

Can I use table salt instead of kosher salt in this recipe?

Yes. Pick your salt in the calculator and it converts the amount by weight, so the result stays just as salty as the original recipe regardless of which salt you use.