Green Seasoning Recipe
Published Jun 14, 2019
Updated Jun 29, 2024
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The best Green Seasoning Recipe for grilling. Use this green marinade for grilled chicken, beef, fish and for adding to soups, stews and tons of meals! This Green Seasoning Recipe made with a blend of fresh herbs will change your life!
You guys, after sharing my Jamaican Jerk Seasoning recipe with an authentic Caribbean taste, I knew I had to share my Green Seasoning recipe. I have used it as a seasoning base for food over the years! It is one recipe you want to make and keep in your fridge so you can use it to drastically improve on the taste of meals.
I use this traditional green seasoning recipe to season meats for grilling and in my Bean Stew, Jollof Rice, Potato Hot Pot, Poulet DG and much more. So, I keep a big jar of this green sauce in the fridge and add tablespoons of green seasoning to my meals when cooking. It is a key ingredient for me in a wide range of dishes!
This glorious blend of herbs creates a burst of flavor and only requires a handful of ingredients. It is made with my favorite herbs, specifically green herbs, which is what makes this seasoning so special and makes the colour of the seasoning so vibrant.
You don’t have to be from a Caribbean household or Cameroonian household like me to enjoy this recipe; anybody can enjoy it! With fresh ingredients and so many different ways to use it, what’s not to love? A lot of people who have tried this recipe have said it is the best green seasoning they’ve ever tried!
Green Seasoning Recipe
Often, in my recipes, you will see me include the ingredients for this green marinade. They include garlic, ginger, parsley, celery, and basil. In Cameroon, the trio of celery, parsley, and basil is called “green spices”. We often grind them and add to many meals to improve on the taste!
This Green Marinade looks a tad like Chimichurri. Chimichurri is a sauce made of parsley, oregano leaves, garlic, olive oil, red pepper flakes, and vinegar. Though this green seasoning and chimichurri look similar because of the use of herbs in both sauces, these seasoning recipes are not the same. The green seasoning is… dare I say… way better.
It packs a ton of flavor in everyday cooking and even vegan recipes like grilled vegetables. It is like a gourmet sauce made by a famous chef, which you will purchase and add to your meals. Yet, you are the gourmet chef because you can easily whip this up in no time!
Use this green seasoning as seasoning for grilled food. Also, simmer some of the sauce with some salt and pepper then serve on the side of grilled meat or fish.
Make a big jar of this green goodness and keep in your fridge.
It is perfect for chicken: chicken legs, chicken wings, chicken thighs, whole chicken. Also great with beef: sirloin steak, skirt steak, chuck roast, brisket or any part of beef you want to grill. It is perfect with pork: use it on pork spare ribs, pork chops or any part of pork you like. Use it on lamb, goat meat, the list is endless. This green seasoning is also great on seafood! Use it on salmon, halibut, seabass, red snapper, mackerel or on shrimp.
It is such a versatile marinade. That’s why I am sharing this with you because your kitchen needs this green goodness. Hope it makes life easier for you just as it makes life easier for me.
Ingredients Needed
What is the foundation of the seasoning? The use of fresh herbs and veggies! Here are the ingredients you’ll need:
- Celery: Use celery stalks or Chinese celery with leaves, depending on your personal preference, or what you can find.
- Fresh Herbs: Herbs like parsley and basil provide a bright color and fresh flavor. You’ll also need ginger root for a warm, peppery undertone.
- Leeks: provides a delicate, pleasant flavor reminiscent of an onion.
- Garlic: gives an umami kick that is a joy for your taste buds! It really helps enhance this seasoning.
- Oil: Oil helps prolong the shelf-life of the green seasoning recipe when stored in the refrigerator.
Check out the recipe card below for the exact ingredient amounts.
Recipe Variations
Green Seasoning recipes can vary from place to place. For instance, you’ll find different versions in the Caribbean islands, like Jamaican green seasoning for Jamaican cuisine or Puerto Rican and Trinidad green seasoning. There are a few variations of Caribbean green seasoning.
- Make Trinidadian Green Seasoning: To use in your Trini cooking, you can include Trinidadian pimento peppers (aka pimiento peppers), as well as some lemon juice and bell peppers. You can use some red bell pepper; it doesn’t have to be just green. Some Trinidadian cuisine green seasoning also includes big leaf thyme and scotch Bonnets (green scotch bonnet peppers).
- Make Puerto Rico-style Green Seasoning: Puerto Rican green seasoning, also known as Recaito, is actually quite different than this green seasoning recipe. It often contains sweet peppers (seasoning peppers), garlic, yellow onions, culantro (also known as different names: shadow beni, shado beni, or chadon beni), cilantro, and other types of peppers. However, if you want to create your own version of green seasoning that incorporates some of these ingredients, you can make a fusion of this recipe and the Puerto Rican green cooking base.
- Make Jamaican-Style Green Seasoning: If you plan on cooking Jamaican recipes, you can align it better with the cuisine by including green onions, pimento berries or seeds, scotch bonnet pepper, and lime juice in addition to the ingredients in this recipe.
- Make Haitian Epis: To make the Haitian version of green seasoning, some ingredients are the same as this recipe, like celery, garlic, parsley, and oil. You’ll also need thyme, chopped bell peppers, and vinegar. Also, you can use scallions in place of the leeks.
Of course, you can always create your own version, too, whether you want to use hot peppers or milder peppers or add an acidic ingredient like apple cider vinegar. Some people also use Spanish thyme, sawtooth herb, scallions, and other seasonings.
It all depends on personal taste when making your own variation! So, don’t be afraid to put your own spin on it and craft your own green seasoning! Hint: some ingredients you might want to include, like cilantro, can be found in your local Asian market if you can’t find them in other grocery stores!
Substitutions
- Herbs: If you need to substitute one of the herbs in the recipe, try to use different herbs with a similar flavour profile. For example, if you need to sub the basil, try to use something in the mint family since they are the most alike. Or, instead of the leeks, you can use green onions.
- Garlic: Although you can technically use garlic powder instead of fresh garlic, I don’t suggest it unless you have no other choice. The powdered garlic just doesn’t provide the same flavor or texture.
How to Make Green Seasoning
- Place chopped celery, parsley, basil and ginger root in a blender or food processor. Add peeled garlic and oil then blend into a paste.
- Place the green seasoning in a glass jar or mason jar with a tight-fitting lid and keep in the fridge to save for up to two weeks.
How To Grill Chicken with Green Marinade
- Rinse and pat dry 5 pounds of chicken.
- Add 1 cup of green seasoning to the chicken.
- Add two teaspoons of chicken bouillon powder (or ground powder from bouillon cubes) and 1 teaspoon of salt.
- Add a quarter teaspoon of ground white pepper and a quarter teaspoon of red pepper flakes.
- Rub the ingredients all over the chicken.
- Cover in a large bowl with plastic wrap and marinate in the fridge for up to 24 hours or grill immediately.
- Place chicken on a baking sheet lined with foil paper and greased. Arrange the chicken in a single layer on the baking sheet. Grill in the oven on broil for 40 minutes. For the outside grill: place on the grill and cook for 40 minutes rotating every 15 minutes (and basting with the leftover marinade) until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit (75 degrees Celsius).
Tips for Perfect Green Seasoning
- If you are trying to stay away from oil, you can also use water in the recipe; it just might not have as much flavor or richness. Make sure to substitute the oil amount with enough water. Otherwise, the mixture will be too thick to blend. Also, you’ll need to use the green seasoning within a couple of days of using it since it won’t hold up as long with the water.
- Aside from refrigeration, you can also freeze the green seasoning in ice cube trays. To make ice trays, use a little water instead of oil since oil does not thaw well. With this method, it will stay fresh for a long time, about 6 months! You can also use freezer bags.
- Since you will use a blender or food processor, you don’t need to finely chop the ingredients. A rough chop on the herbs is fine.
- For every pound of meat, use about 2-3 tablespoons of green seasoning as a marinade. This works out to about 1 cup of seasoning for every 5 pounds of meat.
Uses for Green Seasoning Recipe
Use green seasoning to:
- Marinate chicken
- Marinate fish
- Marinate beef or pork
- Make a green dipping sauce by simmering the marinade together with salt and pepper to taste.
- Add extra flavor to stews and soups, and rice dishes
Equipment
- Blender: My Ninja BL660 blender is a professional grade for a moderate price and that’s what I used to blend this.
- Airtight jars for storing: I love this set of jars which lock airtight the marinade won’t get bad fast.
Watch me making this green seasoning plus grilled chicken with the green marinade on my YouTube channel. If you haven’t subscribed yet, SUBSCRIBE HERE and click on the notification bell so you do not miss any of my cooking videos.
Watch How To Make this Green Seasoning Recipe and Grilled Chicken
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If you make this recipe please leave a star rating below. Your rating helps others find the recipe plus I love hearing from you! Thank you!
Green Seasoning Recipe
Equipment
- Blender or Food Processor
Ingredients
- 4 celery stalks if using celery with leaves (Chinese Celery), use 6 full stems instead.
- 2 cups chopped fresh basil
- 2 cups chopped parsley
- 2 inches ginger root peeled and chopped
- 2 bulbs garlic – peeled
- 1 leek substitute with 4 green onions
- 2 cups oil See Note 1
Instructions
- Thoroughly wash the celery. Chop and put in a blender or food processor. Wash the leek and chop and add to the blender.
- Add in the parsley, basil, leek garlic, ginger and oil then blend everything into a paste.
- Pour the mixture into a jar with a tight-fitting lid and store in the fridge for up to two weeks.
I love your grilled chicken recipe
Thank you!
Amazing recipe and result. Tasty! Thank you x
You’re welcome Tinu. Thank you for the feedback!
Would you please send me some information on your green sauce it looks so good I canโt wait to get the recipe from you, I hope you and your family have wonderful New Yearโs I knew mine did thank you .
Hi, you can find the full recipe in the post above.
Hi Precious, this marinade looks like just what I need. Just one question: your two bulbs of garlic are two cloves, or two whole bulbs of several cloves each?
Hi, that’s two whole bulbs of several cloves each. Hope this helps.
your recipe is so good
Thanks Carol!
I like the green seasoning….but, for me, fresh hot peppers is a must…and for, I would saute some onions, garlic, tomato paste or ketchup, not too much….I hardly use ketchup…a tad of mustard, optional, then add the green seasoning, some finely chopped or blended hot pepper, that is why I added the tomato paste or ketchup….and that would be my dip. Try it, tell us what you think of my Dip…
Hi Anderson, that sounds delicious!
Hi Precious, your green sauce looks amazing!!! Iโm going to make it. How many days does it last in the refrigerator? Iโd love to use it with chicken, fish, and I want to use it in My ethics Filipino vegetable stew. Iโm sure itโll be delicious. Thank you for your cooking program and for sharing your cooking stories of your family.
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Hi, Nori! It will last for 2 weeks in the refrigerator. To make it last longer, pour the sauce into ice cube trays and freeze then take out cubes and add to meals as needed. Hope this helps.
I almost thought there was going to be some jalapeno peppers in it. Might put some in to make it a tad bit spicy! – http://www.jamilakyari.com
Hi Jamila, Jalapeno will work great or you could add habanero instead. Have a great week!