Sazón

Sazón
Christopher Simpson for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews. Prop Stylist: Paige Hicks.
Total Time
5 minutes
Rating
4(456)
Notes
Read community notes

Cumin-heavy sazón is among the most commonly used spice blends in Puerto Rican cooking, and is also popular throughout Latin America. This seasoning is an incredible cheat, and is typically found in the international section of most supermarkets. Commercial brands are flavor bombs pumped with monosodium glutamate — MSG — that can make almost anything taste better. While I’m not MSG-phobic, I do prefer making my own blends to control both the flavor and the salt content. This is my take on sazón, minus the MSG, and with turmeric added along with the standard annatto to imbue dishes with a golden hue. Adaptation is encouraged based on preference, and if you can’t find ground annatto then sweet paprika is a perfect substitute. It will keep in an air-tight container for years.

Featured in: Von Diaz’s Essential Puerto Rican Recipes

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Ingredients

Yield:About ½ cup
  • 2tablespoons fine sea salt
  • 2tablespoons ground annatto or sweet paprika
  • 1tablespoon garlic powder
  • 1tablespoon onion powder
  • 1tablespoon ground cumin
  • 1tablespoon ground turmeric
  • ½teaspoon ground black pepper
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (2 servings)

74 calories; 2 grams fat; 0 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 1 gram monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 15 grams carbohydrates; 5 grams dietary fiber; 1 gram sugars; 3 grams protein; 54 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    In an airtight container, combine all ingredients. Cover and shake well to incorporate.

  2. Step 2

Ratings

4 out of 5
456 user ratings
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Cooking Notes

Finally! I added a teaspoon of smoked paprika, omitted the garlic and onion powder (none on hand and use a lot of garlic and onion in my sofrito). The result: a delicious addition to my habichuelas and asopao. Thanks!

I made roasted sea bass with a bit of olive oil and the sazón sprinkled on and it was absolutely perfect. So flavourful! Will be using this on anything that needs a kick

This makes fabulous yellow rice; I use about one and a half teaspoon per cup of dry rice. Easy to make and keep on hand.

This looks an awful lot like my standard freelance spice mix for sheet pan shwarma or actually a lot of things e.g. even butter chicken, but I would use about 1/4 the salt so I could use a lot more overall spice and add some cayenne or red pepper flakes for heat. Great to see it laid out here as a recipe.

I found this good, but too salty. I would consider cutting the amount of salt in half

I would consider reducing the salt

Wow! This spice blend was fantastic! I bought the annatto and followed to a T. I used it on brined chicken breasts for a simple weeknight sheet pan with chopped yellow potatoes, chopped squash and halved Brussels sprouts. I rested it for 10 and it was seriously tasty. Thank you for this recipe!

Perhaps if MSG is mentioned, the lack of robust scientific data supporting recommendations to avoid MSG and the issue of xenophobia might also be mentioned?

This looks an awful lot like my standard freelance spice mix for sheet pan shwarma or actually a lot of things e.g. even butter chicken, but I would use about 1/4 the salt so I could use a lot more overall spice and add some cayenne or red pepper flakes for heat. Great to see it laid out here as a recipe.

It was very salty. In used Iodized salt not fine sea salt. Any suggestions?

maybe try kosher salt instead

This makes fabulous yellow rice; I use about one and a half teaspoon per cup of dry rice. Easy to make and keep on hand.

Can you use regular paprika? Is it that noticeable of a difference of that’s all you have on hand?

Huh. I've been making this just out of my head for years. I put it on my oatmeal. With nutritional yeast.

Holy grail found: ground annatto for paprika.

I have searched for years for a recipe for sazon so I could avoid the MSG-laden product in the supermarket! Thank you!!

Finally! I added a teaspoon of smoked paprika, omitted the garlic and onion powder (none on hand and use a lot of garlic and onion in my sofrito). The result: a delicious addition to my habichuelas and asopao. Thanks!

I made roasted sea bass with a bit of olive oil and the sazón sprinkled on and it was absolutely perfect. So flavourful! Will be using this on anything that needs a kick

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Credits

Adapted from “Coconuts and Collards: Recipes and Stories From Puerto Rico to the Deep South” by Von Diaz (University Press of Florida, 2018)

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