Halfway between a French *mirepoix* and a Spanish sofrito, the Cajun Holy Trinity is the savory backbone of many Cajun and Creole dishes. 


How to Cook With the Cajun Holy Trinity

The Cajun holy trinity is an aromatic base used primarily at the heart of Cajun and Creole cuisine, in and around New Orleans, Louisiana. Many cultures and cuisines have their own version of a “holy trinity”—three integral ingredients that show up in the foundations of its signature dishes.

The Cajun holy trinity recipe calls for one part white onion, one part green bell pepper, and one part celery. Some recipes and preparations also include green onion or shallots, parsley, and garlic—which is sometimes referred to as adding “the pope.” 

The term “holy trinity” is most often attributed to local icon Chef Paul Prudhomme, who popularized the nickname for the invaluable flavor trio in the 1980s. 

The Cajun holy trinity is a cornerstone of Cajun and Creole cooking but these flavorful building blocks can also boost flavor in a variety of dishes:

1. __Roux__: The holy trinity is most frequently combined with roux—a 1:1 ratio of flour and oil— to build the base for soups like gumbo with andouille sausage, stews like crawfish étouffée, or chicken sauce piquante and other sauces. 
2. __Rice dishes__: The holy trinity is a good starting place to build the flavor in rice dishes like cayenne-spiced jambalaya—a popular rice dish that originated in Louisiana. The rice absorbs all of the harmonious flavors in the holy trinity, and the chopped, caramelized vegetables add an extra layer of texture to the dish. 
3. __All-in-one skillet dishes__: Use the holy trinity to amplify the flavor of your next one-pan dish. Start the trinity on the stovetop before adding shrimp, ground meat, or other vegetables. Alternatively, brown larger pieces of meat in the skillet first, then cook the holy trinity in the drippings before combining everything back together. 
4. __Braises__: Every good braise needs a throughline: A subtle but consistent flavor profile tying everything together. To add more flavor to your braise, cook the holy trinity down in the skillet after browning the meat, then add broth to the pot. 
5. __Add it to scrambled eggs__: While the heat is low in the final stages of cooking the holy trinity, whisk together some eggs and add them to the pan. Bring the heat up slightly if needed, and scramble in slow figure-eights until all ingredients are evenly distributed and the eggs are creamy and still loose. Season to taste.
6. __Add it to gazpacho__: The holy trinity, especially with the added garlic, is a natural complement to the tangy-sweetness of ripe tomatoes in this chilled soup. Let the vegetables cool completely before adding the trinity. After adding the trinity to the gazpacho, season with classic Cajun spices. 
7. __Spaghetti sauce__: Take red sauce to the next level with a little extra prep work before adding the tomatoes and herbs: The caramelized notes from the trinity’s onion combined with the grassy, vegetal one-two punch of bell pepper and celery make for a well-rounded, deeply flavorful plate of spaghetti.
French *mirepoix* and the Cajun holy trinity share some of the same ingredients, but there are a couple of distinct differences between these flavor bases: 

- __Traditional mirepoix__ (pronunciation: meer-PWAH) is the aromatic flavor base made by lightly cooking two parts onions, one part celery, and one part carrots. The vegetables are cooked slowly in butter or oil in order to coax out the flavors without browning or caramelizing them. [Mirepoix is traditionally used as a flavoring ingredient](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/complete-guide-to-mirepoix-the-aromatic-vegetable-base), which means the vegetables are typically strained out or removed from the final dish before the end of the cooking process.
- __Cajun Holy Trinity__ is an aromatic flavor base similar to *mirepoix* that swaps out the carrot for the sweeter, more mellow green bell pepper—a substitution made by early Acadian and French Catholic colonists after discovering that the local Southern soil wasn’t ideal for growing carrots. Each component of the trinity is roughly chopped, rather than finely minced or diced. Unlike *mirepoix*, the Cajun Holy Trinity is a component in the final dish.   

Halfway between a French *mirepoix* and a Spanish sofrito, the Cajun Holy Trinity is the savory backbone of many Cajun and Creole dishes. 


The Cajun holy trinity is an aromatic base used primarily at the heart of Cajun and Creole cuisine, in and around New Orleans, Louisiana. Many cultures and cuisines have their own version of a “holy trinity”—three integral ingredients that show up in the foundations of its signature dishes.The Cajun holy trinity recipe calls for one part white onion, one part green bell pepper, and one part celery. Some recipes and preparations also include green onion or shallots, parsley, and garlic—which is sometimes referred to as adding “the pope.” The term “holy trinity” is most often attributed to local icon Chef Paul Prudhomme, who popularized the nickname for the invaluable flavor trio in the 1980s.

What Is the Cajun Holy Trinity?

The Cajun holy trinity is a cornerstone of Cajun and Creole cooking but these flavorful building blocks can also boost flavor in a variety of dishes:<ol class="mc-m-4"><li class="mc-my-4"> 1. Roux: The holy trinity is most frequently combined with roux—a 1:1 ratio of flour and oil— to build the base for soups like gumbo with andouille sausage, stews like crawfish étouffée, or chicken sauce piquante and other sauces. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 2. Rice dishes: The holy trinity is a good starting place to build the flavor in rice dishes like cayenne-spiced jambalaya—a popular rice dish that originated in Louisiana. The rice absorbs all of the harmonious flavors in the holy trinity, and the chopped, caramelized vegetables add an extra layer of texture to the dish. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 3. All-in-one skillet dishes: Use the holy trinity to amplify the flavor of your next one-pan dish. Start the trinity on the stovetop before adding shrimp, ground meat, or other vegetables. Alternatively, brown larger pieces of meat in the skillet first, then cook the holy trinity in the drippings before combining everything back together. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 4. Braises: Every good braise needs a throughline: A subtle but consistent flavor profile tying everything together. To add more flavor to your braise, cook the holy trinity down in the skillet after browning the meat, then add broth to the pot. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 5. Add it to scrambled eggs: While the heat is low in the final stages of cooking the holy trinity, whisk together some eggs and add them to the pan. Bring the heat up slightly if needed, and scramble in slow figure-eights until all ingredients are evenly distributed and the eggs are creamy and still loose. Season to taste. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 6. Add it to gazpacho: The holy trinity, especially with the added garlic, is a natural complement to the tangy-sweetness of ripe tomatoes in this chilled soup. Let the vegetables cool completely before adding the trinity. After adding the trinity to the gazpacho, season with classic Cajun spices. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 7. Spaghetti sauce: Take red sauce to the next level with a little extra prep work before adding the tomatoes and herbs: The caramelized notes from the trinity’s onion combined with the grassy, vegetal one-two punch of bell pepper and celery make for a well-rounded, deeply flavorful plate of spaghetti. </li></ol>

7 Ways to Use the Cajun Holy Trinity

French mirepoix and the Cajun holy trinity share some of the same ingredients, but there are a couple of distinct differences between these flavor bases: <ul class="mc-m-4 list-styled"><li class="">Traditional mirepoix (pronunciation: meer-PWAH) is the aromatic flavor base made by lightly cooking two parts onions, one part celery, and one part carrots. The vegetables are cooked slowly in butter or oil in order to coax out the flavors without browning or caramelizing them. <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/complete-guide-to-mirepoix-the-aromatic-vegetable-base' target='_blank' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/complete-guide-to-mirepoix-the-aromatic-vegetable-base","linkCopy":"Mirepoix is traditionally used as a flavoring ingredient","category":null}'>Mirepoix is traditionally used as a flavoring ingredient</a>, which means the vegetables are typically strained out or removed from the final dish before the end of the cooking process. </li><li class="">Cajun Holy Trinity is an aromatic flavor base similar to mirepoix that swaps out the carrot for the sweeter, more mellow green bell pepper—a substitution made by early Acadian and French Catholic colonists after discovering that the local Southern soil wasn’t ideal for growing carrots. Each component of the trinity is roughly chopped, rather than finely minced or diced. Unlike mirepoix, the Cajun Holy Trinity is a component in the final dish. </li></ul>

What Is the Difference Between the Cajun Holy Trinity and Mirepoix?

Cajun Holy Trinity Recipe

Halfway between a French mirepoix and a Spanish sofrito, the Cajun Holy Trinity is the savory backbone of many Cajun and Creole dishes.

Halfway between a French mirepoix and a Spanish sofrito, the Cajun Holy Trinity is the savory backbone of many Cajun and Creole dishes. 
