Cajun holy trinity, or holy trinity of Cajun cooking is the base ingredient for much of the cooking in the regional cuisines of Louisiana. The name holy trinity is an allusion to the Christian doctrine of the Trinity, and implies that this combination of flavors is absolute.

The holy trinity is the Cajun and Louisiana Creole variant of mirepoix; traditional mirepoix is two parts onions, one part carrots, and one part celery, whereas the holy trinity is typically equal measures of the three ingredients or two parts onions, one part celery, and one part green bell pepper.

Basic Cajun Holy Trinity Recipe
1 cup diced onion
1/2 cup diced bell pepper
1/2 cup diced celery

When dicing the separate ingredients, try to make the dices as uniform as possible, both because it is aesthetically more pleasing to the eye and because the pieces will cook more uniformly.

Why holy trinity? Well, these three basic ingredients, in this traditional ratio, provide a deep, earthy flavor with an aroma that is as basic to Cajun and Creole cooking as salt and pepper. Bell peppers add sweetness while celery adds a unique grassy flavor profile. The preparation of Cajun/Creole dishes such as crawfish étouffée, gumbo, and jambalaya all start from this base. Regional variants add garlic, parsley, or shallots in addition to the three trinity ingredients.

 

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