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A Bold, Herb-Heavy Flavor Bomb That Is A Great Seasoning Base For Many Types of Dishes.
Well now, cool cats and flavor peeps—lean in close, ‘cause I’m about to put you on to the heartbeat of Haitian kitchens: epis. This ain’t just no blend—it’s a mood, a movement, a Miles Davis “So What” kind of smooth.
Just like that legendary tune, Haitian epis sneaks in with a whisper, then hits you with bold, layered notes that stick to your soul. We’re talkin’ peppers, garlic, and herbs all blended into a vibrant seasoning paste —complex, bright, earthy, and never boring. A quick blitz in the blender or mortar and pestle is all it takes—10 minutes from prep to fridge-ready glory.
Forget bland beginnings with this stuff. Epis is the flavor foundation—the one-two punch of heat and herb—that gives stews, rice, beans, and meats that unforgettable bottom-end groove.
It’s thick, it’s rich, and when it hits that pot, boy does it sing really, really good. Rub it, marinate with it, sauté in it—this is the So What of Haitian food flavor foundations: cool, steady, and deep.
Beats and Eats (music to pair with Epis Seasoning)
Just like So What slides in with that laid-back confidence and complexity, Haitian Epis builds flavor in layers—each ingredient cool on its own but magic when they groove together. The paste hits your palate like a jazz riff: bold garlic, mellow herbs, bright citrus—improvising in perfect harmony.
Marwin's Flavor-philes and Liner Notes
Cooking tips to elevate flavor and texture based on tried and true recipe testing
Flavor
Use fresh ingredients: Fresh herbs, garlic, bell peppers and scotch bonnet peppers bring brighter, more aromatic flavor.
Go easy on the liquid: Use just enough olive oil, apple cider vinegar, or lime or lemon juice to blend. Too much liquid = watery epis with weak flavor. You want a thick, spoonable texture.
Let it rest: After blending, give your epis time to chill in the fridge (at least a few hours). The flavors deepen and come together like a slow simmered groove.
Salt smartly: Add a touch of salt, bouillon, or Maggi to deepen the umami—but don’t overdo it, especially if you’ll be using epis to season already-salty meats.
Texture
Blend smooth or chunky based on use: For marinades, go smooth. For stews and sautés, a little texture gives it rustic character and depth. Most use a blender or food processor, but I actually prefer a mortar and pestle to control the texture.
Serving Suggestions
Haitian epis seasoning is a flavorful powerhouse that can elevate almost any dish with its zesty profile. It's as versatile as green seasoning, but is made perfect for traditional Haitian cuisine like the flavorful holiday stew Soup Joumou which is a deliciously complex and hearty beef and vegetable stew.
You can also use it more everyday for one of my favorite quick but comforting dishes Haitian spaghetti. If you've never had it, you should try it! It's also a great seasoning add to non-Haitian dishes. I add it to stews, rice dishes, marinades, etc.
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Ingredients
- 1 yellow onion coarsely chopped
- ½ red bell pepper coarsely chopped
- ½ yellow bell pepper coarsely chopped
- 2 habanero chili peppers seeds and veins removed
- 1 celery stick
- 4 scallions coarsely chopped
- 6 garlic cloves coarsely chopped
- 3 fresh thyme sprigs leaves only
- 1 cup parsley leaves chopped roughly
- ½ cup olive oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves optional
Instructions
- Purée all ingredients in a food processor or blender until smooth.
Notes
- Use fresh ingredients where possible
- Find the spices and herbs that work for you, so don’t feel like you have to stick to the script
- Mortar and pestle works great to make this if you have one available, otherwise food processor/blender works fine
- Make a big batch ahead of time and keep refrigerated using at your pleasure
Melissa
Monday 25th of March 2024
Haitian Epis is used as a base, not a marinade. It does NOT include tomatoes! Also, try bonnet peppers. We always use them.
Andrea
Friday 12th of August 2022
Tomatoes don’t go into sofrito, recipes may be different between families but sofrito should be green. (culantro, aji dulce, yellow onion, olive oil, garlic)
Nala
Sunday 9th of July 2023
@Marwin Brown, I’m quite sure Andrea realizes the article is about Haitian Epis. You mentioned tomatoes are included in Sofrito and this is incorrect . Please re-read your article and correct it . Respect the SOFRITO recipe just like you want respect for your food!
Marwin Brown
Monday 15th of August 2022
There are no tomatoes in this recipe. Also this is a recipe for Haitian epis seasoning and not sofrito.
Rebecca Rhaesa
Saturday 23rd of October 2021
Have you tried "fermenting" epis? Just curious.
Marwin Brown
Saturday 23rd of October 2021
I have not, but now I just might!