Gumbo Filé Powder is a key ingredient in Cajun and Creole cooking, bringing a rich, earthy taste and natural thickening ability to dishes like gumbo and stews. Made from finely ground sassafras leaves and thyme, this essential spice delivers a deep Southern flavor.

What is Filé Powder?

Filé (pronounced “fee-lay”) powder is an aromatic seasoning traditionally used in Louisiana cooking. When stirred into hot liquids, it thickens soups and stews, adding a warm, slightly citrusy, and woodsy taste. It’s commonly sprinkled over dishes at the end of cooking or just before serving.

Ingredients: Sassafras Leaf – A key ingredient in traditional filé, providing a bold and slightly tangy depth. Thyme Leaf – Contributes subtle herbal complexity to enhance the overall flavor balance.

✅ Authentic Louisiana Taste – Essential for classic Cajun and Creole dishes.
✅ Natural Thickener – No need for roux or okra; creates a smooth, velvety texture.
✅ Pure & Fresh – Made from high-quality sassafras and thyme, free from additives.

How to Use It

• Gumbo & Stews – Stir in at the end of cooking for the best texture and taste.
• Jambalaya & Étouffée – Enhance traditional Southern meals.
• Meat & Seafood – Adds an earthy, aromatic twist to grilled proteins.

Nutritional Information (Per 1 tsp – Approx. 2g):

• Calories: 5
• Carbohydrates: 1g
• Dietary Fiber: 0.5g
• Fat, Protein, Sodium: 0g

Cajun Gumbo Recipe

Try this Louisiana-inspired gumbo using filé powder for authentic flavor.

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp Niblack Filé Powder
• 1/4 cup oil
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 bell pepper, chopped
• 2 celery stalks, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 6 cups chicken or seafood broth
• 1 lb andouille sausage, sliced
• 1 lb shrimp or chicken
• 1 tsp Niblack Cajun Seasoning
• Cooked rice for serving

Instructions:

1. Make a dark roux by cooking oil and flour over medium heat, stirring constantly.
2. Add onion, bell pepper, celery, and garlic; sauté until soft.
3. Stir in broth, sausage, and seasoning, then simmer for 30 minutes.
4. Add shrimp or chicken and cook until done.
5. Remove from heat and stir in filé powder just before serving.
6. Serve over rice and enjoy!

Buy Filé Powder Online

Looking for authentic Cajun seasonings? Explore our full selection of spices and blends to create bold, flavorful dishes.

For more Southern cooking inspiration, visit New Orleans’ official food guide.

Stock your pantry with Niblack Gumbo Filé Powder and bring true Louisiana flavor to your kitchen! Or try our Ground Sassafras Leaf Only Filé Powder (without Thyme)

The post Gumbo Filé Powder appeared first on Niblack Foods.

Enjoy the bold, rustic flavor of our signature Lumberjack blend—now in a salt-free version. Crafted for those watching their sodium without sacrificing taste, this versatile seasoning combines garlic, onion, black pepper, orange peel, green bell pepper, parsley, rosemary, paprika, and a touch of ground red pepper for balanced heat and herbaceous depth.

Ideal for grilled chicken, roasted vegetables, steaks, or seasoning homemade burgers, this all-purpose blend brings out the natural flavor of your food without relying on salt. Whether you’re following a low-sodium diet or just prefer more control in the kitchen, our Salt-Free Lumberjack Seasoning delivers big taste with no compromise.

Ingredients: Garlic, Onion, Black Pepper, Orange Peel, Green Bell Pepper, Parsley, Ground Red Pepper, Rosemary, Paprika.

The post LumberJill Chicken Seasoning & Rub (Salt-Free) appeared first on Niblack Foods.

Description

Elevate your seafood dishes with the exquisite blend of Niblack Herbal Catfish and Trout Seasoning. Crafted specifically for catfish and trout, this seasoning combines a harmonious mix of herbs and spices to enhance the natural flavors of your catch.

Our unique blend includes aromatic fennel, savory onion, and earthy thyme, balanced with the subtle sweetness of bay leaf and the herbaceous notes of savory and sage. Marjoram and chives add a delicate, fresh finish, creating a well-rounded seasoning that perfectly complements the mild, tender meat of catfish and trout.

Whether you’re grilling, baking, or pan-frying, Niblack Herbal Catfish and Trout Seasoning ensures your seafood dishes are bursting with flavor.

Key Ingredients:

• Fennel: Adds a sweet, licorice-like flavor.
• Onion: Provides a savory, aromatic base.
• Thyme: Offers earthy, slightly minty notes.
• Bay Leaf: Enhances with subtle, aromatic sweetness.
• Savory: Imparts a peppery, herbaceous flavor.
• Sage: Contributes a warm, slightly peppery taste.
• Marjoram: Adds a delicate, sweet, and floral touch.
• Chives: Brings a mild onion flavor with a hint of freshness.

Usage Suggestions:

• Grilling: Rub generously on catfish or trout before grilling for a flavorful crust.
• Baking: Sprinkle over fish fillets before baking to infuse with herbal goodness.
• Pan-Frying: Use as a seasoning for pan-fried fish to enhance every bite.

Transform your seafood dishes with the balanced and aromatic flavors of Niblack Herbal Catfish and Trout Seasoning. Perfect for any seafood lover looking to add a gourmet touch to their meals.

The post Herbal Catfish & Trout Seasoning appeared first on Niblack Foods.

The post Dill-icious Seasoning appeared first on Niblack Foods.

The post Steak Seasoning LumberJill (No Salt Steak Seasoning) appeared first on Niblack Foods.

Ingredients: Black Pepper, Lemon Peel, Soy Grits, Citric Acid, Turmeric. Great on veggies, salads, seafoods, in sauces, & dips.

Easy Quick Recipe: Lemon Pepper Butter: Whip 1 softened stick butter & 1 tsp Lemon Pepper; serve on hot veggies.

The post Lemon Pepper No Salt appeared first on Niblack Foods.

The natural ingredient in our tenderizer (papain) is an enzyme found naturally in the fruit of the papaya plant (Carica papaya). The enzymes help break down proteins, which in turn, makes it an ideal meat tenderizer.

We recommend that for thorough tenderizing, pierce the meat with a sharp knife or fork all over, then coat one side with the Niblack No-Salt Meat Tenderizer powder. Sprinkle on some liquid to help the Niblack No-Salt Meat Tenderizer powder reach the interior portions of the meat. Water works fine as the sprinkled liquid, but for even more flavor, add a sauce, marinade or other flavored liquid (wine, broth, vinegar, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, fruit juice, homemade marinade, etc.) Adding a little flavor during the tenderizing is an opportunity to further enhance your meat in this process. If preparing a thicker cut of meat, we recommend leaving the Niblack No-Sat Meat Tenderizer Powder on the meat for 30 minutes.

When you’ve treated one side of the meat, don’t forget to flip it and do the same thing on the other side! Then — get to it . . . make that meat a meal!

Niblack No-Salt/Salt-Free Meat Tenderizer Powder

Ingredients: Malto-Dextrin, Sugar, Papain.

Niblack No-Salt Meat Tenderizer Powder can make “lesser” cuts of meats more flavorful, less tough, and more responsive to our Niblack Blends and Rubs, sauces, etc. Niblack No-Salt Meat Tenderizer Powder also is a wonderful pantry item to have on hand for stir-frys! 

Meat Tenderizing is defined as: a process to reduce the toughness of meat fibers in a cut of meat. Tenderizing breaks down the meat fibers/collagen and softens the meat, making it easier to chew and more palatable. Tenderizing can occur before meat is sold, during a preparation process, or while it is cooking. Some of the methods used are aging processes, marinating the meat in acid-based substances, using commercial meat tenderizers or by cooking the meat very slowly. Meat can also be tenderized with the use of meat mallets or meat utensils that are typically made of steel or similar alloys. The tenderizing tools resemble a hammer-like handled utensil and are made with a flat or point-protruding surface that can be pounded into the meat to break apart the meat fibers. Our Niblack No-Salt Meat Tenderizer will always do the trick!

We’ve also heard about “Non-Food” Uses for Our No-Salt Meat Tenderizer Powder:

Salt-Free Meat Tenderizer for backaches:
Reader’s Digest says you can use meat tenderizer to ease backaches. Rub a paste of meat tenderizer on your back muscles for soothing relief and the enzymes will get to use easing your pain.

Salt-Free Meat Tenderizer relieves bug bites and stings:
While not widely known, meat tenderizer has alternative uses as first aid. Allgedly it has an analgesic quality of sorts with pain-numbing powers due to the natural enzymes.

Salt-Free Meat Tenderizer may help your dog stop eating icky “snacks” no one wants him to eat!
Yep, if you’re here you might have had a referral from your veterinarian to sprinkle some of this on Rover’s food in the hopes he stops eating his own little “snacks.”

The post Meat Tenderizer (No Salt) Unseasoned & Salt-Free appeared first on Niblack Foods.

Ingredients: Sugar, Paprika, Cumin, Onion, Oregano, Garlic, Cayenne, Black Pepper.

The post Lip Smackin Red Rub No Salt appeared first on Niblack Foods.

The post Fines Herbes appeared first on Niblack Foods.

Ingredients: Paprika, Cumin, Garlic, Oregano, Cayenne Pepper, Onion, Canola Oil.
No Salt. No MSG. No Sugar.

Simple Chili Recipe:

• 1lb. lean ground chuck
• 2-15 oz. cans tomato sauce
• 1-15 oz can diced tomatoes
• 2-15 oz cans pinto or chili beans
• 1 sm.onion finely chopped
• mince 1 clove garlic
• at least one tbsp. chili powder
• salt and pepper to taste

Brown the hamburger w/ garlic and onion. Add hamburger and other ingredients to crock pot or 4 qt pot; simmer at least one hour on the stove or up to 8 hrs in the crock pot.

The post Chili Powder, Red — No Salt appeared first on Niblack Foods.