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    Home » Caribbean » Haiti » Haitian Epis

    Haitian Epis

    Published on Nov 26, 2021 Modified: Nov 26, 2021 by The Foreign Fork This post may contain affiliate links which won’t change your price but will share some commission.

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    If you want to get to the root of all Haitian cuisine, look no further. Haitian epis is a blend of herbs and vegetables that forms the base for most of the dishes eaten in the country! 

    Haitian epis with a spoon and ingredients in the background

    Recipe Origins

    Haitian cuisine is flavorful and delicious, and one of the most important reasons for this is Epis! Epis is a blend of vegetables, herbs and spices that are used to flavor almost every dish in Haiti. 

    Epis can be used to flavor soups, stews, and rice, and is also a great choice for a marinade (it’s very similar to the Green Seasoning used in my Oil Down recipe from Grenada). 

    The recipe for Epis changes based on who is making it and where in the country it’s being made. It’s easy to adjust to your preference and is the perfect way to add some delicious Haitian flavor to your cooking. 

    Why Make this Recipe

    1. Versatile: You can use your Haitian Epis to add flavor to almost anything! 
    2. Adaptable: Like spicy? Adapt the recipe. Don’t like cloves? Adapt the recipe. You can change this recipe to fit your tastes! 
    3. “Travel” to Haiti: The food of Haiti is incredible, and well-loved by those from the country and by people around the world. Adding Epis to your recipes will give you a taste of what Haitian food is really like (and if you really want a true taste of Haiti, serve your dish with this Pikliz Recipe too!) 

    What Do I Need to Make this Recipe?

    Ingredients 

    Here is a visual overview of the ingredients in the recipe. Scroll down to the recipe at the bottom for quantities.

    Labeled ingredient shot
    1. Parsley: You can use Italian parsley or standard parsley, either will work. 
    2. Bell Peppers: I use red and green 
    3. Bouillon: I use a chicken bouillon cube. Make sure to crumble it up into the blender so that it disperses evenly
    4. Cloves: I use whole cloves for the sharpest taste, but you can also use ground cloves

    Other Ingredients 

    chopped vegetables with other ingredients on the side

    The below ingredients are not listed in my Haitian Epis Recipe, but have been included in other videos/recipes I found while researching. You can choose to add them to your Epis Recipe if you prefer: 

    • Cilantro
    • White Onion
    • Scotch Bonnet Pepper: If you want a spicy Epis (Habanero can be substituted if you can’t find scotch bonnet) 
    • Vinegar: To extend shelf life
    • Lime Juice 

    Tools

    Ingredients in a food processor
    1. Food Processor/Blender: This recipe is easiest to make when you have a blender to combine it all. In Haiti, it is often made with a mortar and pestle, so you can also try that if you’d prefer. 

    How to Make this Recipe

    Haitian epis in a food processor

    Use a food processor or a blender to blend everything together until smooth. 

    Expert Tips

    • You can add water, 1 tablespoon at a time if the Epis is too thick. Don’t add too much at  one time because you don’t want it to be too runny. Try to match the consistency of the photos in this article 🙂 
    • Smell your herbs before buying them to make sure you are getting the freshest options
    • Go make some Haitian Griot and then enjoy them dunked in this sauce. Haitian Epis is the base for Haitian Spaghetti so enjoy using some of this the next night.

    Recipe FAQs

    Spoon scooping epis from a mason jar
    How Long Will Epis Last? 

    If you make this recipe as is, it will last in the fridge for 7-10 days. 

    If you add lime juice, lemon juice, or vinegar, the shelf life will be extended. Adding Apple Cider Vinegar to this recipe will allow the epis to last for about 30 days in the fridge. 

    How to Store 

    I stored my Haitian Epis in a mason jar with a lid. You can store it in a mason jar, but any airtight container will work just fine. 

    Research Sources

    I used these YouTube videos to teach me how to make this Haitian Epis Recipe: 

    • How to Make Haitian Spices/Epis from ThatNurse CanCook
    • How to Make Haitian Epis | Haitian Spice Recipe | Episode 18 from Let’s Get Cooking with Lamise O
    • How to Make Haitian Epis aka Haitian Seasoning from Haitian Dining with Marie

    I also had my recipe looked over by Miata from Love of Yum. 

    Did you like this Haitian Epis Recipe? If so, make sure to check out these other recipes I picked out just for you: 

    • Pistachio Pesto
    • Easy Tzatziki Sauce
    • Fata from Eritrea
    • Spicy Peanut Sauce from Benin

    If you make this recipe at home, leave a review/comment on this post letting us know what you thought!

    And don’t forget to share a photo of your finished product on Facebook and Instagram and tag @TheForeignFork and hashtag #TheForeignFork.

    Haitian Epis Recipe

    If you want to get to the root of all Haitian cuisine, look no further. Haitian epis is a blend of herbs and vegetables that forms the base for most of the dishes eaten in the country!
    5 from 5 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Herbs, Seasoning
    Cuisine: Haitian
    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Total Time: 10 minutes
    Servings: 2 cups
    Calories: 402kcal
    Author: The Foreign Fork

    Equipment

    • Food Processor/Blender

    Ingredients

    • 4 Stalks Scallions
    • 8 stalks Fresh Thyme
    • 1 cup Parsley
    • 1 Green Bell Pepper
    • 1 Red Bell Pepper
    • 8 cloves Garlic
    • 2-3 tbsp Olive Oil
    • 1 Chicken Bouillon Cube, crumbled
    • 1 tsp cloves
    • ¼ cup Water, only if necessary

    Instructions

    • Use a food processor or a blender to blend everything (except water) together until smooth.
    • See Notes below on adding water.

    Notes

    Recipe copyright The Foreign Fork. For educational or personal use only. 
    • Parsley: You can use Italian parsley or standard parsley, either will work. 
    • Bell Peppers: I use red and green 
    • Bouillon: I use a chicken bouillon cube. Make sure to crumble it up into the blender so that it disperses evenly
    • Cloves: I use whole cloves for the sharpest taste, but you can also use ground cloves
    • You can add water, 1 tablespoon at a time if the Epis is too thick. Don’t add too much at  one time because you don’t want it to be too runny. Try to match the consistency of the photos in this article 🙂 
    • Smell your herbs before buying them to make sure you are getting the freshest options

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1Recipe | Calories: 402kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 30g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 21g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 1016mg | Potassium: 1092mg | Fiber: 10g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 10083IU | Vitamin C: 357mg | Calcium: 229mg | Iron: 7mg
    Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @TheForeignFork or tag #TheForeignFork!

    Related Recipes

    • Haitian Spaghetti
      Haitian Spaghetti
    • Haitian Griot Recipe
      Haitian Griot Recipe
    • Haitian Food: Everything you Need to Know
      Haitian Food: Everything you Need to Know
    • Pikliz Recipe from Haiti
      Pikliz Recipe from Haiti
    « Pikliz Recipe from Haiti
    Apple Cider Donut Bread Pudding »

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    Comments

    1. Rose says

      August 21, 2022 at 9:51 am

      This is great!
      Epis is like magic in the kitchen. Preparing it in advance will cut the cooking time by at least 15 minutes. Since most bouillon cubes have MSG, we don’t use them in our epis, we add more garlic and definitely olive oil to last longer. Thanks!!

      Reply
      • The Foreign Fork says

        August 24, 2022 at 1:39 pm

        Epis is definitely magic! Thanks for your tips and the review 🙂

        Reply
    2. Carine says

      December 16, 2021 at 3:05 am

      5 stars
      It looks fantastic. Haitian epis is very versatile. Growing up, my grandma used only leeks, celery flowers, garlic, black pepper and chicken bouillon in her epis and her food always tasted super delicious. Next time, try adding olive oil instead of water. It’ll actually last longer and taste even better. But, either way, great job.

      Reply
      • The Foreign Fork says

        December 17, 2021 at 7:15 pm

        So glad you approve Carine! The olive oil definitely sounds delicious so I will try that next time.

        Thanks for the comment!

        Reply

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