---
title: "Holy trinity: what it means in cooking — Tiny Plates"
description: "The holy trinity is onion, celery and green bell pepper, chopped and cooked as the flavor base of Cajun and Creole dishes such as gumbo and jambalaya."
url: "https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/holy-trinity"
---

# Holy trinity

The holy trinity is onion, celery and green bell pepper, chopped and cooked as the flavor base of Cajun and Creole dishes such as gumbo and jambalaya.

Also called Cajun trinity, Trinity.

The holy trinity is a mix of chopped onion, celery and green [bell pepper](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/bell-pepper) that starts many dishes from Louisiana's Cajun and Creole cooking. It is cooked in fat until soft and forms the flavor base of gumbo, jambalaya, étouffée and red beans and rice. It is the Louisiana cousin of French [mirepoix](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/mirepoix), with bell pepper in place of carrot.

## How to do it

1. Use roughly equal amounts of onion, celery and green bell pepper by volume, or 2 parts onion to 1 part each of the others.
2. [Dice](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/dice) them all to the same size, about 1 cm (3/8 inch).
3. Heat oil or butter in a heavy pot over medium heat.
4. Add the vegetables with a pinch of salt and cook, stirring, for 5 to 8 minutes until soft and the onion is translucent.
5. Add garlic for the last minute if the recipe calls for it. Some cooks call garlic "the pope".

## How to use it

In gumbo and étouffée, the trinity goes straight into a hot, dark [roux](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/roux). The cool vegetables stop the roux from cooking further and soften in it. In jambalaya, it is cooked in the fat left from browning sausage before the rice goes in.

## Substitutes

* If you have no green bell pepper, a red or yellow one works, but it tastes sweeter.
* Frozen, prechopped trinity mixes are sold in Louisiana and work well in stews.

## How to store it

Chopped trinity keeps in a covered container in the fridge for 2 to 3 days. It also freezes well for up to 3 months and can go straight into the pot from frozen.

## Common mistakes

* Browning it hard when the recipe wants it soft.
* Cutting the pieces unevenly, so some burn and some stay raw.
* Leaving out the celery, which gives the base its earthy note.

## Where it comes from

The trinity grew out of French cooking in Louisiana, where bell peppers were easier to grow than carrots. Other cuisines have their own bases, such as Spanish [sofrito](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/sofrito) and Italian [soffritto](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/soffritto).

## Related terms

* [MirepoixMirepoix is diced onion, carrot and celery, usually two parts onion to one each of the others. It is the flavor base of French stocks, soups and braises.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/mirepoix)
* [SofritoSofrito is a cooked base of onion, garlic, peppers and often tomato used across Spanish, Latin American and Caribbean cooking for rice, beans and stews.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/sofrito)
* [SoffrittoSoffritto is the Italian base of finely chopped onion, carrot and celery cooked slowly in olive oil. It starts ragù, minestrone, risotto and many braises.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/soffritto)
* [RouxA roux is equal weights of flour and fat cooked together to thicken sauces, soups and gravies. Cook it white, blond or brown depending on the dish.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/roux)
* [Bell pepperBell peppers are sweet, crisp peppers with no heat. They are called peppers in the UK, capsicum in Australia and India, and paprika in Sweden.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/bell-pepper)
* [DiceTo dice is to cut food into small, even cubes. Large, medium and small dice have set sizes, so everything in the pan cooks at the same rate.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/dice)

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