Baharat, Arabic for “spice”, is a special an all-purpose spice blend widely used in Middle Eastern cuisine. Just a pinch of it adds depth and flavor to sauces, soups, grains, vegetables, stews and meat.
Middle Eastern food is phenomenal. Those of you who have taken the time to explore the various cuisines of the Middle East will agree. I have spoken to many people who say they would love to be able to make authentic Middle Eastern food at home, but are intimidated by some of the recipe ingredients, such as Baharat. What is it? What’s in it? Where can you find it?
Unless you have a Middle Eastern store in your area or order it online, this spice blend can be challenging to find. However, as with any spice blend, it makes such a difference in the flavor outcome of your dish when you make it fresh in your own kitchen anyway, so I’m going to share my recipe for it with you!
Now that you’re equipped with this magical blend, you can make some phenomenal-tasting Middle Eastern food right at home!
Two fantastic and authentic Middle Eastern dishes you can try that call for Baharat:
Koshari (Egyptian Rice, Lentils and Macaroni with Spicy Tomato Chile Sauce), the national dish of Egypt.
Chicken Machboos (Bahraini Spiced Chicken and Rice), the national dish of Bahrain:
- 1 tablespoon black peppercorns
- 1 tablespoon cumin seeds
- 2 teaspoons coriander seeds
- 1 teaspoon whole cloves
- ½ teaspoon cardamom seeds
- 1½ tablespoons paprika
- 1 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- Heat a small skillet over medium-high heat and dry roast the whole spices/seeds (set aside the paprika, cinnamon and nutmeg) until they become very fragrant, about 3-5 minutes, tossing regularly to prevent scorching. Transfer them to a bowl and allow them to cool completely before grinding them in a spice or coffee grinder along with the paprika, cinnamon and nutmeg. Keep stored in an airtight glass jar.
june nel says
Do you need to mix oil with the spice blend before rubbing it into lamb shanks
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi June, you can but you can also use it as a dry rub and just rub the meat down with the dry spice blend.
Hasna says
Hi! This recipe looks easy and simple. But can I use this as an substitute for red curry paste, to cook pumpkin?
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Hasna, it’s not the same thing as red curry but you can certainly use it for cooking pumpkin.
Gerda Halvorsen says
We often use it on grilled chicken, also with a dash of lemon juice
Mahazin says
Hi Susan,
Can this mix be used as rub to grill chicken?
Susan Sobon says
Thanks so much for this spice blend. Im plant based so I am always on the lookout for new spice blends to try. I noticed pepper is the first ingredient, but they are peppercorns. Would you call this a hot blend? Im so pleased to see you are still answering after all these years.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Susan, yes, it’s a fairly spicy blend. You can adjust the ratios according to your own taste.