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.
S says
If I use already ground spices, how much of each should I use? Thanks
Lisa Hewitt says
I have made this baharat and the koshari recipe from this site. My husband (he’s Sudanese) spent 10+years in Cairo and says this is as good as it gets outside of Egypt. I make a large amount and he can eat twice a day every day and be happy with that!
Kimberly Killebrew says
That’s wonderful, Lisa, and what a compliment indeed – thank you so much for the feedback!
George says
…The Baharat spice blend is actually a masala blend…Baharat is the word for India. :)
Kimberly Killebrew says
Hi George, in Arabic it translates simply as “spices” and is a well-known spice blend in the Middle East.
Giulia says
My favorite thing is adding hot milk, sugar and baharat spice to my espresso coffee (Illy of course, made with the moka).
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
That sounds yummy, Giulia. Like a Middle Eastern twist on Masala Chai but with coffee.
Kevin says
Hi Could you tell me the correct ratio of ground spices to make this please.
Can’t wait to try it.
Lisa says
If you read the ingredient list it tells you how much to use
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?
Ricki Danielle says
Hello, it is a common spice blend that can be used universally on meats and vegetables you could also try grilling egg plant with the spice blend and olive oil. With pomegranate molasses (found at Mediterranean stores) with pomegranates and a mint with yogurt sauce…. very delicious
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.
Neyha says
How much would you recommend using per pound of ground beef?
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Neyha, it depends on how you’re using the ground beef and what other ingredients you’re adding to the dish. As a general guideline I’d say 1 to 2 tablespoons depending on how flavorful you want the meat to be.
commercialservice says
Some genuinely interesting details you have written.Aided me a lot, just what I was looking for
:D.
Nadia says
Thanks for this recipe and the very helpful responses to all the comments/queries. I look forward to making this! Just back from a visit to the Middle East, which included several days in Cairo.
NM
Bethany says
Do you have a particular spice grinder that you’ve found to be good?
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Bethany, I’ve used my little KRUPS spice/coffee grinder for about 13 years. It was less than $20 and they still make a similar model.
Lorraine says
Green or black cardamom?
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Green.
Jeanne says
Do you use the whole cardamom pod, or open it up and just use the seeds?
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Jeanne, you just use the seeds and discard the pod.
Fatima says
Don’t discard the cardamom pod, it has so much flavor in it.
Add it to water that you boil for Indian/Yemeni chai/tea