Dukkah (Egyptian Seasoning Blend)

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With its combination of nuts, seeds, spices and herbs, Dukkah is a unique and incredibly delicious Egyptian seasoning blend!  This dukkah recipe is quick and easy to make so you can begin enjoying it as a dip for your bread or veggies, as a coating for meat, or sprinkled over your hummus, salads, sandwiches, and more!

For more favorite Middle Eastern spice blends try our Za’atar and Baharat!

This seasoning blend is one of my favorites. The combination of herbs, spices, seeds, and nuts is unlike anything else. Get ready for one of the most unique and delicious seasoning blends you’ve ever tried!

What is Dukkah?

Also known as duqqa or du’ah, dukkah (pronounced doo-kah), is a traditional Egyptian seasoning blend that’s popular throughout the Middle East and consists of nuts, seeds, spices and herbs.   Its name comes from the Arabic “to pound”, referring to the traditional method of grinding the spices with a mortar and pestle.

Ingredients

While there is no set “traditional” recipe for dukkah – I sampled many different versions from very simple to more complex – there a some generally agreed-upon foundational ingredients.  Nuts and seeds are common additions.  These not only form the basis of its flavor but also its texture.  Which nuts are used depends in part on whatever happens to be on hand, though in my experience hazelnuts are most common and are also commonly used in combination with almonds and walnuts, sometimes pistachios.

Other common ingredients include sesame seeds, coriander, cumin and often mint.  Other additions include fennel and nigella seeds along with a pinch of red pepper flakes.

Instead of pulverizing the ingredients to a powder, they are coarsely crushed to maintain some crispy-crunchy texture from the seeds, crushed whole spices and nuts.

How to Use Dukkah

The traditional way of serving dukkah is to use it as a dip along with a bowl of olive oil:  Bread is dipped in the olive oil and then dipped in dukkah.  During my study abroad in Jerusalem years ago it was always an awe-inspiring sight to see street carts loaded with Middle Eastern breads and large mounds of dukkah waiting for hungry pedestrians.

But beyond its traditional use, dukkah can be enjoyed in many more delicious ways.  Use it as a coating for poultry, fish and meat.  Sprinkle it on your flatbread before baking.  Sprinkle some over your hummus, roasted vegetables, fried eggs, salads, sandwiches and wraps.  And if you’re looking for a low-carb alternative to bread, dip your veggies in olive oil and dukkah.

Dukkah Recipe

Let’s get started!

The key to achieving the best flavor is to 1) use whole spices and 2) bring out the individual flavors of the nuts, seeds and spices.  To do that they need to be roasted.  Roast the nuts in the oven and the seeds and whole spices in a dry skillet on the stovetop.  The spices should be roasted until they’re very fragrant but it is critical not to let them scorch or they will turn bitter.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  Lay the nuts out single layer on a lined baking sheet.  Roast them for 8-10 minutes until they have darkened in color and smell very nutty.  Be careful not to roast them for too long or they will turn bitter.  Remove from the oven and let the cool completely.

Heat a dry pan over medium heat and place the remaining ingredients in it except for the mint and salt.

Roast the spices and seeds for a few minutes until they have slightly deepened in color and are very fragrant.  Be careful not to let them scorch or they will become bitter.

Transfer to a bowl and let them cool completely.

Place the cooled nuts, the cooled spices and seeds, the mint and salt in a blender or food processor.

Pulse until the mixture is ground with lots of tiny coarse bits throughout.  It should not be ground into a powder.

Transfer the mixture to an airtight jar and, for the longest shelf-life, store it in the fridge where it will keep for up to 3 weeks.

Enjoy!

For more delicious homemade seasoning blends be sure to try our:

Originally published on The Daring Gourmet January 7, 2022