This Egyptian Dukkah Spice recipe is perfect for adding extra flavor to many dishes including hummus. Also spelled "dukka" or "duqqa," it's sure to be a favorite spice in your kitchen too!
Although dukka (pronounced doo-kah) is an Egyptian condiment, it was my sister-in-law, Alison, who introduced me to it. We were brainstorming about a ravioli recipe, and Alison suggested I use duqqa spice as a topping.
Alison nailed it with her suggestion because it added so much flavor and complexity to the dish. But don't stop there, because this tasty spice has many other uses too!
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🧐 Why This Recipe Works
- This dukkah recipe is easy to prepare, all you need is a spice grinder and some common ingredients.
- Dukka can be used to enhance the flavor of many dishes including soups, dips, and pasta.
- Dukkah ingredients can be easily substituted with other options.
🛒 What Goes Into This Recipe
🔖 Ingredient Notes And Substitutions
- Nuts: Hazelnuts are almost always included in Dukkah and should be included. Other nut options include almonds, pistachios, and peanuts.
- Seeds: I use pepitas (unsalted pumpkin seeds), however, you can also use sunflower seeds. You'll also need sesame seeds.
- Spices: Coriander seeds, cumin seeds, black peppercorn, and chili flakes.
- Herbs: Dried thyme and mint.
*A full list of ingredients can be found in the recipe card on the bottom of the page.
🥜 How To Make This Recipe
Step 1: Crush or chop the hazelnuts, then toast them along with the pepitas in a dry skillet over low-medium heat until fragrant. Remove from the skillet and allow to cool.
Step 2: Add coriander, cumin, and peppercorns to the same skillet. Toast for about 2 minutes, then stir in chile flakes and toast an additional minute. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
Step 3: Using a mortar and pestle or a spice mill, crush hazelnuts and pepitas until coarsely chopped. Then add in the coriander seeds, cumin seeds, peppercorns, and sea salt and grind until just before it turns into powder.
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Pro Tip: Make sure not grind it too finely. Dukka is supposed to have a coarse texture.
Step 4: Add sesame seeds to the pan. Toast for a few minutes or until they begin to brown. Remove sesame seeds from the pan and turn off the heat.
Step 5: In a small bowl, combine dukkah spice mixture with sesame seeds, dried mint, and thyme leaves. Mix to combine and store in an 8 oz jar until needed.
Pro Tip: You can store dukka spice in the pantry, or in the freezer to preserve its flavor for a longer period of time.
🤷🏻♀️ Recipe FAQs
The word "Dukkah" is derived from the Arabic word meaning "to pound." The ingredients in this Egyptian spice blend are usually pounded using a mortar and pestle.
Duqqa is somewhat similar to the spice blend known as Za'atar.
Not only do they both originate in Egypt, but both are used as condiments. Like za'atar, duqqa may be sprinkled over food as a seasoning, or mixed with olive oil to form a paste.
If you take the time to look up different dukka spice recipes, you will soon see that some ingredients are always present, while other ingredients vary from recipe to recipe.
For example, hazelnuts, cumin, coriander, and sesame seeds are included in most recipes. While ingredients like fennel, mint, chili flakes, marjoram, nigella sativa, and pine nuts may or may not be included.
When coming up with my own blend, I chose the ingredients that I not only like, but that complement each other. If I’ve left out an ingredient that you are fond of, I encourage you to add it!
👩🏼🍳 Pro Tips
- If you don't have a mortar and pestle or spice mill, you can pulse ingredients in a food processor.
- One way to enjoy this dukkah recipe is by dipping warm Pita Bread in olive oil, then into the spice blend, somewhat similar to Manakish.
- You can also sprinkle dukkah seasoning over some tangy, homemade yogurt, and it's delicious over pumpkin soup.
- One of my favorite ways to enjoy duqqa is over this Pumpkin Casserole recipe.
If you enjoy making your own spice blends, you may be interested in learning how to make your own Corned Beef Spice Blend, Biryani Spice, Pork Rub, and Zaatar Substitute Spice Blend.
🌶 Related Recipes
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📖 Recipe
Easy Dukkah Recipe
Ingredients
- 5 sprigs dried thyme leaves
- ⅓ cup hazelnuts
- 2 tablespoon pepitas
- 1 tablespoon coriander seeds
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- ½ teaspoon peppercorns
- ½ teaspoon chili flakes
- 2 tablespoon sesame seeds
- 1 teaspoon dried mint
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
Instructions
- Crush or chop the hazelnuts, then toast them along with the pepitas in a dry skillet over low-medium heat until fragrant. Remove from the skillet and allow to cool.
- Add coriander, cumin, and peppercorns to the same pan. Toast for about 2 minutes, then stir in chile flakes and toast an additional minute. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
- Using a mortar and pestle or a spice mill, crush hazelnuts and pepitas until coarsely chopped. Then add in the coriander seeds, cumin seeds, peppercorns, and sea salt and grind until just before it turns into powder.
- Add sesame seeds to the skillet. Toast for a few minutes or until they begin to brown. Remove sesame seeds from the pan and turn off the heat.
- Next, add sesame seeds to the skillet. Toast for two minutes, or until they begin to brown. Remove sesame seeds from the skillet and turn off the heat.
- In a small bowl, combine dukkah spice mixture with sesame seeds, dried mint, and thyme leaves. Mix to combine and store in an 8 oz jar until needed.
Notes
-
- Make sure not grind it too finely. Dukka is supposed to have a coarse grain.
- You can store dukka spice in the pantry, or in the freezer to preserve its flavor for a longer period of time.
- If you don't have a mortar and pestle or spice mill, you can pulse ingredients in a food processor.
-
- One way to enjoy this dukkah recipe is by dipping warm Pita Bread in olive oil, then into the spice blend, somewhat similar to Manakish.
-
- You can also sprinkle dukkah over some tangy, homemade yogurt, and it's delicious over pumpkin soup.
-
- One of my favorite ways to enjoy duqqa is over this Pumpkin Casserole recipe.
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