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What is Berbere Spice?

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Berbere is an Ethiopian spice blend that's often used in meat and vegetable stews. It's a warm blend that adds a spicy, rich undertone to dishes.

It's very versatile though and beyond using it as a marinade for meat or a base in a soup, it can be used as a topping for fruit or salads.

Like Ras el Hanout and Baharat, individual blends vary in regions and families. Typically, a berbere spice mix contains chilis, paprika, onion, ginger, fenugreek, nutmeg, cumin, and clove.

plate with a blend of spices for berbere

Recipes with Berbere Spice

Berbere can be used in a variety of ways. It's used in some wonderful Ethiopian dishes and in a surprising number of other ways. Here are a few of our favorite recipes using berbere.

berbere spiced chicken in a pot

Recipe for Berbere

While it's easy to make a berbere spice blend, it does require quite a few spices.

This is the blend we recommend; if you don't have one of the ingredients listed in smaller quantities you can substitute it for something else or leave it out. The paprika and chili are non-negotiable though!

Yield: ¾ cup

Berbere Spice Recipe

plate with a blend of spices

Here's how to make your own berbere spice mixture at home. It's an Ethiopian spice used as a rub for meat, in stews, and sprinkled on salads.

Prep Time 5 minutes
Total Time 5 minutes

Ingredients

  • ¼ cup paprika
  • 2 tablespoons chili powder
  • 1 tablespoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon cayenne
  • 1 teaspoon ground fenugreek
  • 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon ground cloves
  • ½ teaspoon ground allspice
  • ¼ teaspoon nutmeg

Instructions

  1. Add all the ingredients to a bowl and stir to combine. 
  2. Store in an airtight container (preferably glass as it will stain plastic)

Where to Buy Berbere Spice

If you don't want to make your own berbere blend, you can purchase it online we recommend this Berbere blend from The Spice House.

If you'd prefer to buy it on Amazon, we recommend this blend from Frontier.

berbere spice blend on a wooden plate
berbere spice blend on a wooden plate

Joel

Thursday 17th of March 2022

Thanks for this post.

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