This dukkah recipe is a delicious spice blend that is nutty, flavorful, and versatile! Add it to avocado toast, dips, fish, or meat!
Dukkah (pronounced doo-kah) is an Egyptian spice blend. There are slight variations in dukkah recipes, which contain a mix of seeds, spices, and nuts.
The word dukkah, in Arabic, means "to crush" or "to blend". In Egypt, dukkah is used as an all-purpose spice, and often, families and vendors have their own blends and traditional ways of combining the ingredients.
Crushing the seeds, spices, and nuts allows them to meld together to create an aromatic blend. It is easy to make your own blend of dukkah. I'll show you how!
Dukkah Ingredients
This Egyptian condiment typically has earthy flavors. Dukkah includes a combination of nuts (like hazelnuts or peanuts), sesame seeds, and whole spices (like cumin and coriander).
Our blend includes common ingredients that can be found at the grocery store, including the following:
- Pine nuts
- Hazelnuts
- Pistachios
- Sesame seeds
- Cumin seeds
- Coriander seeds
- Thyme
- Paprika
- Salt
- Pepper
Other variations of dukkah mixes include different ingredients like sunflower seeds, fennel seeds, pumpkin seeds, and black peppercorns.
How to Make This Dukkah Recipe
First, preheat oven to 400 degrees F and line a baking sheet with a Silpat or parchment paper.
Next, sprinkle the pine nuts, hazelnuts, cumin seeds, coriander seeds, and thyme in a single layer on the lined baking sheet.
Then bake the nuts and seeds for 8 minutes or until the hazelnuts are dark brown.
After the nuts and seeds have cooled slightly, blitz them for 30 seconds in a high-speed blender or small food processor. Combine them, but make sure they still have texture.
I like a chunky, coarse texture, but depending on how you are using it, you may want to blend it to a coarse or fine powder.
Next, combine the blended nuts with the sesame seeds, paprika, salt, and pepper in a bowl.
Stir to combine, and store dukkah in an airtight container in a cool, dry place for up to 3 months.
Dukkah FAQs
Traditionally, dukkah is used to dip bread and is served with olive oil as part of a mezze spread.
You can use it as both a condiment and a topping. One of the easiest ways to enjoy dukkah is to sprinkle it on top of avocado toast! You can rub dukkah on fish or meat, sprinkle it on a salad, or stir it into a dip (like hummus or yogurt) to add complexity. It's great with pita bread and some tzatziki or sprinkled on some avocado toast.
Dukkah is a blend like za'atar but is not the same. Dukkah has a base of nuts and seeds and is much chunkier in texture, while za'atar is made primarily from herbs. Both are commonly used in Middle Eastern cooking.
Looking for more Middle Eastern spices? Check out our guide on Middle Eastern spices.
Dukkah is a great topping for fish. Pat the fish dry and press the dukkah onto the fish to form a crust. You can either bake the fish or pan-fry it in oil or butter.
You can freeze or refrigerate dukkah in an airtight container. Any additional moisture will cause the nuts to degrade and become soft so you want the container airtight.
It's easy to make your own dukkah seasoning at home. This amazing recipe will be your new secret weapon for adding flavor to your cooking.
If you try this recipe, leave a comment and a star rating below!
Dukkah Recipe
Ingredients
- ¼ cup pine nuts
- ½ cup hazelnuts
- 1 tablespoon cumin seeds
- 1 tablespoon coriander seeds
- ½ teaspoon thyme
- ½ cup shelled roasted pistachios
- 3 tablespoons sesame seeds
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- On a lined cookie sheet (use a silpat or parchment), sprinkle the pine nuts, hazelnuts, cumin seeds, coriander seeds, and thyme. Bake for 8 minutes or until the hazelnuts are dark brown.
- In a high-speed blender or food processor, blitz the nuts and seeds for 30 seconds or until they are combined but still have texture.
- Combine the blended nuts with the sesame seeds, paprika, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Stir to combine and store in an airtight container in a cool, dry place for up to 3 months.
dburkej says
This is a VERY tasty blend! However, the cooking directions for the nuts and spices are problematic for those who aren't familiar with roasting them. The directions say to roast nuts and spices on the same tray for about 8 minutes. However, to roast the seeds or most nuts for 8 minutes, would make them burned and bitter. I think 8 minutes is probably too long even for the hazelnuts, and certainly for almonds. You can roast them separately but to save time, I put each item on a separate piece of foil or folded parchment, so that I can take each item out when it has gotten a little brown. Also, warn beginners that once they put the nuts and spices in the oven they should not walk away. Nuts can go from lightly browned to burned in seconds.