How to make Dukkah -a flavorful Egyptian spice blend made with toasted sesame seeds, nuts and spices that can be made in under 20 minutes. Sprinkle it on hummus, soups, salads, eggs, avocado toast, sautéed veggies to give a unique earthy flavor and delicious crunch!
With Dukkah on hand, you can make a simple meal shine. It’s a rich savory blend of toasted fragrant nuts, seeds, and spices that add the perfect magic sparkle to your food. Though Dukkah originates from Egypt, this recipe is actually not from my dad, but from my dear friend Tonia! I absolutely love her version of it and I hope you give it a try- it is truly delicious!
By now, most of you have already “met” dukkah. It’s kind of everywhere. And of course, you can always buy it, but I implore you, on a day that you have an extra 15 minutes, make this! It is so gratifying! The fragrance, the flavor, you’ll want to eat it by the spoonful and put it on everything.
Dukkah Uses:
Dukkah has a myriad of uses in the kitchen. Sprinkle it over avocado toast, over salad greens or over a creamy soup. Use is as a dip by mixing it with olive oil or yogurt for bread, pita or veggies. Or use it as a coating for fish, chicken or tofu or roasted veggies.
- Sprinkle on hummus or dips
- Sprinkle on poached eggs
- Sprinkle on avocado toast
- Sprinkle on soups and salads
- Mix with olive oil (or yogurt) and turn into a dip for bread, pita or veggies
- Mix with olive oil and use as a marinade for fish.
- Use as a coating for chicken, roasted veggies or grilled veggies, or tofu.
Dukkah Ingredients:
- Almonds
- Pecans (hazelnuts are most common in traditional Egyptian Dukkah)
- Sesame seeds
- Coriander (ground or whole seeds)
- Cumin (ground or whole seeds)
- Fennel (ground or whole seeds)
- Salt
- Black pepper
What I like about this recipe is how adaptable it is! Use any nut or combination of nuts you have on hand. Add other spices such as sumac, Aleppo, smoked salt, dried thyme, smoked paprika…. and create to your own personal blend! There is no right or wrong here. Just play around, create and have fun!
How to Make Dukkah:
Dukkah is simple and easy to make- simply pulse the nuts and seeds in a food processor, toast in a dry skillet then add spices and toast for a few more minutes.
- Pulse nuts in a food processor
- Place them in a dry skillet and toast, 4-5 mins.
- Add spices, continue toasting until fragrant and golden.
- Let cool completely and store in a sealed jar.
Today we’re using almonds and pecans. Traditional Egyptian Dukkah typically contains hazelnuts – also very tasty! I’ve seen Dukkah with pistachio and pinenuts– also good options. If you have a nut allergy it is perfectly fine to stick with seeds (pumpkin, sunflower) and feel free to use only one type nut or use as many as you want. Up to you -as long as you use 1 cup total!
Pulse nuts and seeds in a food processor, about 20 times, until coarsely ground.
Keep everything under the size of a pea. Take care not to over pulse as this will turn nuts into nut butter.
Add this mixture to a dry sauté pan and stir every 30 seconds or so for about 5 minutes.
Add the ground spices- coriander, cumin, fennel, pepper and salt to the nut mixture in the pan and stir.
Stir for another 3-4 minutes until slightly fragrant.
And of course, you can use whole spices and grind for a more intense flavor.
Store dukkah in an airtight jar for up to 3 months.
I’m so excited for you to try this! Please leave your adaptions and how you use Dukkah in the comments below!!!
More spice blends you may like:
- Zaatar Spice Recipe
- Furikake Seasoning Recipe
- Chinese Five Spice
- Garam Masala Recipe
- Ethiopian Berbere Spice Blend
- Homemade Yellow Curry Powder
Dukkah Recipe
- Prep Time: 5
- Cook Time: 10
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 1 ¼ cup 1x
- Category: Spices
- Method: Toasted
- Cuisine: Egyptian
Description
Dukkah is a flavorful Egytian spice blend made with fragrant spices and and toasted nuts. Sprinkle it on soups, salads, eggs, avocado toast, sautéed veggies… to give an earthy flavor and delicious crunch!
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup almonds (or sub other nuts- like hazelnuts, pinenuts, walnuts, peanuts, pumpkin seeds)
- 1/2 cup pecans (or sub other nuts- like hazelnuts, pistachios, pinenuts, walnuts, peanuts, pumpkin seeds)
- 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
- 2 teaspoons ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground fennel ( or sub anise)
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Instructions
In a food processor pulse nuts and sesame seeds until they resemble a coarse meal. Keep everything under the size of a pea. (Take care not to over pulse as this will turn nuts into nut butter).
Add this mixture to a dry sauté pan and place over medium-low heat. Give a stir every 30 seconds or so for about 3-4 minutes. Lower heat to low and add the coriander, cumin, fennel, pepper and salt to the ground nut mixture in the pan. Stir for another 3-4 minutes until slightly fragrant.
Notes
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 ½ teaspoons
- Calories: 29
- Sugar: 0.2 g
- Sodium: 36.6 mg
- Fat: 2.7 g
- Saturated Fat: 0.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 1 g
- Fiber: 0.6 g
- Protein: 0.8 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
Yum!
Love this recipe. Great savory flavor that I sprinkle on eggs, cottage cheese, in soup just about anything. Very versatile and love the fact I can use whatever nuts I have on hand. It’s my go to sprinkle. Thanks
Love it, yes so versatile and adaptable! Glad you are enjoying.
This is absolutely addictive! I never heard of Dukkah before, yet I was in the notorious habit of chewing freshly toasted sesame seeds. This magic concoction is a yummy replacement. I processed the nuts in a Nutribullet, hence some pieces remained large and some very small, powder-like. This gave my Dukkah some further depth and so did the Nigella seed substitution for Fennel seeds. Thank you for enriching our lives!
Yay Ceyda, happy you found this and are enjoying!
Delicious!
Love love this recipe. Put it on everything. Im so addicted to it
Yay Julianne- so happy you are enjoying it!
Really fantastic recipe – thank you ! Also love your Za’atar which I make regularly.
Will let you know when I try it
Wow, what an exciting recipe! I used almonds and hazelnuts and followed directions & ingredients as written. Lovely flavor! I am garnishing my creamy vegan cauliflower soup with this for lunch. My husband will be surprised by the interesting presentation and jazzy flavor. Let’s face it, creamy cauliflower soup is not much to look at!
Awesome Pam!
I love it! I sprinkled it on salmon fillets, but I could eat it with a spoon!
Great to hear!
Very good! Should I store in the fridge, given it’s ground nuts? Thank you.
I do, just to be safe.
Thank you so much for the recipe. It is wonderful!
Dukkah is completely addictive. Begin by sprinkling it on tomato, lentil or mixed vegetable soup and before long you’ll be wondering how it goes with vanilla icecream.
This is an excellent recipe, by the way.
I’m with you Judith…so addictive! and ice cream….🤔💛!!
So glad you liked the recipe.
Mix the Dukkah with some very finely chopped dates and I bet you have a winner for serving with vanilla ice cream!
Love this idea Steve!
I love the international flavors found often in your blog. I couldn’t follow the recipe exactly due to not having all the ingredients, but I don’t think it really matters. It is very comforting to have you indicate the flexibility in ingredients is often just fine. It is just what good cooks do! I used the spice mix on your sautéed greens recipe tonite. I often make a garbanzo bean salad, like tuna salad for lunch. I think it would add a very nice crunch sprinkled on top of the bean salad.
Perfect Kathy- thanks!
hi dear
I am Egyption and I just want to tell u that Dokkah in Egypt is mainly made from the seeds of apricot, it is a fruit, but hazelnuts and pecans are a Suitable replacement.
Very interesting remark, thank you:)
That is very interesting! Thanks for this!
Love it! Made it to top my greens and really added the “je ne sais quoi”.
Great to hear Cynthia!
This is sooo good and can be added to so many dishes to inhance flavors. Makes ordinary food intriguing and interesting!
Thanks Josie, so glad you like it!