Dukkah

By the Gracious Vegan

Dukkah is the perfect plant-based seasoning mix! A blend of nuts, seeds, and spices, dukkah is perfect for sprinkling on cooked vegetables, pasta, grains, soups, baked potatoes, or toast with hummus or avocado.  

Dukkah (also spelled duqqa, from the Arabic for “to pound”) comes originally from Egypt and is popular throughout the Middle East.

I believe it’s important to use cumin and coriander seeds, not powder, for the full crunchy effect of this mixture. But native Egyptian recipe creators are okay with ground spices, so who am I to judge?

Dukkah makes a great gift for anyone who loves great flavor.

Makes about 1 cup

Roasting the nuts and whole spices. Heat a cast iron or other skillet over medium heat. Start the nuts and fennel seeds roasting, and after a minute, add the others. After about a minute, when they become fragrant and slightly browner, pour them into the food processor and allow them to cool for 5-10 minutes.

  • 1/2 cup roughly chopped nuts (2 minutes) (if you use roasted nuts, don’t roast the nuts again) (hazelnuts are the most traditional nut for dukkah, but pistachios, walnuts, almonds, and even peanuts, or mixed nuts from a can or jar are also fine)

  • 1 Tablespoon fennel seeds (2 minutes)

  • 2 Tablespoons sesame seeds (1 minute)

  • 1 Tablespoon cumin seeds (1 minute)

  • 1 Tablespoon coriander seeds (1 minute)

  • 1 teaspoon black nigella seeds (1 minute) (if you have nigella powder, add a teaspoon to the powdered spices below instead)

  • 1 teaspoon black peppercorns (1 minute) (if you have ground pepper, add a 1/2 teaspoon to the powdered spiced below)

Putting it together. Add the following ingredients to the roasted nuts and seeds in the food processor and pulse the mixture until you achieve a slightly crunchy texture you like. You’re not aiming for a powder.

  • 1.5 Tablespoons dried mint

  • 1.5 Tablespoons dried thyme

  • 2 Tablespoons poppy seeds

  • 1 teaspoon sumac

  • 1 teaspoon salt

  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne or red pepper flakes

Store the dukkah in an airtight container for a month or so, or in the freezer for up to several months. 

Timing: About 10 minutes

Gluten-free

Spice mixesLinda TylerComment