Dukkah is a flavorful Egyptian condiment made from a mix of toasted nuts, seeds, and spices. You'll find yourself sprinkling this aromatic seasoning blend on everything or simply as a topping for bread dipped in olive oil.
Dukkah adds a crunch and burst of flavor to your dishes and you can customize it to your liking.
Table of contents
- How I Discovered Dukkah
- Where does Dukkah come from?
- Ingredients for Pistachio-Coconut Dukkah
- How to Make Dukkah
- Can I Make Dukkah If I Don't Have a Spice Grinder?
- What Can I Sprinkle My Homemade Pistachio Coconut Dukkah On?
- Dukkah Recipe Variations and Substitutions
- How long does Dukkah last?
- More Homemade Spice Blend Recipes
How I Discovered Dukkah
Everyone who knows me knows that I'm totally obsessed with spices. What else would you call spending $300 at the Shuk (open market) in Jerusalem, in bulk spices only?? Some years ago, when I went back to Israel after several years away, I was like a kid in a candy store. My husband on the other hand... My husband was somewhere between a panic attack and a coronary. Money well spent though. He's definitely enjoying every single ounce!!
Surprisingly though, the first time I saw Dukkah wasn't at the Shuk. It was at Trader Joe's! I was browsing through the new product section when I picked up this beautiful round container filled with herbs, nuts, and spices. How this little gem had been hidden from me all these years, is beyond my comprehension!
Have you ever tried to create your own spice mix? Let us know, we would love to hear about it!
Where does Dukkah come from?
Dukkah (also spelled duqqa) is a spice blend first created in ancient Egypt and was originally used as a dip with pita bread and olive oil. The Arabic word translates "to pound" and the resulting texture is coarse and hearty rather than powdered or paste-like.
Ingredients for Pistachio-Coconut Dukkah
Of course, I had to create my own mixture: fennel, coriander, cumin and sesame seeds, coconut, pistachios, and salt. Such a great combination of flavors! But really, you can be as creative as you want. You can add herbs like thyme or za'atar, nuts like hazelnuts or almonds, and seeds like pumpkin or sunflower. The combinations are endless. Keep on reading for even more ideas.
- Fennel Seeds. A sweet and earthy licorice-like flavor
- Coriander Seeds. A warming spice with nutty flavor and a slight hint of bright citrus
- Cumin Seeds. A rich, earthy, and smoky flavor
- Sesame Seeds. A bold nutty flavor and crunch
- Unsweetened Shredded Coconut. A delicate texture with a tropical coconut flavor
- Roasted and Shelled Pistachios. A buttery, toasty, comforting nutty flavor
- Sea or Kosher Salt. You can use your favorite salt here. Just start small and add according to your salty preference
How to Make Dukkah
It is so easy to throw everything together, and toasting the seeds adds tons of flavor. Here are the step-by-step photos:
- Toast the fennel, cumin, and coriander seeds
- Place the toasted seeds in a bowl to cool
- Add the toasted spices to a spice grinder
- Grind the spices
- Toast the shredded coconut
- Combine all the ingredients, add pistachios and mix well
Can I Make Dukkah If I Don't Have a Spice Grinder?
- That's no problem! You can also pulse the ingredients in a food processor. Do short pulses rather than just letting it whirl.
- You can also use a coffee grinder, just make sure it is totally clean and free from any coffee grounds or scents.
- If you like to really get involved, you can grind these ingredients together in a mortar and pestle. Remember, the name of this recipe means "to pound".
- Toasting and grinding your own spices really makes a huge difference in texture and flavor, so we don't recommend using pre-ground spices. Seriously, you'll be so much more pleased with the results when you grind your own spices.
What Can I Sprinkle My Homemade Pistachio Coconut Dukkah On?
- You can use it as a simple dip with bread and olive oil, sprinkle it on hummus, or any other dip you love. Add it to scrambled eggs or avocado toast.
- I personally enjoy it sprinkled on salads (adds a little nuttiness and crunch), on soups (adds a pop of flavor), on roasted vegetables... well, on anything really! (obsessed, remember?).
- Check out our roasted green beans with cranberries and dukkah
- One of the greatest things about homemade spice blends is that they are vegan, gluten-free, and dairy-free so you can add this flavoring to so many dishes!
Dukkah Recipe Variations and Substitutions
You can make this recipe your own using your favorite flavors.
- Nuts and Seeds. almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts, peanuts, pine nuts, pepitas, sunflower seeds
- Herbs and Spices. mint, marjoram, nigella seeds, thyme, sumac, black pepper, Aleppo pepper, cayenne pepper
How long does Dukkah last?
- Store your homemade spice blend in an airtight container like a mason jar in your pantry at room temperature for several weeks. Although, I think you'll eat it up much quicker than that!
- If you want Dukkah to stay fresh longer store the spice blend in an airtight container and place it in the fridge.
More Homemade Spice Blend Recipes
If you've gotten the itch to make even more custom spice blends at home, here are more recipes for you to try:
If you enjoyed this recipe, it would help us tremendously if you left us a star rating in the comments below or on the recipe card. Do you have any questions about the recipe? Do you need a swap for any of the ingredients? We are here to help, just leave us a question in the comments below.
Dukkah Recipe - Egyptian Nut, Seed and Spice Seasoning Blend
- Total Time: 11 mins
- Yield: 1 ½ CUPS
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Dukkah is a flavorful Egyptian condiment, that you will want to add to everything once you try it. You can customize it using your own mix of nuts, seeds and spices. This one is made with pistachios, coconut, coriander, sesame, fennel and cumin seeds.
Ingredients
- 1 ½ tbsp coriander seeds
- 3 tbsp fennel seeds
- 1 tbsp cumin seeds
- ¼ cup sesame seeds
- 3 tbsp unsweetened shredded coconut
- ½ cup roasted shelled pistachios, chopped
- 1 tsp salt (or to taste)
Instructions
- In a medium not stick skillet dry toast coriander, fennel and cumin seeds until fragrant, about 2 minutes, over medium heat. Watch them carefully to make sure they don't doesn't burn.
- Place all the spices in a bowl and let them cool
- Toast sesame seeds over medium heat for about 2 minutes
- Toast coconut over medium heat for about 2 minutes, watching carefully to make sure it doesn't burn
- Grind cumin, fennel and coriander seeds in a spice grinder
- Combine ground spices, pistachios, coconut, sesame seeds and salt. Mix well and store in a tight closed container in the fridge
Notes
- Favor variations: Use almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts, peanuts, pine nuts, pepitas, sunflower seeds, nigella seeds, dry mint, marjoram, thyme, sumac, black pepper, Aleppo pepper, and cayenne pepper.
- If you don't have a spice grinder: use a food processor or a pestle and mortar
- Storage: Store in an air-tight container and place in your spice cabinet or drawer or place in the fridge to keep it fresh longer.
- How to use Dukkah: add it to hummus or your favorite dip, sprinkle it on salads or roasted veggies, or add it to avocado toast or soup.
- Prep Time: 5 mins
- Cook Time: 6 mins
- Category: condiment
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 tablespoon
- Calories: 31
- Sugar: 0.5 g
- Sodium: 100 mg
- Fat: 2.4 g
- Saturated Fat: 0.5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 2.1 g
- Fiber: 0.9 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
Marcie
Isn't Trader Joes so great for finding the most unique products? This dish sounds like a great way to put your lovely spices to use, and I love the pistachio-coconut combination!
Vicky & Ruth
We also love Trader Joes! Our spices are defiantly going to good use with this recipe 🙂
Kelly
Love mixing my own spices! I can just imagine how fragrant this was! Love the pistachio and coconut!
Vicky & Ruth
The house does smell amazing after we make Dukkah!
Ashley
This is very unique recipe in nature and I would definitely give it a try. Thanks for sharing it and keep up the great work.
Vicky & Ruth
Thank you! Hope you enjoy it 🙂
June
I will certainly be making this spice mix.
Just read recently some recipes that called for dukkah.
Timely post for me
George Offord
I must try it!
Vicky and Ruth
Thank you so much George!
pola
It is delicious and easy to make.
Vicky and Ruth
It's one of our favorite recipes!
Jan Katz
I was not convinced I would like this, but wanted to try a dukkah recipe and I was won over. I only had sliced almonds, which I toasted also and it still came out well. Looking forward to trying other combinations.
Vicky and Ruth
Yay! So glad you like our Dukkah recipe! We love making Dukkah and it's great to try different flavor combinations.