Learn how to make dukkah seasoning with this simple guide. This flavorful condiment is easy to customize and a great way to add that extra oomph to your meals.
What is Dukkah?
Dukkah or Duqqa (pronounced DOO-Kah) is an Egyptian seasoning that consists of a blend of herbs, toasted nuts and seeds, and fragrant spices.
The name comes from the Egyptian Arabic word meaning 'to pound', which is exactly how it's made.
Dukkah seasoning adds a nice textural element to your food, taking your meals to the next level, and giving them that extra oomph of flavor!
It's great on:
- salads: fennel salad, broccoli salad, roasted Brussels sprouts salad
- soups: roasted tomato soup
- eggs or in a healthy breakfast hash
- bread: toasty bread dipped in oil or ricotta toast with roasted grapes
- pasta: margherita pasta or noodles with peanut sauce
- pizza or spaghetti squash pizza boats
- roasted vegetables: sweet and spicy butternut squash
- dragon bowls
- dips such as roasted red pepper hummus
As you can see, it's an incredibly versatile topping.
Ingredients for Making Dukkah
- nuts: almonds, brazil nuts, cashews, hazelnuts, macadamia nuts, peanuts, pecans, pine nuts, pistachios, walnuts
- seeds: sesame seeds (black or white), pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds
- herbs and spices: anise seeds, cardamom seeds, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, cayenne, cinnamon, garlic, paprika, peppercorns, fennel seeds, lavender, rosemary, salt
- extra add-ins: dried rose petals, citrus zest, coconut shreds, dried herbs, curry powder, ground cinnamon, dried garlic, freshly ground nutmeg
How to Make Dukkah
- Toast the nuts and seeds. Toast the raw nuts and seeds in a dry pan over medium heat until lightly browned and aromatic, about 5 minutes. Then add to the bowl of a food processor.
- Toast the sesame seeds and spices. Add them to the same dry pan and toast until aromatic, about 1-2 minutes and add to the bowl of a food processor with the nuts and seeds.
- Salt & Add-ins. Now add your salt along with any optional add-ins.
- Pulse. Pulse the mixture a few times until it's coarse with some bigger pieces. You don't want it to be a powder, it should have some texture.
- Store. Store the dukkah in a sealed jar for up to 1 month.
Helpful Tips
Use raw nuts, seeds, and spices
You'll be freshly toasting them to enhance their flavors, so to do this you want to start with a neutral base (which means raw and unsalted).
Using a mortar and pestle?
This is how dukkah is traditionally made. To do this, you add each ingredient to a mortar separately until you've pounded it into a coarse texture.
Uncertain if flavors go well together?
Make a small batch to be eaten in a single serving. Once you get more comfortable with making dukkah, you can make a full batch to eat throughout the month.
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How to Make Dukkah Seasoning
Ingredients
Base Recipe for Dukkah
- ½ cup raw nuts of choice
- 3 tablespoon raw nuts or seeds of choice
- 2 tablespoon raw sesame seeds
- 2 tablespoon whole spices choose 2
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 teaspoon add-ins (optional) see notes
Hazelnut Fennel Dukkah
- ½ cup hazelnuts
- 3 tablespoon pumpkin seeds
- 2 tablespoon white sesame seeds
- 1 tablespoon coriander seeds
- 1 tablespoon fennel seeds
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- Toast the nuts and seeds. Toast the raw nuts and seeds in a dry pan over medium heat until lightly browned and aromatic, about 5 minutes. Then add to the bowl of a food processor.
- Toast the sesame seeds and spices. Add them to the same dry pan and toast until aromatic, about 1-2 minutes and add to the bowl of a food processor with the nuts and seeds.
- Salt & Add-ins. Now add your salt along with any optional add-ins.
- Pulse. Pulse the mixture a few times until it's coarse with some bigger pieces. You don't want it to be a powder, it should have some texture.
- Store. Store the dukkah in a sealed jar for up to 1 month.
Notes
- Extra add-ins. Use up to 2 teaspoons total of any of the following: dried rose petals, citrus zest, coconut shreds, dried herbs, curry powder, ground cinnamon, dried garlic, or freshly ground nutmeg.
- Makes 1 heaping cup.
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