Dukkah (Middle Eastern Nut and Spice Blend)

Dukkah (also sometimes spelled duqqa) is an Egyptian seed and spice mixture. This recipe hews to tradition, with little more than sesame seeds, peanuts, cumin, and coriander seed.

By
Daniel Gritzer
Daniel Gritzer
Daniel Gritzer
Editorial Director
Daniel joined the Serious Eats culinary team in 2014 and writes recipes, equipment reviews, articles on cooking techniques. Prior to that he was a food editor at Food & Wine magazine, and the staff writer for Time Out New York's restaurant and bars section.
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Updated September 03, 2024
Vicky Wasik

Why It Works

  • Roasted seeds and nuts have a more complex flavor.
  • This recipe works in a mortar and pestle or spice grinder.

Dukkah, the Middle Eastern spice blend, comes in many forms. Recipes can feature countless combinations of seeds, nuts, spice, and herbs. This one hews closely to a version common in Egypt, which is often credited as the birthplace of dukkah. It's filled with roasted sesame seeds, crushed peanuts, cumin, and coriander seed, plus enough salt to make all the flavors pull together and pop. It can be used a million different ways. Try it sprinkled on soups, over roasted and grilled vegetables, topping fish and meat dishes, mixed with olive oil for a quick and easy dip, and more. Note that you can choose how finely to grind all of the ingredients; some people like a chunkier version, others like it finer, though it's rare to see dukkah that's crushed to the point of being completely powdery.

Recipe Details

Dukkah (Middle Eastern Nut and Spice Blend) Recipe

Active 5 mins
Total 5 mins
Serves 5 to 6 servings
Makes 1/3 cup
Cook Mode (Keep screen awake)

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon (1/3 ounce; 10g) whole cumin seeds

  • 3 tablespoons (1/2 ounce; 15g) whole coriander seeds

  • 2 heaping tablespoons (1 ounce; 30g) roasted skinned peanuts

  • 1/4 cup (1 ounce; 30g) roasted sesame seeds

  • Kosher salt

Directions

  1. In a small, dry stainless steel, carbon steel, or cast iron skillet, toast cumin, stirring and tossing frequently, until fragrant. Transfer to a small mortar and pestle or electric spice grinder and grind to a coarse powder. Transfer ground cumin to a small mixing bowl. Repeat process with the coriander seed, then add to the bowl with the ground cumin.

  2. Add peanuts to the mortar and pestle or spice grinder and crush to a coarse powder. Scrape into bowl with spices. Repeat with the sesame seeds (alternatively, you can opt to keep the sesame seeds whole if you prefer), then add to the other ingredients.

  3. Season with salt, then use as desired.

Special Equipment

Small mortar and pestle or electric spice grinder

Make-Ahead and Storage

The dukkah can be kept in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks, though the flavor of the spices will fade over time; you may be able to keep it even longer, but in addition to the spices losing their potency, the nuts will begin to go rancid and stale.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
70 Calories
6g Fat
4g Carbs
3g Protein
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 5 to 6
Amount per serving
Calories 70
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 6g 7%
Saturated Fat 1g 4%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 130mg 6%
Total Carbohydrate 4g 2%
Dietary Fiber 2g 8%
Total Sugars 0g
Protein 3g
Vitamin C 1mg 3%
Calcium 83mg 6%
Iron 2mg 13%
Potassium 116mg 2%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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