Some of the best flavor in home cooking doesn’t come from a single spice — it comes from a blend. A good spice blend is a shortcut to an entire cuisine: open a jar of ras el hanout and you are halfway to a tagine, and a sprinkle of za’atar makes anything taste like the Middle East. I keep a small shelf of blends in my pantry and reach for them constantly. Here is what is in each one, what it loves to pair with, and how to keep them at their best.
Ras el hanout: the crown jewel of Morocco
Ras el hanout is the crown jewel of Moroccan cooking. The name means “head of the shop” in Arabic — the merchant’s best selection — and real versions can hold twenty or thirty spices: cardamom, cumin, coriander, ginger, turmeric, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, allspice, black pepper, and sometimes rose petals, the same floral note that perfumes my baklava. The result is warm, floral, and gently spicy rather than hot.
This is the blend behind my chicken tagine with preserved lemon and olives and my lamb tagine with peas and artichokes. A couple of teaspoons stirred into the onions at the start of cooking perfumes the whole pot. It is just as good in couscous with seven vegetables or a bowl of harira. If you make your own, keep the warm notes (cinnamon, cardamom) generous and go easy on the heat.
Baharat: the Middle East’s all-purpose blend
Baharat simply means “spices” in Arabic and Turkish, and every family’s version differs a little. The backbone is usually black pepper, cumin, coriander, and paprika, with cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, and nutmeg for warmth. Think savory, faintly sweet, and deeply aromatic.
It is the flavor behind my chicken shawarma — an excellent all-purpose rub for grilled meat — and it gives chicken kabsa its fragrant, layered character. I also stir it into the meat for kefta skewers. Use baharat anywhere you want warm Middle Eastern flavor without pinning the dish to a single spice.
Za’atar: tangy, herbal, nutty
Za’atar is the one blend I would never let run out. It is built from three things: dried thyme (or oregano), toasted sesame seeds, and sumac, the brick-red spice that gives the blend its lemony tang. Good za’atar is bright, herbal, and nutty, with a sour finish that wakes up everything it touches.
Its most famous home is za’atar manakish, flatbread brushed with olive oil and blanketed with za’atar until crisp at the edges. But it is just as good on eggs, stirred into labneh or yogurt, dusted over roasted vegetables, or spooned across a smoky eggplant zaalouk. Dip a corner of warm msemen into olive oil and za’atar and you will understand the cult.
Dukkah: the Egyptian crunch
Dukkah comes from Egypt, where it is more of a dip than a seasoning. Toasted hazelnuts, almonds, or pistachios are ground coarse with sesame seeds, coriander, cumin, salt, and sometimes black pepper or dried mint. It should stay crunchy — a texture, not a powder.
The classic move is bread, olive oil, dukkah: press the bread into the oil, then into the blend. My dukkah toasted nut and spice blend is exactly this, and it is equally lovely on soft-boiled eggs, salads, roasted vegetables, and grilled meat.
Garam masala: India’s warm hand
Garam masala means “warm spice mix,” and it is India’s answer to the all-purpose blend: cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, cumin, coriander, black pepper, and bay, toasted whole and ground together until deeply aromatic.
In many Indian kitchens it goes in toward the end of cooking, so the fragrance stays bright instead of cooking away. Use it in curries, lentil dishes, and marinades, or stir a pinch into buttered rice. Buy whole spices and grind small batches — the difference between fresh and jarred is night and day.
Chinese five-spice: five flavors in one spoon
Chinese five-spice is the opposite philosophy: just five ingredients — star anise, Sichuan peppercorns, fennel seeds, cloves, and cassia cinnamon. It is sweet, savory, and faintly tingly from the Sichuan pepper, and a little goes a long way; half a teaspoon is usually plenty.
It is the blend for braised pork, roast duck, ribs, and stir-fried vegetables, and it makes a quick, glossy marinade for grilled chicken or salmon.
Berbere: the fiery heart of Ethiopia
Berbere is the bold, complex blend at the center of Ethiopian cooking: dried chilies, ginger, fenugreek, cardamom, coriander, allspice, cloves, nutmeg, and sometimes ajwain or korarima. It is earthy, aromatic, and seriously spicy.
Most Ethiopian stews start with berbere bloomed in hot oil, which wakes up every layer of flavor. It is also fantastic on roasted chicken, lentils, and roasted cauliflower. If you are new to it, start with less than you think you need — you can always add more.
Jerk: the Caribbean heavyweight
Jerk is the Caribbean heavyweight: scotch bonnet chilies, allspice, thyme, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, garlic, scallions, and a little brown sugar, pounded into a wet rub that is fiery, sweet, and smoky-herbal at once.
It is made for grilled and smoked chicken and pork. Rub it on, let it sit overnight, and grill over high heat until the edges char. Can’t find scotch bonnets? Habaneros are the closest substitute, and wear gloves while you work.
Harissa: the paste that makes everything better
Harissa is a paste rather than a dry blend, but it belongs in this conversation. Dried chilies — often smoked — are soaked and blended with garlic, caraway, coriander, cumin, salt, and olive oil into a thick red paste.
A spoonful turns a simple tomato sauce exciting. It is essential alongside kefta skewers, a natural partner for tagines and couscous, and a lovely finish stirred into harira or swirled into yogurt. It keeps for weeks in the fridge as long as the surface stays covered with oil. Making it at home is simple: soak the chilies, then blend with the garlic, spices, and salt.
Storing and making your own
Spice blends are only as good as their storage. Keep them in airtight jars in a cool, dark cabinet, away from the stove’s heat and steam. Ground blends hold their punch for about six months to a year; whole spices last longer. Buy in small amounts, write the date on the jar, and trust your nose — if a jar no longer smells like much, it will not taste like much.
For blends you use often, consider making your own: toast whole spices in a dry pan over medium-low until fragrant, cool them completely, then grind in a spice grinder. Small batches mean you always taste the difference.
Once you start cooking with blends, you will reach for them everywhere — they are how a simple dinner starts tasting like a destination. If you want to put them to work, my Middle Eastern kitchen is full of recipes that do exactly that.
Join the conversation
Only members can comment — it takes a few seconds to create a free account.
Log in Create an account