Easy Homemade Dukkah Spice Mix Recipe

Get creative in the kitchen and make your own homemade Dukkah spice mix to liven up everything from boiled eggs to soups, stews and sauces too.

Now the first question that could arise here, is “What the hell is Dukkah?” (pronounced Dookah) – don’t panic, it’s nothing weird, odd or unsavoury.

Far from it, Dukkah is a heady mix of nuts and spices that is all about savouriness and adding super-easy flavour to the simplest and plainest of foods.

What is dukkah?

Duqqa, du’ah, do’a, or dukkah is an Egyptian and Middle Eastern condiment consisting of a mixture of herbs, nuts, and spices.

It is typically used as a dip with bread or fresh vegetables for an hors d’œuvre.

Ingredients for fresh homemade dukkah

Toasted nuts (see my notes on choice of nuts below),

What type of nuts are in dukkah

Dukkah usually contains toasted hazelnuts but you can get creative and use any nuts you fancy from pistachios to almonds, walnuts to cashews.

Always use unsalted nuts and toast them for about 3 minutes first in a dry pan to release those amazingly aromatic oils.

I use a mixture of pistachios and almonds with some sesame seeds as well. Toast each individually as they heat at different rates and can scorch and burn in an instant.

Here’s how to make your own homemade dukkah.

Of course, you can buy Dukkah spice mix in the larger supermarkets and delis, a tiny little jar will set you back a few pounds.

But why give the supermarkets your hard-earned cash when you can make this homemade Dukkah yourself and it will be fresh and zappy and just packed with flavour.

all made exactly to the most important specifications in the world – yours!!!

Any nuts will do

Dukkah usually contains toasted hazelnuts but you can get creative and use any nuts you fancy from pistachios to almonds, walnuts to cashews.

Always use unsalted nuts and toast them for about 3 minutes first in a dry pan to release those amazingly aromatic oils.

I use a mixture of pistachios and almonds.

Seeds and spices

I have used sesame seeds and coriander seeds and cumin seeds in my homemade dukkah. Again you can get a bit creative here with what you have in the larder.

Black pepper and sea salt.

The complete list of ingredients and full instructions for making this recipe can be found on the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.

How to make homemade dukkah

Toast nuts and seeds for flavour

Toast nuts and seeds seperately as they heat at different rates and can scorch and burn in an instant.

To toast nuts and seeds use a dry pan over medium heat. Watch them like a hawk as they can burn very quickly. As soon as they turn slightly golden and start to release that gorgeous nutty aroma tip them out of the pan and on to a plate.

Even removing the pan from the cooker still means there is residual heat which would keep cooking the nuts and might cause them to burn.

Once you’ve toasted the nuts and seeds you want to toast those spices as well.

Your kitchen will smell amazing by now.

Once all that toasting is done it’s time to mix things up a bit and break ’em down….

Now you can reach for your food processor at this point or you can go back to basics and use a good old fashioned mortar and pestle.

I love making spice blends and pestos etc with mine.

This is where you really get hands-on with your food and feel like you are actually doing something yourself instead of just pressing a button on a machine.

Add to that the smell is just amazing and you get exactly the consistency and crunch factor that you want.

You definitely don’t want your homemade dukkah to get too ground up and powdery, this is a spice blend with crunch, so keep those tiny chunks of nutty goodness to tickle the taste buds.

How long will homemade fresh dukkah keep

This spice blend will keep for about a month in an airtight container.

How to serve dukkah

Traditionall dukkah is served simply alongside a small bowl of really good olive oil and some good crunchy bread. Just dip the bread in the oil and then in the Dukkah for a seriously flavourful spicy treat.

Don’t just think of this as something to use as a party dip.

I serve mine with simple boiled eggs and for added luxury some asparagus spears for dipping.

Or use it as a tasty crunchy crust on chicken or lamb.

You can even mix it up with breadcrumbs for a savoury style crumble topping on mac and cheese.

Use dukkah as a seasoning on almost anything you fancy!

This is one of those recipes that absolutely anyone can make, you are not getting heavy in the kitchen with too many measures and oven timings etc, you are kitchen crafting ad having some fun with your food – enjoy!

This recipe makes a great foodie gift, so why not check out my post on how to make Christmas hampers.

Looking for more easy spice mixes etc to make at home? Then check these out before you go;

Homemade hot chilli salt

Mediterranean seasoning salt

Homemade harissa spice sauce

Homemade curry powder

Easy homemade citrus sugar

Homemade savoury salt mix

PS this makes a great wee foodie gift for Christmas and is one of over fifty great recipes in my Ebook Naughty & Nice Edible Gifts For Christmas.

It is also just one of the 50 Easy Homemade Pantry Staples that I’ve gathered together to make things easier for you. Making your own store cupboard basics is fun and easy and saves money too.

Finally, if you do try this recipe don’t forget to leave a comment/star rating below as I just love to hear from readers. Want more Larder Love? Then follow me on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter and sign up for my newsletter too of course.