Easy Dukkah Recipe: How to Make Dukkah Egyptian Spice Mix, Plus 12 Dukkah Recipe Ideas

Dukkah (also spelled dukka or duqqa) is a spice blend that usually contains toasted and coarsely ground sesame seeds, coriander, cumin, salt, pepper, and hazelnuts. It’s eaten as a breakfast or snack throughout the Middle East and North Africa, typically with bread that’s been dipped in olive oil. Recipes for dukkah vary regionally and from family to family, and the versatile mixture can be used as a dry rub for grilled meats and fish or as a garnish for raw and roasted vegetables.

Dukkah is thought to have come from Egypt, where some form of nut-seed-and-spice blends have existed since ancient times as a way to add protein, fat, and flavor to a simple meal. The word dukkah, which comes from the Arabic verb “to pound,” references the traditional method of grinding in a mortar and pestle.

Dukkah has a warm, toasty, nutty flavor that’s brightened by fresh, citrusy coriander and cumin. It’s a little salty and somewhat spicy, due to the black pepper. The flavor of dukkah can vary depending on the types of nuts and spices in your blend, but dukkah should always have a crunchy, crumbly texture.

There’s no real substitute for dukkah, but you can make the spice blend using whatever nuts, seeds, and spices you happen to have on hand. The classic dukkah formula is sesame, coriander, cumin, hazelnuts, salt, and pepper, but if you don’t have hazelnuts, consider almonds, peanuts, pecans, pistachios, pine nuts, or cashews. One super-simple version of dukkah found in Egypt is simply salt, pepper, and dried mint. Other common dukkah additions include: cinnamon, fennel seeds, dried thyme, dried marjoram, dried oregano, dried lemon peel, red pepper flakes, nigella seeds, caraway, turmeric, pumpkin seeds, oats, coconut, millet, and sunflower seeds.