Food

How to Make Authentic Dukkah: Ottolenghi’s Dukkah Recipe

Written by MasterClass

Last updated: Dec 21, 2024 • 1 min read

Dukkah, a nut and spice blend from Egypt, brings crunch to dishes that need a little texture. Chef Yotam Ottolenghi relies on the condiment as a topper for everything from pan-fried whitefish, scrambled eggs, or grilled vegetables. Sprinkle it over salads, add to labneh yogurt dip, or combine with olive oil and serve with pita bread for savory flavor.

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What Is Dukkah?

Dukkah, pronounced doo-kah and meaning “to pound” in Arabic, is an Egyptian condiment made from nuts, seeds, and herbs. It’s both crunchy and aromatic, and infinitely versatile: Try making it with different nuts and spices, like pistachios, walnuts, black pepper, mint, marjoram, za’atar, and more. You can also play with different consistencies—some dukkahs are quite powdery, and some, like Yotam’s, are more coarse. With a mixture this adaptable, it’s worth experimenting to find a version you love.

How to Make Homemade Dukkah

The sum of the parts don’t need to be exact, as long as the general ingredients and proportions are roughly similar. Simply gather the herbs, seeds, spices, and nuts you have on hand, and grind using a mortar and pestle or spice grinder.If you don’t have pine nuts, try almonds. If you don’t have oregano, try thyme.

Chef Yotam Ottolenghi’s Dukkah Recipe

Chef Yotam Ottolenghi’s Dukkah Recipe

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makes

1/2 cup

Ingredients

  1. 1

    In a small saucepan set over medium heat, toast the coriander seeds, cumin seeds, and sesame seeds, shaking the pan occasionally, until fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes.

  2. 2

    Add toasted spices and all remaining ingredients to a food processor and pulse a few times until the nuts and seeds are roughly chopped. Set aside in a small bowl.

  3. 3

    Store the dukkah in an airtight container at room temperature for several weeks.

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