Dukkah Recipe

Easy Dukkah Recipe

This easy Dukkah recipe produces a nutty, roasted spice mix which can be used to add flavour and texture to all kinds of dishes. It is also a really good way to increase your intake of nuts and seeds which are packed full of nutrients.

If you have read my blog before, you will know that I am a strong advocate for home-made versus shop-bought products. You can buy ready-made Dukkah in most supermarkets but, once you have tried making your own, I very much doubt that you will buy it. Nuts and spice are best fresh and there is really no comparison in terms of flavour.

I love the process of cooking as well as the end results. Standing by the stove and smelling the wonderful roasted nut and toasted seed flavours is very much part of the pleasure of making Dukkah. If you have ever been to North Africa, you can just close your eyes and be transported back!

What is Dukkah and how long does it last?

Dukkah is a traditional North African blend of nuts, seeds and spices. Once you have made it, you can keep it in an air-tight container for two weeks. It also freezes well. I tend to make a big batch, divide it into smaller amounts, and keep them in the freezer in small containers until I want to use them.

What are the uses for Dukkah?

Traditionally, Dukkah is eaten with fresh vegetables and bread which are dipped in oil and then dipped in the spice mix. However, there are lots of other ways that it can be used.

  • Use as a topping for dips such as hummus. (I use it on my Butternut Squash Hummus.)
  • Add to a sandwich to add crunch and flavour.
  • Sprinkle on the top of soup such as my Spiced Sweet Potato Soup.
  • Sprinkle on top of a salad.
  • Use as a coating for grilled or fried vegetables, fish or meat.
  • Eat handfuls as a snack when you get the munchies. (Yes, I do this, I’m afraid.)
Ingredients for Dukkah

What are the ingredients in Dukkah?

There are many different versions of Dukkah using a range of combinations of nuts and seeds. In fact, one of the great things about it is that you can change the ingredients to suit your own tastes. My Dukkah recipe is given on this page but you can change the proportions and the ingredients. However, there are a few basic guidelines.

  • Dukkah consists of a mixture of nuts and seeds which are dry roasted in order to bring out their flavour and to enhance their crispy texture.
  • You can use pretty much any kind of nut, or combination of nuts, but traditionally almonds, hazelnuts and walnuts are used.
  • Versions of Dukkah include a range of seeds and spices. Traditionally, it can include sunflower seeds, pumpkin and sesame seeds for crunch and coriander, fennel and cumin for flavour.
  • The nuts and seeds are processed or chopped rather than being left whole. You can either go for a finely chopped mixture or leave it more chunky. I blend the nuts and some of the seeds but leave the sunflower and pumpkin seeds intact as I like the coarser texture.
  • You can make Dukkah without any salt if you are trying to reduce your salt intake. This is the healthier option and it will still taste good. However, I choose to add salt to mine as I think it enhances the flavour.

Easy Dukkah Recipe

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Dukkah - North African Spice Mix

Dukkah Recipe

  • Author: Tastebotanical
  • Prep Time: 4
  • Cook Time: 11
  • Total Time: 15 minutes
  • Category: Spices
  • Cuisine: North African

Description

This home-made Dukkah Recipe is packed full of the taste of toasted nuts, seeds and spices.   Use it to add flavour to soups, dips, salads and sandwiches.


Ingredients

Scale
  • 50 g walnut halves or pieces
  • 50 g almonds
  • 50 g hazelnuts
  • 2 tablespoons coriander seeds
  • 2 tablespoons fennel seeds
  • 3 tablespoons sesame seeds
  • 50 g pumpkin seeds
  • 50 g sunflower seeds
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon salt (optional)

Instructions

  1. Put the walnuts, almonds and hazelnuts in a large frying pan.  Heat gently for around five minutes, stirring regularly, until the nuts are starting to go brown.  
  2. Add the coriander seeds, fennel seeds and sesame seeds to the pan and continue to heat gently until the seeds are also starting to brown.
  3. Remove the mixture of toasted nuts and seeds from the pan and roughly chop using a food processor.  Do not over-process as you want a rough mixture rather than a fine powder.  Put the processed mixture into a large bowl.
  4.  Using the same frying pan, heat the pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds for three minutes until they are lightly toasted.  They will begin to go shiny and “pop” when they are done.
  5. Add the toasted pumpkin and sunflower seeds to the bowl.  Add the cumin.  Add salt if you wish to do so.  I generally add it to my dukkah but, if you are trying to be ultra-healthy, you can leave it out.  Mix to combine.

Notes

You need to watch the nuts and seeds while they are toasting to make sure that they don’t burn.  Stirring regularly helps prevent this too.

Dukkah will keep for two weeks in an airtight container.  It also freezes well.

Keywords: dukkah, spice, nuts

This recipe has been shared on #CookBlogShare with Cooking with My Kids and #FiestaFriday with Fiesta Friday and Mollie@FrugalHausfrau

Loved this recipe? You may also like the following recipes. Or checkout the Recipe Index.

Spiced Nuts

Easy Spiced Nuts with Chilli

These easy Spiced Nuts are roasted in the oven with cumin, turmeric, brown sugar, soy sauce and lots of chilli. This recipe is based on one for Spiced Nuts in Sarah Raven’s brilliant Complete Christmas. However, I’ve changed the spices a bit, upped the chilli and substituted some of the other ingredients to make my recipe vegan.

I always need to have some kind of nibble when I have a glass of wine or other alcoholic drink. Sometimes, I go for crisps, sometimes olives or cheese biscuits, but my all-time favourite snack is nuts. This recipe for Spiced Nuts is fantastic because it combines a big hit of chilli, which I love, with the umami of the soy sauce, a hint of sweetness from the sugar and the based note of the spices. You can add extra salt when the nuts have been roasted but, in my view, this is not necessary due to the use of the soy sauce.

If you have only every eaten ready-roasted, salted nuts, I strongly encourage you to try roasting your own. It is so easy to do and means that the nuts are seriously crunchy and delicious. Also, like these Spiced Nuts, you can add the flavourings that you love and control the amount of salt.

I will serve these nuts with drinks. They are a good snack if you are out walking or after exercise. Also, they are pretty awesome if you are doing a sofa-based box-set binge. I also think that they make good edible gifts if you put them in a nice jar. I make a big batch coming up to Christmas for snacking and also to also a great snack to munch on when we are slumped in from of the TV.

What you need to know about this recipe

  • You can use any kind of nuts for this recipe or a combination of different kinds. I used walnuts, peanuts, cashews, pecans and macadamia nuts in this recipe. However, make sure that you use plain unsalted nuts.
  • If chilli is really not your thing, you can leave it out. However, it is quite mild and is good counterpoint to the sweet umami flavour of the nuts.
  • It is really important to allow the nuts to cool in an uncovered container. If you cover them while they are still warm, the trapped steam will make them soggy!
  • These nuts will keep for up to a month at room temperature in a sealed container.

Other easy snack recipes

I love savoury snacks. Whether I am box-set watching in front of the television or having a party, my evening is not complete without them. I will sometimes open a packet of crisps or a jar of olives. However, if I am thinking ahead, I will try and make some home-made nibbles.

Making your own snacks is often healthier and cheaper than buying ready-made snacks. They are also really delicious.   I try and keep them fairly healthy, without compromising on taste. Therefore, I aim to keep them relatively low fat and with low salt levels compared to shop-bought snacks.

All my snack recipes can be made in advance and most of them will store for a few days.  If you are a big fan of cheese, like me, you might like my crisp Cheese Biscuits or my Marinated Feta Cheese. My Moroccan-style Dukkah is a seed mix which can be eaten as a snack or sprinkled on hummus or salads. Most of my snack recipes are vegetarian. However, I have a few others such as my quick and easy Smoked Salmon pate recipe.

Recipe for easy Spiced Nuts with Chilli

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Spiced Nuts

Spiced Nuts

  • Author: Tastebotanical
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 10
  • Total Time: 15 minutes
  • Yield: 225 g nuts 1x
  • Category: Nuts
  • Method: Roasting
  • Cuisine: English

Ingredients

Scale
  • 225 g mixed nuts (cashews, almonds, walnuts, peanuts, pecans, macadamia)
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 1 teaspoon chilli flakes
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 1 teaspoon turmeric
  • 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • Salt (optional)

Spiced Nuts


Instructions

  1. Set your oven to 180 C or Gas Mark 4.
  2. Put all ingredients, except the salt,  in a large bowl and mix to combine.   
  3. Then pour the coated nuts onto a baking tray.   
  4. Bake in the oven for 10 minutes until the nuts are starting to brown.
  5. Remove from the oven and place the nuts in an uncovered bowl to cool.   The soy sauce gives the nuts a salty taste.  However, if you wish, you can add extra salt at this stage. 

Spiced Nuts


Notes

  • The nuts will keep for several weeks in an air-tight container.

Spiced Nuts

Keywords: nuts, spices, chilli, nibbles

Marinated Feta

Marinated Feta

Marinated Feta with Garlic, Chilli and Fresh Herbs

I love this Marinated Feta recipe. For me, it is the perfect example of how by adding a few flavouring elements – garlic, chilli and fresh herbs – you can transform simple feta cheese into a truly memorable dish. It is so easy to make and it keeps for up to a month in the refridgerator. This is food preparation that anyone can do. It does not require any level of culinary skill but allows you to be creative with flavours and produce something that is tailored to your individual taste. Marinated Feta is also really versatile and is great as a nibble with drinks or on bread as a light lunch. It is also excellent for picnics as it can be transported easily in its own jar.

A cultural mix-up….

Clearly, Marinated Feta is not a traditional English dish but, using herbs from my garden, it brings a bit of sunny Greece to cooler northern Europe. One of the wonderful things about modern English cooking is the way it is influenced by cuisines from other countries which are absorbed and adapted. I think that this is what cooking and developing recipes is all about. In a strange way, this dish is actually inspired by memories of my rural English childhood when, not so long ago, access to foods from other countries was not so common as it is now. When I was about ten, a wonderful Greek delicatessen opened in my local town, bringing olives, dolmades, taramasalata and wonderful Marinated Feta to greedy locals! I loved the garlicky, herby feta and, many years later, tried to recreate it in this recipe.

Marinated Feta

… and the perfect recipe for experimentation!

I have made this recipe using garlic, chilli and have chosen to use bay leaves, rosemary and thyme as my fresh herbs. However, you can change the flavour combinations according to what you have to hand and what you think tastes good. Don’t like chilli? Leave it out. Love garlic? Put more in! If you have other favourite herbs, why not try them instead?

Other easy snack recipes

I love savoury snacks. Whether I am box-set watching in front of the television or having a party, my evening is not complete without them. I will sometimes open a packet of crisps or a jar of olives. However, if I am thinking ahead, I will try and make some home-made nibbles.

Making your own snacks is often healthier and cheaper than buying ready-made snacks. They are also really delicious.   I try and keep them fairly healthy, without compromising on taste. Therefore, I aim to keep them relatively low fat and with low salt levels compared to shop-bought snacks.

All my snack recipes can be made in advance and most of them will store for a few days.  If you are a big fan of cheese, like me, you might like my crisp Cheese Biscuits.  If nuts are your thing, you should try my sweet and spicy Spiced Nuts.  My Moroccan-style Dukkah is a seed mix which can be eaten as a snack or sprinkled on hummus or salads. Most of my snack recipes are vegetarian. However, I have a few others such as my quick and easy Smoked Salmon pate recipe.

Marinated Feta with Garlic, Chilli and Fresh Herbs

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Marinated Feta

Marinated Feta

  • Author: Tastebotanical
  • Prep Time: 10
  • Total Time: 10 minutes
  • Yield: 1 500 ml jar 1x
  • Category: Cheese
  • Cuisine: English

Description

Feta Cheese, marinated with garlic, chilli and fresh herbs, takes minutes to prepare and keeps for up to a month.  It is fantastic as a nibble with drinks or spread on bread for a light lunch.  It is also great for a picnic as it is easily transportable. 

Herbs and garlic


Ingredients

Scale
  • 150 g feta cheese
  • 3 bay leaves (fresh or dried)
  • 3 sprigs of fresh rosemary
  • Fresh thyme (to provide 2 tablespoons of leaves)
  • 2 cloves of garlic
  • 1 teaspoon dried  chilli flakes (optional)
  • 300 ml good quality olive oil

Marinated Feta


Instructions

  1. Sterilise a 500 ml capacity jar by washing it in soapy water and then putting it in an oven at 120 C for 15 minutes.
  2. Chop the feta into cubes of approximately 1 cm square and place them in the jar.
  3. Tuck the rosemary sprigs and the bay leaves around the cheese.   Strip the leaves off the thyme stems and add them to the jar.
  4. Peel and slice the garlic cloves and add them to the jar.
  5. If using, scatter the chilli flakes over the top of the cheese.
  6.  Fill the jar with the olive oil making sure that all the cheese is covered.
  7. Put the lid on the jar and leave in the fridge for at least 24 hours, ideally several days, for the cheese to absorb the flavours of the garlic and herbs.
  8. The marinated cheese will last for up to a month.
  9. When you wish to eat the cheese, remove the jar from the fridge and allow to come to room temperature.  This will mean the oil is liquid and the flavours are fully developed.

 


Notes

  • Marinated feta is great on its own as a nibble with drinks.   It can also be spread on bread as a light lunch.  It is a good option for picnics as it can be easily transported in its jar.
  • Use this recipe as a basis and experiment with flavours that you like.  If you don’t like chilli, leave it out.  If you love garlic, put more in.  You can alter the quantity and type of herbs used.   

Keywords: feta, feta cheese, marinated, herbs, garlic

Butternut Squash Hummus

Home-made Butternut Squash Hummus recipe

If you like traditional hummus, Butternut Squash Hummus takes things to the next level. This healthy recipe combines the sweetness and nutritional goodness of butternut squash with the traditional hummus ingredients of chickpeas, tahini and olive oil. The squash also gives the hummus a fantastic, rich yellow colour.

Hummus has become increasingly popular as a snack or lunch-box staple in recent years. Although it is easy to buy ready-made hummus, it is really worth trying to make your own. It is very easy to make, tastes great and you know exactly what is in it.

How to use this Hummus

This hummus is good on its own or you can add chopped herbs, such as parsley or coriander, if you like. I also sometimes sprinkle dukkah on the top if I am using it as a dip. Dukkah is a crunchy Middle Eastern mixture of nuts, generally hazelnuts, and seeds such as sesame, coriander and cumin. Ready-made dukkah can be purchased in many supermarkets but it is really easy to make at home. Have a look at my dukkah recipe if you want to know how to make it.

Butternut Squash Hummus is great as a dip. Use breadsticks, toasted bread or raw vegetable sticks (such as carrot or celery) to scoop it up. You can use it as a filling for sandwiches or flatbread either on its own or combined with other ingredients. Some of my favourite additions include chopped spring onions, roasted peppers, feta cheese, olives and sweet Chilli Jam.

Other snack recipes

If you are looking for a savoury spread or not too unhealthy snack, you might be interested in some of my other snack recipes.

Other Butternut Squash recipes

If, like me, you love Butternut Squash, there are lots of other ways you can use it in addition to making hummus. It is great in soups such as Butternut Squash and Peanut Butter Soup. It is also a good filling for tarts and pies such as Butternut Squash Tart with Chilli and Sage or Filo Triangles with Butternut Squash and Pinenuts.

Butternut Squash Hummus recipe

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Butternut Squash Hummus

Butternut Squash Hummus

  • Author: Tastebotanical
  • Prep Time: 15
  • Cook Time: 25
  • Total Time: 40 minutes
  • Yield: Serves 6 as a starter 1x
  • Category: Starter
  • Cuisine: British

Description

This home-made Butternut Squash Hummus combines the rich sweetness of butternut squash with the traditional flavours of chickpea and tahini.   


Ingredients

Scale
  • Half a butternut squash
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 1 can of chickpeas (240 g or 8 oz drained weight) 
  • 2 tablespoons of tahini
  • Juice of half a lemon
  • 2 tablespoons of Greek yogurt (optional)

Instructions

  1. Peel and dice the butternut squash.  
  2. Heat the olive oil in a large pan, add the diced squash, season with salt and pepper and cook gently for  20 minutes until soft and caramelised.
  3. Add the crushed cloves of garlic to the pan and cook of a further five minutes.
  4. Place the butternut squash and garlic mixture in a blender.  Add the chickpeas (retaining a few for decoration, if wished), tahini, lemon juice and Greek yogurt, if using, and process until smoothe.  If the mixture is too thick, add a tablespoon of water to thin it out.
  5. Remove from the blender to a bowl and  season with salt and pepper.
  6. Serve topped with reserved chickpeas.  

Notes

This recipe is vegan if the Greek yogurt is omitted.

Keywords: hummus, butternut squash

Smoked Salmon Pate

Easy, home-made Smoked Salmon Pate

This easy Smoked Salmon Pate recipe tastes so much nicer than the ready-made, shop-bought equivalent. It combines the delicious flavour of smoked salmon with one of its traditional partners, cream cheese (think bagels and lox). The addition of lemon juice is crucial as this cuts through the richness of the salmon and the cheese.

If you buy slices of smoked salmon, it can get expensive. However, smoked salmon trimmings, which are available in many supermarkets, are perfect for this recipe. They have all the flavour of sliced smoked salmon but are much cheaper and, as an added benefit for this recipe, already in small pieces!

Smoked Salmon Pate is very quick and easy to make – you just process the ingredients in a blender and it is done! You can blend it as much as you like but I prefer not to make it absolutely smooth as I like to find a few pieces of smoked salmon when I spread out my pate.

In my opinion, anything involving smoked salmon smacks of luxury. And this pate also looks pretty with its pale pink colour. This makes it perfect for a celebration or romantic meal. Who’s to know it is so easy to make?

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Smoked Salmon Pate Fish Pate

Smoked Salmon Pate

  • Author: Tastebotanical
  • Prep Time: 5
  • Total Time: 5 minutes
  • Yield: Serves 2
  • Category: Starter
  • Cuisine: British

Description

This home-made Smoked Salmon Pate takes a  matter of minutes to make and tastes so good that you will never want to use the ready-made variety again!


Ingredients

Scale
  • 180 g cream cheese (such as Philadelphia, either full-fat or reduced fat)
  • 100 g smoked salmon trimmings
  • Juice of half a lemon
  • 2 tablespoons of double cream (optional)
  • Pepper to taste
  • Fresh herbs, such as dill or chives,  to decorate  (optional)

Instructions

  1. Put the cream cheese, smoked salmon trimmings, lemon juice and double cream (if using) into a blender and process until smooth.   
  2. Add pepper to taste.  You don’t need any salt as the smoked salmon is salty.
  3. Put the pate in a bowl and decorate with fresh herbs if you wish.  Dill or chives will go very well with the flavour of the pate.

Notes

You can choose to make a higher fat version of this pate by adding double cream and using full-fat cream cheese or make a lower fat version by omitting the double cream and using reduced fat cream cheese.

Keywords: smoked salmon, pate

Loved this recipe? You may also like the following recipes. Or checkout the Recipe Index.