Homemade Ras el Hanout Recipe

By
Jennifer Olvera
Jennifer Olvera is a contributing writer at Serious Eats.
Jennifer Olvera
Jennifer Olvera is a Chicago-based food writer and cookbook author who has written eight cookbooks and contributed to Serious Eats, the Los Angeles Times, The Chicago Tribune, and others.
Learn about Serious Eats' Editorial Process
Updated Aug. 30, 2018
20120523-207298-sunday-supper-ras-el-hanout-flank-steak-primary.jpg
Jennifer Olvera

A slew of North African spices combine to make a fragrant, exotic mixture. Whether used as a grill rub, when pan-frying fish or as the foundation for tagine, diverse, distinctive ras el hanout is worth the investment and effort to make.

Note: Though this heady Moroccan spice blend can be purchased at ethnic markets and online at Amazon.com, there's something particularly rewarding about making it from scratch.

Featured Video

Recipe Facts

Active: 5 mins
Total: 5 mins
Makes: 1 cup

Rate & Comment

Ingredients

  • One 3-inch cinnamon stick, broken
  • 1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
  • 1 tablespoon coriander seeds
  • 1 teaspoon whole cubeb pepper (optional)
  • 1 tablespoon cumin seeds
  • 10 green cardamom pods
  • 1 teaspoon whole allspice berries
  • 8 whole cloves
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried anise seeds
  • 1 teaspoon fresh-grated nutmeg
  • 1 tablespoon, plus 1/2 teaspoon, sweet paprika, divided use
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1 teaspoon ground mace
  • 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
  • 1 teaspoon dried rosebud petals
  • 1 teaspoon dried lavender

Directions

  1. Add cinnamon, peppercorns, coriander seeds, cubeb, cumin seeds, cardamom pods, allspice berries, cloves, and anise seed to a dry skillet set to medium-low heat. Lightly toast until fragrant and a shade darker, shaking so spices don’t burn (about two minutes). Cool slightly and remove cardamom seeds from pods by tapping with something heavy, such as a pestle. Discard pods.

  2. Add remaining ras el hanout spices and toasted spices to a small coffee grinder used only for grinding spices. Pulse the grinder to get things started, and let it run until the mixture is ground into a fine powder. Store in an airtight jar in a dark, cool place until ready to use.

Special equipment

Coffee grinder for spice-use only, pestle

More Serious Eats Recipes