Homemade Baharat (Middle Eastern Spice Blend)

Homemade baharat is an intoxicating blend of spices that is perfect for adding Middle Eastern flavor to soups and stews, braised meats, marinades and more. Also known as Lebanese 7 spice blend, this seasoning is easy to make and a lovely spice to have on hand in the kitchen.

Try this aromatic spice blend in our lamb shish kebab with baharat marinade recipe.

What is Baharat?

Baharat (also spelled b'harat) is simply the Arabic word for 'spices'. It is a plural word (singular to bahar) that can refer to any spices. However, baharat most commonly refers to a specific type of spice blend that is used in cooking throughout the Middle East.

Baharat is used as a seasoning for meats, fish, legumes and vegetables. The blend of spices varies from region to region but often has a warm, earthy flavor balanced with sweet and smoky notes.

Spices Needed to Make Homemade Baharat

The joy of baharat is that there are no set rules. It is a spice blend that will vary from country to country, village to village, restaurant to restaurant and home to home. Even in Lebanon, where baharat is often called 7 spice blend, you will find blends with six spices, eight, nine or ten!

There are, of course, some spices that tend to be at the core of most baharat spice blends. Regardless of region, you are likely to find some combination of black pepper, cumin, coriander, paprika, and nutmeg.

This blend of baharat is the combination that I have found to love in my own home. It's more of a Turkish style. I use Aleppo pepper, in lieu of paprika, for a kick of heat, paired with a blend of spices that are warm and aromatic. This baharat has a hint of dried mint, which is common throughout Turkey, but less so in other regions of the Middle East. Here's what you'll need:

Ingredients

I recommend using whole spices for the black pepper, cumin, coriander, and allspice. Toasting and freshly grinding the spices in a spice grinder or mortar and pestle will result in the best flavors. However, you can also use ground spices, if preferred.

• Aleppo pepper (for a slightly spicy kick) or smoked paprika for a sweeter, smoky blend
• Black Pepper
• Cumin
• Coriander
• Cinnamon
• Nutmeg
• Allspice
• Dried Mint

Additional Spices or Substitutions

There are several other spices commonly found in baharat, as well. Feel free to play around adding or substituting spices, to your liking. Some other spices you may find in baharat include:

• Cardamom
• Cloves - an especially nice addition for slowly braised meats, like lamb shank
• Dried Rose Petals - common in North African blends
• Turmeric
• Saffron
• Sumac
• Cassia bark
• Ginger
• Coffee - lovely in rubs for beef and lamb steaks

How To Make Baharat

Making homemade baharat is as simple as combining the ground spices together. It comes together in just a couple of minutes. For the richest flavor, I recommend toasting whole spices and grinding them yourself.

Toasting & Grinding Whole Spices

1. Add whole spices to a dry pan over medium heat. Toast, stirring frequently for 1 - 2 minutes or until the spices are aromatic. Transfer the spices out of the pan and allow to cool completely.

2. Once cooled grind the toasted spices to a fine powder using a spice grinder, high speed blender or a mortar and pestle.

3. Combine your freshly ground spices to the remaining ground spices to complete your baharat blend.

How To Use Baharat in Home Cooking

Bharat is a versatile spice blend that can be used in many, many applications. Here are a few of our favorite ways to use this spice blend:

• Soup & Stews - Add a Tablespoon of baharat when sautéing the vegetables.
• Braised meats - Phenomenal with slow cooked meats like lamb shank and short ribs.
• Dry Rub - Use baharat as a dry rub on chicken, fish and steaks.
• Marinades - This spice blend adds so much flavor to simple marinades. Use it simply with lime juice and olive oil or try it with our tomato paste marinade for our lamb shish kebab recipe.
• Kofte & Meatballs - Add this spice blend to ground meats for flavorful mince skewers, meatloafs and meatballs.
• Dips - A dash of baharat adds delicious flavor to hummus, white bean dips and labneh.
• Lentils, Chickpeas or Rice - Baharat spiced legumes or rice make for a flavorful side dish or entree.
• Grilled & Roasted Vegetables - Baharat can be a great seasoning for vegetables. I especially love it with roasted squash or pumpkin in the cooler months, or grilled eggplant in the Summertime.

Saving & Storing

Baharat can be stored in an airtight container in a cool, dark place in your pantry for 3 - 6 months. I recommend making baharat in smaller batches, to keep the spices fresh and aromatic.

Like all spices, after several months, baharat will lose some of its' flavor, aroma and intensity.

Similar Spice Blends

There are several types of spice blends found along the Silk Road throughout Northern Africa, the Middle East and Asia. While many use similar spices, and can be used in similar ways, they each have unique characteristics, history and heritage.

Here are a few of my other favorite spice blends to add to your pantry:

• Ras al Hanout - A complex Moroccan spice blend ranging from spicy to mild that often contains dozens of spices. These blends often contain cumin, coriander, ginger, cayenne, rose petals, cinnamon and more.
• Graham Masala - An Indian spice mix often containing cumin, coriander, fennel, cloves, mace and chili powder.
• Za'atar - An herbaceous Middle Eastern spice blend often made from wild thyme, oregano, sesame seeds, and sumac.
• Chinese Five Spice - A popular blend of warm spices from Southern China often made with Szechuan peppercorns, star anise, cloves, fennel and cinnamon.

Frequently Asked Questions