Dukkah is a traditional Egyptian spice blend usually made of finely chopped nuts, sesame seeds, coriander and cumin. The type of nut and additional herbs or spices can be used to create any number of flavor combinations. This variation keeps close to the spice blend’s roots, but I opted to keep the nuts whole and added nigella seeds for flavor and color, and sautéed the mixture in browned butter and clover honey to give it some added dimension.
My first introduction to whole-nut dukkah was at a little restaurant called Bar Moruno in LA’s Grand Central Market. They served a similar dukkah warm over roasted squash. Because it was fantastic, I decided to try and replicate it and honestly, this is pretty darn close. Treat this simple dukkah as a condiment instead of a spice — a great way to add substance, healthy fats, and protein to vegetable dishes while also imparting tons of flavor. I love keeping a stash of it in the cupboard to snack on or use as a salad topper.
- 1 cup cashew nuts, raw
- ½ tsp sea salt
- ¼ tsp ground Pepper Black
- ¼ tsp ground cumin
- ¼ tsp ground coriander
- ¼ cup sesame seeds
- 1 tbsp nigella seed
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 tbsp honey
- Measure out the ingredients ahead of beginning cooking, because this recipe cooks quickly!
- Heat butter in a frying pan over medium heat until butter is browned slightly.
- Add cashews to the brown butter and sautée for 2-3 minutes or until the cashews have toasted and are browned a little.
- Add in the sesame seeds and stir for 1 minute, to toast.
- Add in the nigella seeds and the remaining spices (salt, pepper, cumin, and coriander), stir for 30 seconds to incorporate and release the aromatics.
- Finally, remove from heat and quickly add in the honey, stirring to completely coat all nuts, seeds, and spices.
- Serve warm or spread onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper to cool, then store in an airtight container.
*All calories are not equal.