Lebanese Seven-Spice
A fragrant warm spice blend that's essential to Lebanese cuisine and Middle Eastern cooking. These seven aromatic spices—cinnamon, cloves, allspice, nutmeg, coriander, black pepper, and ginger—layer together to create warmth and complexity. Use it to season lamb, chicken, rice pilafs, stews, and roasted vegetables. Toasting whole spices before grinding maximizes their volatile oils and deepens their flavor dramatically. Fresh homemade blends will be noticeably more aromatic than aged jars.
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 3 min
- Wait
- 10 min
- Total
- 23 min
- Makes
- Makes about 1/3 cup (80 ml)
Steps
Before you start
- Ensure your spice grinder or mortar and pestle is clean and completely dry
- Gather all whole spices before you begin
- Have an airtight container ready for storage—glass jars or spice containers work best
Measure whole spices
- Measure out the cinnamon stick, whole cloves, coriander seeds, allspice berries, black peppercorns, and nutmeg using measuring spoons and a kitchen scale for accuracy.
- Place each spice in a small bowl or on a plate so they are ready to use.
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Tip: Using a kitchen scale ensures you have the right proportions for a balanced blend. If you don't have a scale, measuring spoons are adequate.
Toast whole spices
- Place an 8-inch skillet over medium heat.
- Once hot (about 1 minute), add the cinnamon stick, cloves, coriander seeds, allspice berries, and black peppercorns.
- Stir constantly with a wooden spoon for 2–3 minutes until the spices become deeply fragrant and darken slightly in color.
- Watch carefully—you want them fragrant and toasted, not burnt.
- Pour the toasted spices onto a small clean plate and let cool for 10 minutes before grinding.
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Ready when: Spices are deeply fragrant, darkened in color, and show no signs of burning or black spots
Tip: Toasting releases the volatile oils in the spices and creates deeper, more complex flavors. This step is the key to a superior blend, so don't skip it. Watch closely to prevent burning.
Grind toasted spices
- Transfer the cooled toasted spices to a spice grinder or mortar and pestle.
- If using a spice grinder, pulse in 2–3 short bursts (3–5 seconds each) until all spices are finely ground into a uniform dark powder—this takes about 2 minutes total.
- If using a mortar and pestle, grind for 3–4 minutes with steady circular motions.
- Do not over-grind, as friction will generate heat and cause the oils to dissipate.
- The finished powder should be fine and consistent throughout.
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Ready when: All spices are finely ground into a uniform, dark aromatic powder with no visible whole pieces
Tip: In a spice grinder, pulse rather than hold the button continuously. Continuous grinding creates heat that damages the fragrant volatile oils.
Add nutmeg and ginger
- Transfer the ground spice mixture to a small clean, dry bowl.
- Using a microplane grater, finely grate the whole nutmeg piece directly into the bowl (approximately 1/4 teaspoon worth).
- Add the ground ginger.
- Stir well with a spoon for about 30 seconds, ensuring all spices are evenly distributed and no clumps remain.
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Ready when: All spices are evenly mixed with a consistent color throughout and no clumps of ginger visible
Tip: A microplane creates the finest, most evenly distributed nutmeg. If you don't have one, use 1/2 teaspoon of ground nutmeg instead.
Store in airtight container
- Transfer the finished spice blend to a clean, dry airtight container such as a glass jar or dedicated spice jar.
- Label with the date and store in a cool, dark cupboard away from direct sunlight, heat sources, and humidity.
- Do not store near the stove or in a warm cabinet.
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Tip: Proper storage away from light and heat preserves the aromatic oils and keeps the blend potent for months.
Good to know
Tips
- Toasting the whole spices before grinding is the single most important step for developing a rich, complex flavor. This extra step transforms a flat store-bought blend into something aromatic and alive.
- Use this blend to season lamb, chicken, beef stews, rice pilafs, roasted root vegetables, and lentil dishes. Start with 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon per serving and adjust to taste.
- The spices are most fragrant within the first 2–3 months of grinding. If your blend has been sitting for a while and tastes muted, make a fresh batch—it's worth it.
- Store away from the stove and humidity. A cool, dark cupboard is ideal. Glass jars with tight-fitting lids are better than plastic, which can absorb aromas and flavors.
Make ahead
Make this spice blend weeks or even months in advance. Fresh batches have the most vibrant aroma, but properly stored blends stay flavorful for up to 6 months.
Storage & reheating
Room temperature: Store in an airtight glass container or jar in a cool, dark cupboard away from direct sunlight and heat for up to 6 months. Freezer: Transfer to an airtight freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 1 year. No thawing needed—use directly from the freezer. Refrigerator: Not recommended, as moisture can degrade the spices.
Substitutions
- whole nutmeg → 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg. If you don't have whole nutmeg or a microplane grater, use pre-ground nutmeg instead. Add it in step 4 with the ground ginger.
- ground ginger → 1 teaspoon of freshly grated ginger root, dried in a paper towel. Fresh ginger works but should be very finely minced and dried to prevent clumping. Less convenient than ground ginger.
- coriander seeds → 1 tablespoon fennel seeds. Fennel will change the flavor profile slightly, adding more anise-like notes. The blend will still be aromatic and warm but distinctly different.
- whole nutmeg → Skip the microplaning step and use 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon, 1 tablespoon ground cloves, 1 tablespoon ground coriander, 1 tablespoon ground allspice, 1 teaspoon ground black pepper, 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg, 1 teaspoon ground ginger—simply mix all ground spices together for a pre-made blend (shortcut version).. This gives you a finished seven-spice blend without toasting and grinding, though the flavor will be less complex and vibrant.
