Ethiopian berbere spice mix

Homemade fiery, sweet, and aromatic Ethiopian berbere spice mix adds warmth and unique spicy, rich undertones to a variety of your culinary creations.

High in flavor low in labor. That’s precisely the reason I am such a big fan of having a few essential spice blends on the shelf and ready to spring into action.

And let’s admit it – it's loads quicker to reach for just one jar with all your spices perfectly blended. We don't like spending hours digging through spice cabinets, racks, and various nooks and crannies.  As we're off considering unthinkable weird places for that one spice on the list, the onions are turning to charcoal. 

Don’t underestimate the power of a tablespoon of berbere. The most mundane concoction of rice and frozen veggies can become a flavorful, exotic culinary experience with a few tablespoons of berbere. Even a lunchtime bowl for one deserves that.

Spice mixes are a microcosm of cooking in general. Regional influences, ingredient availability, individual preferences, tradition, culture, and a pinch of other factors can impact our final products.  That’s why you’ll find a variety of recipes and brands with slightly different flavors.

It all comes down to what you blend, how much, and even a bit of serendipity if you make an emergency substitution. It’s one of the joys of cooking.

By making your own, you get to make flavor adjustments. For example, if you want your spice hotter, milder, or you want to accentuate more citrus by adding more coriander.

What does it taste like?

Berbere has a unique flavor powered by spicy chilies but balanced by the sweetness of cinnamon, cloves, and allspice. Personally, I find it someplace between Baharat, which is on the sweet side, and the super-hot chili powder I keep in stock.

Let’s make it!

In four quick steps, you’ll be ready to create Ethiopian-inspired dishes.

Step 1

Gather the spices. Here’s what you’ll need. Equivalents for the whole spices to ground versions are provided in the recipe card.  

Whole spices

5 dried red chilies

1 ½ inch stick cinnamon

1 teaspoon cardamom pods (about 10 pods)

½ teaspoon whole cloves

2 teaspoon coriander seeds

2 teaspoons fenugreek seeds

2 allspice berries (just 2 berries)

1 teaspoon white peppercorns

2 teaspoons cumin seeds

Ground spices

½ teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

2 teaspoons sweet paprika

2 teaspoons turmeric

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon of sea salt

Step 2

Grab a heavy bottom skillet or pan. Break the chilis in half (if you want a less spicy mix, shake the seeds out). Add them to the pan. Break the cinnamon stick and add the rest of the whole spices. Don’t add ground spices if you are making a substitution.

Heat the pan to medium-high and toast the spices for about 2 minutes. Keep your whole spices moving. You don't want them to burn.

Toasting spices allows them to release their essential oils. You’ll know that's happening because they'll start to smell amazing. Don’t wait for the spices to brown. Burning them makes them bitter.

If you use a heavy-bottomed pan like cast iron, remember it takes time for them to cool. I usually cut the heat at about 1 minute in and continue stirring as the pan cools. That way, the heavy pan is cooler to handle when you want to transfer the toasted spices.

Step 3

We’re going to grind the whole spices. The best option is an electric spice grinder, but you can also use a pestle and mortar. I’ve also used a manual coffee grinder in a pinch. Just be sure you carefully wash and dry it before and after grinding spices.

Step 4

Mix it up! Just add the spices you just ground plus the rest of the spices in a small bowl and mix well. You’ll end up with about ½ a cup of berbere, and unless you are making a meal for the masses, you'll be storing it, so consider a jar with a lid right from the start. Just screw on the lid tightly, give it a shake, and call it a spice blend. 

how to store spices

Like other dry spices and herbs, you want to keep your berbere in a sealed container in a dark, cool place. As much as we might be tempted, beside the stove is not the best place for preserving spice flavors.

Recipe ideas

Berbere blend is a cornerstone ingredient in many Ethiopian recipes, such as lentils and stews. But let's not stop there. Expand your horizons and get creative. Here are a few ideas:

Mix a bit of berbere into cashew sour cream. Unbelievable with falafel

With lentils for a classic Ethiopian lentils

Hummus fixer-upper (just a pinch of berbere creates an entirely new hummus experience)

Baked chickpea snacks – drain, but don’t rinse a can of chickpeas. Add them to a small bowl, add a teaspoon of berbere. Cover and shake the chickpeas and bake them in the oven.

Mix tahini with lemon juice and a bit of water to thin it out. Spice it up to the exotic with a bit of spice blend and enjoy.

Final thoughts

Making homemade spice blends might seem a bit of a chore compared to picking up a pre-made version as you peruse the supermarket isles. Sometimes, convenience wills out, however, more than personal pride benefits when you do it yourself.

You get full quality control.

No label reading involved. Mixes sometimes slip in ingredients you don’t want. Maybe that's salt or too much or too little chili. The idea is to have a 1-blend stop. Reach for one jar filled with aromatic berbere. Flavor, without labor. Peace

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