Equipment
Ingredients
Nuts and Seeds
- 70 g hazelnuts, raw, skinless
- 30 g white sesame seeds, raw
Whole Spices
- 20 g coriander seeds
- 15 g cumin seeds
- 5 g fennel seeds
- 3 g black peppercorns
Seasoning
- 5 g flaky sea salt
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 75 kcal
- Protein
- 2 g
- Carbohydrates
- 4 g
- Fat
- 7 g
- Fiber
- 2 g
- Sugar
- 0 g
- Sodium
- 198 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 1 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 4 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Potassium
- 126 mg
- Calcium
- 73 mg
- Iron
- 2.2 mg
- Magnesium
- 36 mg
- Phosphorus
- 58 mg
- Zinc
- 0.6 mg
- Vitamin A
- 1 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 1 mg
- Vitamin E
- 1.1 mg
- Vitamin K
- 2 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.1 mg
- Thiamin
- 0.09 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.03 mg
- Niacin
- 0.4 mg
- Folate
- 11 mcg
- Water
- 1 g
Sources: USDA FoodData Central
Method
Toast the hazelnuts in a dry heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat for 3-5 minutes, shaking frequently until fragrant and lightly golden. Alternatively, roast in an oven preheated to 175°C/350°F for 8-10 minutes. Remove nuts to a bowl to cool completely.
In the same skillet over medium heat, toast the white sesame seeds for 2 minutes, stirring constantly until light golden brown. Transfer to a separate bowl to cool.
Add the coriander seeds, cumin seeds, fennel seeds, and black peppercorns to the skillet. Toast over medium heat for 1-2 minutes until deeply aromatic. Transfer to a bowl and allow all ingredients to cool entirely.
Once cooled, place the hazelnuts in a mortar and pestle. Coarsely crush them, leaving some varied texture. Do not over-process or pound into a paste. Transfer the crushed nuts to a mixing bowl.
Place the toasted whole spices into the mortar and pestle. Pound until they reach a fine, uniform powder. Alternatively, use a spice grinder.
Add the ground spices, toasted sesame seeds, and flaky sea salt to the bowl with the crushed hazelnuts. Mix thoroughly to distribute the flavors evenly.
Chef's Notes
- Always toast the ingredients individually. Hazelnuts, sesame seeds, and whole spices all require entirely different toasting times and burn easily if mixed too early.
- Cooling the ingredients completely before grinding is the most critical step. Residual heat releases the natural oils, which will rapidly turn your dry blend into a wet paste.
- For the most authentic and satisfying texture, use a mortar and pestle rather than a food processor. Dukkah should be rustic and highly varied in texture, not a uniform, dusty powder.
Storage
Refrigerator: 1 month — Store in an airtight container to prevent the natural oils in the nuts from going rancid.
Freezer: 3 months — Freezing preserves the fresh oils and aromatic compounds significantly longer.
Troubleshooting
Dukkah has turned into an oily, wet paste
Cause: Ingredients were processed while still hot, or over-processed in a food processor, causing the nuts to release their natural oils.
Fix: Cannot be restored to a dry powder, but the paste can still be utilized as a delicious wet rub for roasted meats or swirled into yogurt.
Prevention: Allow all toasted ingredients to cool completely to room temperature before grinding, and use short pulses if using an electric machine.
Acre or bitter burnt flavor
Cause: Spices or sesame seeds were toasted for too long or at too high of a heat.
Fix: Cannot be fixed. Must discard and start over.
Prevention: Toast each ingredient group separately as they have drastically different burn points. Keep them moving in the pan constantly.
Cultural Context
Dukkah (pronounced DOO-kah) originates from Egypt, its name derived from the Arabic word meaning to pound or to crush. It began as an economical peasant food, where warming spices and high-protein nuts provided affordable sustenance when dipped with flatbread and olive oil. Today, it remains a highly beloved staple of Egyptian street food and home cooking, deeply embedded in the region's culinary identity and celebrated globally for its incredible texture.
