How to Make 7 Spice
Updated May 18, 2026
This tutorial shows how to make Lebanese Seven Spice with basic pantry spices; use it in Middle Eastern recipes for more authentic flavoring
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Learn How to Make 7 Spice
Here is how I make one of my favorite spices – Lebanese 7 spice. I use this spice in many of my traditional Lebanese recipes like Beef Kafta, Baked Kibbeh and Stuffed Grape Leaves, and usually just buy it in bulk at Middle Easter Markets. However, if you can’t find it, you can make your own mix with just 7 spices – hence the name!
My recipe includes all spice, coriander, cinnamon, black pepper, ground cloves, cumin and nutmeg. But you’ll notice that even within the Lebanese community and different brands of 7 Spice, there are so many variations.
Happy Cooking!
– Yumna
7 Spice Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon Allspice
- 1 tablespoon ground coriander
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- 1 ½ teaspoons black pepper
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cloves
- 1 ½ teaspoons cumin
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground nutmeg
How to Make 7 Spice
How to Make 7 Spice
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon Allspice
- 1 tablespoon ground coriander
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- 1 ½ teaspoons black pepper
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cloves
- 1 ½ teaspoons cumin
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground nutmeg
Instructions
- Mix all the ingredients together in a small bowl until well combined.
- Store for up to 6 months in a cool dry place.
Equipment
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.
Tutorial Tips
- Use all ground spices, not whole. This is a ready-to-use blend, whole spices won’t incorporate evenly and would need to be toasted and ground separately first.
- Make sure your spices are fresh. Ground spices lose potency after about a year. If any of yours smell faint or dusty, replace them before making the blend, stale spices make a noticeably flat 7 spice.
- Whisk or stir thoroughly. The spices don’t all have the same density, so give the mixture a good stir until the color is completely uniform before transferring to a jar.
- Use a funnel when jarring. The blend is fine and easy to spill. A small funnel makes it much easier to transfer to a spice jar cleanly.
- Label the jar with the date. The blend keeps for up to 6 months in a cool, dry place, but it’s easy to forget when you made it. A piece of tape with the date takes two seconds and saves the guesswork.
Recipes to Make with 7 Spice
- Kafta and Potato Stew
- Beef Stuffed Peppers
- Stuffed Eggplant
- Beef Kafta
- Hummus with Ground Beef
- West African Beef Kabobs (Suya)
- Lebanese Spinach Stew
- Stuffed Cabbage Rolls
- Peas and Carrots Stew
- Lebanese Stuffed Grape Leaves (Warak Enab)
- Mediterranean Ground Beef and Rice
- Lebanese Bean Stew
- Kousa (Stuffed Squash)
- Okra Stew
FAQs
First, the Arabic word for spices is “baharat.” So, we often refer to the Lebanese seven spice mix simply as baharat and use the words interchangeably. Baharat is sort of like the Indian mix garam masala.
Go for it! The great thing about this mix is you can customize it to your taste, adding a little more of one ingredient, a little less of another, or eliminating something completely.
Of course, everyone has their favorite mixes! For me, allspice, cinnamon, and black pepper are the most important in Lebanese seven spice.
Comments
I love all your recipes. Have all the ingredients to make the 7 spice mix! Easy and delicious 😃
Thank you so much, Susana! Your comment made my day. I hope you enjoy the 7 Spice in many recipes to come!
Made the 7 spice powder and proceeded to make the recipe but did not see amounts for the ingredients other than 5 chicken thighs. So I guessed at everything! Why not?
This recipe is just for the 7 spice but if you’re looking for a chicken thigh recipe with 7 spice I recommend you try One Pan Chicken and Potatoes!
I am wanting to make this recipe but am just curious to know what the the 7 spice taste like
Hi there! 7 Spice is a Lebanese spice mix that includes 7 different spices. Here is my tutorial for making it at home: How to Make 7 Spice
I’m hoping to use this blend on your chicken and rice recipe (instead of the paprika and turmeric), unless you’d advise not to? I love your recipes!
Yes, love that idea and I use 7 Spice so often with chicken and rice dishes. The color will just look different but it’ll be delicious!
Hi Yumna I’ve been asked to make Lebanese meat pies and I live in Australia. Are you using American tablespoons measure (15 ml)? Our Tablespoons are 20 ml. Thanks I will let you know how they turn out.
Oh wow, I didn’t realize that tablespoons were different sizes in Australia and the U.S.! Yes, I use American tablespoons (15 mL). Hope you enjoy the recipe, Denise!
Love it! All my favorite spices together in a tasty blend. Great on chicken.
Thank you, Renee! So happy you love it!!
I made this using slightly less cumin, about half the amount, as I am not a huge fan of cumin and find it over powering sometimes. It turned out fabulous. Thanks for the great recipe.
So happy you were able to make some tweaks and liked how it turned out!! Thanks, Abeer!
What is allspice?
Allspice is the ground powder of dried berries from a type of myrtle tree called pimenta dioica. It looks like a peppercorn. You should be able to find it in most grocery stores and markets.
Thank you, Yumna, for all your lovely recipes. I used Bharat making your Beef Kefta, and it was amazing. In your own words, it was SO GOOD
Thank you so much, Tamara! So happy you liked my 7 spice recipe and beef kafta!!
Beautiful
So glad you liked it, Alexander!
I want to make this 7 spice mix and want to be sure I use the correct ingredient forms. Is the allspice used in the recipe whole or ground? Same question for cumin – whole or ground?
Thanks for your help!
Great question! All of the spices in my 7 spice mix are ground. Enjoy!!
Sounds great how do I make the spice mix
Hi Vicky, the full recipe is at the bottom of the post (right above the comments section). You can also tap ‘jump to recipe’ at the top of the post to go directly to the recipe card. Hope that helps! Enjoy!!
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