How to Make 7 Spice

Yumna Jawad
Updated

5 from 832 votes

This tutorial shows how to make Lebanese 7 Spice with basic pantry spices; use it in many Middle Eastern recipes for more authentic flavoring

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Here is how I make Lebanese 7 spice. Keep in mind, every cook puts a different spin on this traditional Levantine mix. And, while totally essential in recipes like Beef Kafta and Lebanese Stuffed Grape Leaves, it also adds depth to all sorts of grains, and pairs well with dishes like Roasted Butternut Squash Soup.

Lebanese 7 Spice in glass spice jar with some of the spice spilled
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What is seven spice?

First, the Arabic word for spices is “baharat.” So, we often refer to the Lebanese seven spice mix simply as baharat and use the terms interchangeably. Baharat is sort of like the Indian mix garam masala. Most importantly, 7 Spice is not to be confused with the Japanese seven spice, or shichimi, a totally different combo of spices.

What’s in Lebanese 7 spice?

Even within the Lebanese community, 7 Spice variations abound between manufacturers and family recipes. Sometimes the mix includes cardamom, paprika, ginger, or fenugreek. Additionally, some cooks roast and grind whole spices. But for convenience, I go with ready-made ground versions for the following:

  1. Allspice: Contrary to its name, allspice is not a combination of all spices, but the ground powder of the dried berry of a type of myrtle tree called pimenta dioica. It looks like a peppercorn.
  2. Black pepper: If you have a pepper grinder, this is one spice that is really marvelous when freshly ground.
  3. Cinnamon: Everyone’s favorite. Some western palates associate it with sweet dishes, but cinnamon has many savory uses.
  4. Ground cloves: Highly fragrant, cloves come from the flower bud of an Indonesian tree.
  5. Coriander: Coriander comes from the ground seeds of the cilantro plant.
  6. Cumin: A signature spice of middle eastern cuisine, cumin is the seed of a plant in the parsley family.
  7. Nutmeg: The seed of a tropical evergreen tree, whole nutmeg is easy to powderize if you have a Microplane zester.
All the spices to make Lebanese 7 Spice in small pinch bowls

How to make seven spice mix

  • First, measure out your individual ingredients.
  • Second, mix together until well combined.
  • Finally, decant the mixture into a tightly lidded jar of some sort (a funnel helps) and store for up to six months in a cool, dry place.
Two image collage showing all the spices together in one bowl before and after mixing

Recipes with 7 spice:

Frequently asked questions

I am missing an ingredient, can I make baharat with six spices?

Go for it! I won’t tell. 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.

Which spice, or spices, do you consider absolutely essential for 7 Spice?

Of course, everyone has their favorite flavor profiles! For me, allspice, cinnamon, and black pepper are the non-negotiable elements of Lebanese seven spice.

What are some other ways you use Seven Spice?

Baharat makes a great basis for a dry marinade or spice rub when grilling chicken. It enlivens rice pilaf and couscous dishes, too.

Lebanese 7 Spice in glass spice jar with some of the spice spilled

This custom, homemade 7 Spice lets me flavor my food exactly the way I like it and makes any Lebanese dish super authentic.

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Lebanese 7 Spice in glass spice jar with some of the spice spilled
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How to Make 7 Spice

This tutorial shows how to make Lebanese 7 Spice with basic pantry spices; use it in many Middle Eastern recipes for more authentic flavoring
5 from 832 votes
Author Yumna Jawad
Servings 40 servings
Course Spices
Calories 2
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 0 minutes
Total Time 5 minutes

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

Storage: Store the spice mix in an airtight spice container in a cool and dry pantry for up to 6 months.
Photo Credit: Erin Jensen

Nutrition

Calories: 2kcal, Carbohydrates: 1g, Protein: 1g, Fat: 1g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Sodium: 1mg, Potassium: 5mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 1g, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 5mg, Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.

Cuisine Middle Eastern
Course: Spices

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Comments

  1. Thank you for this recipe! It was spot on and made my maklooba taste so delicious. I was going crazy trying to find it in the Arabic stores and yesterday I finally made it, it was super simple.

    Reply

  2. I Love Baharat!! I made Baharat chicken and my man who was so tired of chicken growing up. He loved the recipe more than what he was familiar with but requests me to make it everytime we bought chicken thighs!!
    I love Mediterranean food very much and I’m glad I found you! Thank you 🙏

    Reply

  4. I posted asking for the mesures to make the spice. Could not find it before, my phone is working all right now. And I found the mesures to make the mix just now. Thank you

    Reply

  6. I’m not a fan of buying spice mixes when I can make them, so this is awesome!! I have everything I need, so I will be mixing up a batch pronto.

    I made your Greek inspired stuffed peppers the other day. A favorite here!!

    Reply

        1. Hi there! yes, all of the measurements are list at the bottom of this blog post on the recipe card. You can navigate to it quickly by clicking “jump to recipe” at the top of the page.

          Reply

        1. 7 spice is made up of warm spices, including Allspice, coriander, cinnamon, pepper, cloves, cumin, and nutmeg. It is a finely ground spice mix that can be used to flavor all types of recipes. Kamouneh, on the other hand, will feature cumin seeds instead fo ground cumin, thick dried parsley or mint, whole peppercorns, and even rose petals. The mix is different across regions, but overall it’s a more chunky mix that is used to blend with onions and bulgur to flavor foods like Kibbeh. Hope that helps!

          Reply

  10. I absolutely hate cilantro, so I would leave out the coriander. I use the spices to make lubiya, kibbe, kafta. I don’t use it in koosa, I just use garlic and mint. I hardly ever make grape leaves but next time I do, I’ll try the spices. Thanks for the recipe!

    Reply

  11. This blend is perfect. PERFECT. I made hashweh using this blend – I added some to the veggies (onion, garlic, eggplant, carrot, mushroom) and I added some to the meat. Squeeze of lemon juice over the veggies, added rice and nuts to the meat, then mixed it all together. Topped with more nuts and dried fruit. The recipe came out flawlessly, best hashweh I’ve ever made.

    I had every spice in the cabinet. This will be my go-to blend from now on.

    Reply

  12. Hi Yumma
    I originally got this spice, in a jar made up for me, from a Lebanese lady on the Blue Mountains over 30 years ago, but she wouldn’t tell me how to make it, I just made it up and it is virtually the same– thank you so much

    Reply

  16. You say its 40 servings. How big is a serving. Is a serving one person or a specific measure?

    Fantastic flavour

    Thanks

    Reply

    1. Glad you’re enjoying the flavor of this recipe! Rather than going by the 40 servings, I would use it based on how many teaspoons/ tablespoons the recipe calls for.

      Reply

  17. I made your spice mixture and used it in an Egyptian meat pie (Egyptian goulash) recipe. It worked as I expected. It gave the dish a nice subtle but not over-powering flavor.

    Reply

  18. Hello Yumna, I was looking at the 7 spice ingredient list and oddly it’s a bit similar to Garam Massala a spice blend we use in Indian cooking I think I will try it in Tikka masala

    Reply

  19. Hi, what if i didn’t have nutmeg and cinnamon powder? I have all spices, white pepper, black pepper, cumin powder, coriander powder and ground cloves only. What else should i add?

    Reply

    1. You could probably use more allspice instead of nutmeg, and you can try using ground cloves instead of cinnamon powder. It won’t quite be the same, but it should work!

      Reply

  20. Just made this to make a Lebanese mince dish – “lahm bi ajeen or meat pie” originally. The spice amounts are perfectly balanced (which is unusual in internet land), so thank you for your efforts and for saving me £4 buying online 😉

    Reply

  22. I’ve always loved Syrian food . I was first intrduced to middle Eastern food by the ladies of Grand Rapids, MI. There is a large Syrian population. I love to garden ànd I always planted Kousa for my Syrian friends. I also planted weld grape vines for stiffed.

    Reply

  23. I’m mixing some of this right now! Is its intensity affected by long exposure to heat (in cooking)? I’m going to have to use my slow cooker today to make up some Kousa casserole, and am wondering if I should add it in late. Advice appreciated, and thank you for your work!

    Reply

        1. While I don’t have a recipe for Allspice on my website, there are quite a few recipes out there on the internet! It’s usually a mix of cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg at a 1:1:1 ratio.

          Reply

          1. Allspice is not a combination of spices. It is one spice that originally comes from the Caribbean/Mexican/central American region. It was named allspice by the British because its flavor is reminiscent of a combination of several other spices: cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, etc. You would only need a recipe for allspice if you lived someplace where it was not easily attainable. Otherwise, simply look for it the spice section of the supermarket. You can buy it either ground or whole and grind it yourself.

  28. Very good, I used it in a paleo wild boar meatloaf. Flavor was quite nice. When I first put the spice mix together the smell was mild, but once cooked the flavor really came through. I freshly ground the coriander, nutmeg, and allspice versus using pre-ground.

    Reply

  29. In your beautiful images for this recipe, one image shows spices in seven separate prep bowls. Another image shows eight spices arranged in separate mounds in one large bowl. What is the eighth spice?

    Reply

    1. Actually it’s only 7. It might be the shadows making it seem like an 8th spice but only 7 are pictured 🙂

      Reply