Homemade Berbere Spice Mix

Ethiopian Berbere Spice Mix is one of my favorite spice blends whenever I’m craving something spicy and very aromatic. As the name suggests, this spice mix originates from Ethiopia and is a beloved staple in Ethiopian and Eritrean cuisines.

The spicy blend typically contains warming spices like chili, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, and allspice. I love how it adds warmth and depth to roasted vegetables, marinades, dry rubs, proteins, stews, roast potatoes, soups, and curries. Like many traditional spice blends, berbere doesn’t have just one “correct” recipe. The proportions and ingredients vary widely from household to household and from region to region. What I’m sharing here is simply my own homemade version, inspired by the flavors I love and adapted to how I cook 🙂

For my blend, I use a mix of whole and ground spices. Lightly toasting the whole spices in a hot pan before grinding them into a powder makes a huge difference in aroma and flavor, since it releases the natural oils from the spices. If whole spices aren’t available or you’d rather skip that step, pre-ground spices will still work beautifully.

Homemade Berbere Spice Mix

3 tbsp sweet paprika
2 tbsp chili flakes
2 tbsp (whole) cumin seeds
1 tbsp (whole) coriander seeds
1 tbsp turmeric
1 tbsp coarse cardamom
1 tbsp ground fenugreek
1 tbsp all-spice berries
1 tbsp black peppercorns
1/2 tbsp cinnamon
1/2 tbsp ginger
1/4 tbsp ground cloves

Instructions

Toast your whole spices (black peppercorns, allspice berries, cumin seeds, and coriander seeds) in a dry pan for a few minutes, until fragrant. Use a mortar and pestle or a spice grinder to grind them into fine powder. Combine with the rest of the ingredients and transfer into a glass jar.