Caffeine Free Berbere Spice Blend
This bold, aromatic spice blend draws on the deep culinary traditions of Ethiopian and Eritrean cooking, layering smoky dried chiles, warm spices, and earthy seeds into something genuinely transformative. The process starts with toasting guajillo and arbol chiles alongside whole coriander, fenugreek, peppercorns, cardamom, and cloves — that brief time in a dry skillet coaxes out oils and complexity that no pre-ground shortcut can match. Once everything is ground to a fine powder, it gets folded together with paprika, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and salt for a blend that smells like it belongs in a serious kitchen. Every single ingredient here is naturally free of caffeine, so there's no need to scrutinize labels or wonder whether a commercial spice mix has snuck in anything unexpected. Rub it on roasted vegetables, stir it into stews, or use it as a base for a slow-braised protein — the depth it adds is hard to overstate. Stored in an airtight jar away from light, it keeps for up to three months, meaning one batch goes a long way.
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Learn more →Ingredients
12 servings
- 3 dried guajillo chiles, stems and seeds removed
- 1 dried arbol chile, stem removed
- 1 tsp coriander seeds
- ½ tsp fenugreek seeds
- ½ tsp black peppercorns
- 4 green cardamom pods
- ¼ tsp whole cloves
- 1 tsp sweet paprika
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
- ¼ tsp ground allspice
- ½ tsp salt
Instructions
- 1
Tear the guajillo and arbol chiles into rough pieces and place them in a small dry skillet over medium heat. Toast, pressing them flat with a spatula, for about 1–2 minutes per side until they darken slightly and smell fragrant — watch closely, as they can scorch quickly.
- 2
Add the coriander seeds, fenugreek seeds, black peppercorns, cardamom pods, and whole cloves to the same skillet. Toast over medium heat, stirring constantly, for 1–2 minutes until the seeds are fragrant and the coriander turns a shade darker.
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