Celery Free Berbere Spice Blend
Berbere is one of those spice blends that transforms everything it touches — deeply aromatic, warmly spiced, and layered with complexity that store-bought versions rarely capture. This homemade version starts with toasted dried guajillo and arbol chiles, which bring a smoky, fruity heat that forms the backbone of the whole blend. Whole coriander, fenugreek, peppercorns, cardamom, and cloves get toasted right alongside them, coaxing out oils and depth that pre-ground spices simply can't match. Everything gets ground together and finished with sweet and smoked paprika, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and salt for a blend that smells absolutely incredible. For anyone navigating celery sensitivities, this recipe is a clean win — every single ingredient is a pure spice or dried chile, with zero fillers, flavor enhancers, or hidden vegetable powders that often sneak into commercial seasoning blends. Stir it into stews, rub it on roasted meats, or swirl it into lentils, and you'll understand why Ethiopian and Eritrean cooks have relied on this blend for generations. Stored in an airtight jar, it stays potent and fragrant for up to three months — though it tends to disappear much faster than that.
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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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