High Fructose Corn Syrup Free Berbere Spice Blend
Berbere is the bold, aromatic spice blend at the heart of Ethiopian cooking, and making it from scratch means you control every single ingredient that goes into it. Store-bought spice blends and seasoning packets are notorious for sneaking in sweeteners, fillers, and additives — including high fructose corn syrup — so having a homemade version in your pantry is genuinely liberating. This blend starts with dried guajillo and arbol chiles that get toasted in a dry skillet until they're fragrant and just slightly darkened, building a deep, smoky foundation before a single ground spice is added. Whole coriander, fenugreek, peppercorns, cardamom, and cloves join the pan next, releasing their oils and intensifying in a way that pre-ground spices simply can't match. Everything gets ground together, then stirred with paprika, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and salt for a finish that's warm, complex, and layered with heat. Rub it on meats, stir it into stews, or bloom it in butter for a sauce — the uses are practically endless. Stored in an airtight jar away from light, it keeps for up to three months and makes every meal feel like something special.
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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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