Honey 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 from-scratch version starts by toasting dried guajillo and arbol chiles alongside whole coriander, fenugreek, peppercorns, cardamom, and cloves in a dry skillet, coaxing out oils and fragrance that make the finished blend genuinely special. Once ground and combined with paprika, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and salt, you get a powder that smells like it belongs in a serious kitchen. The good news for anyone avoiding sweeteners is that this blend is built entirely on chiles, seeds, and ground spices — no hidden syrups, no sweetened paprika blends, nothing to second-guess on a label. Many commercial spice mixes sneak in unexpected ingredients, so grinding your own is the cleanest way to know exactly what's in the jar. Use it as a rub, stir it into stews, or bloom it in oil as the base for a sauce — the possibilities are genuinely endless. Stored in an airtight jar away from light, it stays potent for up to three months.
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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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