Sesame Free Berbere Spice Blend
Berbere is one of those deeply aromatic spice blends that can transform a simple stew, roasted vegetable, or piece of chicken into something genuinely memorable. This version layers dried guajillo and arbol chiles with warm spices like cardamom, cinnamon, fenugreek, and smoked paprika — toasting the whole spices first to coax out every bit of their depth before grinding them into a fine, fragrant powder. The result is complex, a little smoky, gently fiery, and rich with that distinctive Ethiopian warmth that store-bought blends rarely capture. For anyone avoiding sesame, making your own spice blend from scratch is honestly the smartest move — pre-mixed blends and spice packets can carry hidden sesame from shared processing lines, and you'd never know just from the label. Here, every single ingredient is clearly listed and naturally free of it, so you can season with confidence. Stir it into lentils, rub it onto meat, or swirl it into a butter sauce — a well-stocked jar of this in your pantry is going to earn its place fast.
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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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