Nitrate & Nitrite Free Ras El Hanout
Making your own spice blend at home is one of those small kitchen moves that pays off in a big way, and this North African classic is a perfect place to start. The mix layers warm, earthy cumin and coriander with the gentle heat of ginger and cayenne, the sweetness of cinnamon and allspice, and the floral depth of optional rose petals — it's complex, aromatic, and genuinely beautiful. Store-bought spice blends and seasoning mixes are a common source of hidden additives, including preservatives that people following a nitrate- and nitrite-free lifestyle are trying to avoid. When you whisk these whole ground spices together yourself, you know exactly what's going in the jar and nothing else. The blend comes together in minutes and keeps for up to three months in an airtight container, so you can reach for it whenever a recipe calls for something warm and deeply savory. Rub it on roasted vegetables, stir it into stews, or use it to season grains — the possibilities are genuinely endless. Once you have a homemade jar of this on your shelf, you'll wonder why you ever bought the packaged version.
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Learn more →Ingredients
8 servings
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 2 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tsp sweet paprika
- ½ tsp ground cardamom
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
- ½ tsp ground allspice
- ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
- ¼ tsp ground cloves
- ¼ tsp ground dried rose petals (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Combine the cumin, coriander, cinnamon, ginger, turmeric, paprika, cardamom, black pepper, allspice, cayenne, nutmeg, and cloves in a small bowl and whisk until evenly blended.
- 2
Stir in the ground rose petals, if using, until fully incorporated.
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