Ras el Hanout is mysterious and sultry. It’s a Moroccan spice blend, heady with warming cinnamon and cloves. A perfectly balanced combination of many different spices, it is the certain something that makes a tagine taste distinctly Moroccan. It also makes a fabulous spice paste mixed with olive oil and salt, perfect for marinating chicken or tofu. Chances are you’ve got more than a few of the required ingredients in your pantry, and the payoff of blending these spices is worth a little extra effort! Mix up a batch and you’ll want to use it in just about everything.
Today, I marinated some skinless chicken breasts using a mixture of two tablespoons Ras el Hanout, two tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, and a half-teaspoon salt. Broiled until just tender, I paired the chicken with some mixed greens and a ripe nectarine. Served in my handy new Buddha Bowl (Thanks, flavourdesign!), it was a beautiful and light lunch.
Ras el Hanout
makes about 1/4 cup
2 tsp. ground cumin
2 tsp. ground ginger
2 tsp. ground black pepper
1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. ground coriander
1 tsp. smoked paprika
1 tsp. ground allspice
1/2 tsp. ground cloves
1/4 tsp. saffron threads, crushed
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
1. Combine spices in a small bowl and mix until well blended. Using a funnel, transfer to a spice jar.
I am definitely going keep this spice mix recipe close by. I adore Moroccan food and can never quite get the spices right. Thanks for posting!
One of my favorite spices! Now that I’m back in the States I haven’t been able to find a pre-fab version, so thanks for the recipe.
You’re most welcome! You’ll find that most recipes for Ras el Hanout don’t include smoked paprika — I wanted a little less spice and a little more smoke. Normally, some kind of hot chili pepper powder is used. Go with that instead if you want a spicier mix! Or, you could do smoky *and* spicy and add some smoked chipotle powder.
That looks so amazing
I love Moroccan/Middle Eastern cuisine!
~ALyssa
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Thank you! I bought some Ras Al Hanout and haven’t quite figured out how to use it yet. I’ll be trying that tomorrow. Do you think I could use it in some yogurt sort of like a raita?
Sure, I don’t see why not! A little salt wouldn’t hurt either, and a touch of olive oil if your yogurt is low or non-fat.
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