This homemade Lebanese Seven Spice Blend is warm, fragrant, and deeply aromatic, with cinnamon and allspice leading the way. It takes five minutes to make, keeps for about six months, and is the flavor backbone of many Lebanese dishes.
Some of my earliest food memories are built around aroma: walking into my grandmother’s kitchen and being greeted by spices blooming in a hot pan. Cinnamon in meat, cumin threaded through rice, coriander lending a floral note I couldn’t name as a child but always recognized. Growing up with Lebanese heritage, those warming spices were constant — and they come together in Lebanese Seven Spice Blend.
Lebanese 7 spice, or sabaa baharat, is the mix behind everything from kafta and rice to soups, stews, and roasted vegetables. Its profile is warm and aromatic rather than hot, with a slightly sweet depth from cinnamon and allspice that sets it apart. Once you have a jar in your pantry, you’ll reach for it again and again. Making it yourself takes five minutes and uses spices you likely already own.
Why Make Your Own 7 Spice Blend?
Store-bought blends vary widely: some are overly clove-forward and sharp, some have been on the shelf so long they’ve lost their warmth, and others contain fillers. Making your own lets you control the ratios and ensures freshness. Freshly mixed spices have a noticeably brighter aroma and flavor. It’s fast, and most of the ingredients are probably already in your cabinet.
The 7 Spices and What Each One Does
Knowing what each spice contributes helps you use the blend with intention, not just following a recipe.
- Allspice (the foundation): Tastes like cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg combined, so it naturally ties the blend together. Its larger proportion is intentional and gives the mix its characteristic Lebanese profile.
- Black pepper: Adds dry, gentle heat to prevent the blend from becoming too sweet. Freshly ground is best.
- Cinnamon: Surprising to some in savory dishes, cinnamon adds warmth and depth without overt sweetness, especially in meats.
- Coriander: Earthy, slightly citrusy and floral, coriander softens sharper notes and adds complexity.
- Cumin: Warm, nutty, and deeply earthy — it grounds the blend and lends Middle Eastern depth.
- Cloves: Intensely aromatic; used sparingly so they don’t overpower the other spices.
- Nutmeg: Sweet and woody with a perfumed quality. A small amount adds subtle lift; freshly grated nutmeg is excellent if available.
Ground vs. Whole Spices
Ground spices are convenient and what I usually use. This blend takes two minutes and will remain flavorful for about six months when stored properly.
If you want a bolder aroma, toast whole spices in a dry skillet over medium heat for 2–3 minutes until fragrant, then grind them fresh. Toasting and grinding enhance aroma and texture. Use ground spices for weeknight cooking and whole-toast-and-grind for special dishes like homemade kibbeh or a large batch of kafta.
How to Make Lebanese Seven Spice
Making the blend is simply measuring and mixing, but a few small steps make a big difference.
Step 1: Check your spices. Open each jar and smell it. Fresh allspice should be warm and complex; cumin should be earthy; cinnamon sharp and sweet. Replace any spices that smell weak, as stale spices will flatten the final blend.
Step 2: Measure into a small bowl. Add all seven spices. If you just ground whole spices, let them cool briefly before combining to avoid clumping.
Step 3: Whisk to combine. Use a small whisk or fork until the color is uniform with no streaks of individual spices — about 30 seconds.
Step 4: Transfer to a glass jar. Use a funnel to avoid spills and label the jar with the date so you know when to refresh it.
How to Use Lebanese 7 Spice in Your Cooking
Rather than a generic list, here are practical ways to use the blend so you’ll reach for it more often.
- Ground meat: This is the primary use. For kafta, hashweh (stuffing for grape leaves and vegetables), or a simple beef-and-rice skillet, start with 1–1½ teaspoons per pound of meat. Add the spice to the meat before adding liquid so it can bloom in the fat as the meat browns.
- Dry rub for chicken: Mix 2 teaspoons of 7 spice with salt and rub onto chicken thighs before roasting or pan-searing. The cinnamon and allspice help form a deeply savory, caramelized crust.
- Rice: Add 1 teaspoon to oil before toasting rice to perfume the pot. Traditional Lebanese rice with vermicelli benefits from this warm flavor.
- Lentil soup: Stir a teaspoon into lentil soup alongside your usual spices for added complexity that plain cumin won’t provide alone.
- Roasted vegetables: Toss cauliflower, sweet potatoes, or chickpeas with olive oil and 7 spice before roasting at 425°F. The spices caramelize with the vegetables’ natural sugars for a repeat-worthy side.
- Marinade: Mix 1½ teaspoons with olive oil, lemon juice, and garlic for an instant Lebanese-style marinade for chicken or lamb.
- On hummus: Replace paprika with a light dusting of 7 spice over hummus finished with olive oil for a nuanced, aromatic finish.
Storage Instructions
- Stored in a glass jar in a cool, dark cabinet, the blend will stay fragrant for up to six months. After that, the flavor fades even if the spice doesn’t smell off.
- Avoid storing it above or next to the stove, where heat and humidity accelerate aging. A pantry shelf or a cabinet across the kitchen will extend the blend’s life.
- If you cook Lebanese food often, make a double or triple batch — you’ll use it faster than you expect.
Recipe FAQ
They are related but not identical. “Baharat” means “spices” in Arabic and can refer to several regional mixes. Lebanese sabaa baharat is allspice-forward; some baharat blends include paprika and have a different color and profile. They’re often interchangeable, but use the Lebanese version if a recipe specifically calls for 7 spice.
No. Lebanese 7 spice is warm and aromatic, not hot. Black pepper provides mild heat; add cayenne if you want more spice.
In a pinch, yes. Ground allspice captures notes of cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg and makes a reasonable substitute, though the flavor won’t be identical.
Absolutely. The ratios scale well, and making a larger batch is convenient if you cook Lebanese food regularly.
Lebanese Seven Spice Blend
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons ground allspice
- 1 tablespoon ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon ground coriander
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1/2 tablespoon ground cloves
- 1/2 tablespoon ground nutmeg
Instructions
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Add all spices to a small bowl and whisk until fully combined and the color is uniform.
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Funnel into a glass spice jar and label with the date.
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Store in a cool, dark pantry for up to 6 months.
Notes
- Cloves and nutmeg are potent; the smaller ratio is intentional. Adjust to taste if you prefer a milder note.
- For a Beirut-style variation, stir in 1 teaspoon of sweet paprika.
- Start with 1–1½ teaspoons per pound of ground meat and adjust to preference.
- Freshly ground black pepper makes a noticeable difference.
- To deepen the flavor, toast whole spices in a dry skillet for 2–3 minutes and grind before mixing.
- Store in glass rather than plastic; plastic can absorb essential oils and dull the aroma.
- Keep the jar away from the stove to preserve freshness.
- This recipe scales easily if you cook Lebanese food often.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximation.