Lebanese 7 Spice Blend

Lebanese 7 spice is a versatile blend of seven spices used in Middle Eastern cuisine. Use this recipe to make your own for the best flavor!

overhead image: man's hand holding spoonful of Lebanese 7 spice above a small dish of the seasoning blend

As you travel and dine the local cuisine in countries around the world, you’ll experience unique and flavorful seasonings. Part of the excitement is tasting blends that may not exist in other parts of the world.

Lebanese baharat, or more commonly, 7 spice, is a great example of this.

Ingredients in Lebanese 7 spice

Middle-Eastern countries such as Syria, Egypt, and Iraq each have their own unique blend. Even within the borders of Lebanon itself, the seven spices in the blend can vary.

Regardless of the country of origin, there are a few individual spices that appear in almost every version of Lebanese seven spice; allspice, cinnamon, clove, and nutmeg.

Three of those four spices are in my Lebanese seasoning recipe, as this version doesn’t use cloves.

  • Allspice– These little berries are often mistaken for being a spice blend. The word allspice doesn’t mean “all spices”, but it does have the flavor of 3 spices; cinnamon, clove, and nutmeg.
  • Cinnamon– While India supplies cinnamon to a good portion of the middle east, archaeologists revealed evidence of 3,000 year old cinnamon in Levant!
  • Fenugreek– This bittersweet spice has an undertone of maple syrup and works really well with coriander, cumin, and red chile powder. If you can’t find the seeds locally, you can purchase fenugreek seeds online (affiliate link). Alternatively, ground fenugreek is a bit easier to source from ethnic food markets.
  • Nutmeg
  • Sea or Kosher salt
  • Black pepper
overhead: seven spices and antique spice spoon on crumpled sheet of parchment paper

If you are fortunate enough to have a local source for the whole spices to grind yourself, by all means, do so! Not only are the flavors of whole spices more vibrant, but in many cases, they also are less expensive than buying them ground.

To determine how much of each whole spice you will need, feel free to use my handy chart for converting whole spices to ground.

How to store homemade spice blends

To preserve the freshness of Lebanese 7 spice, or any other homemade spice blend, you’ll need to keep them in an airtight container. In addition to keeping them dry, it is also important to keep fresh spices out of bright sunlight.

A cool, dark pantry or spice cabinet is the perfect place to store them. If they’re stored properly, homemade spice blends typically keep well for up to 6 months.

Interested in more spice blends? Try my Moroccan Seven Spice Blend, Arabic Baharat, Ras el Hanout and more in my Spice Blend Pantry section!

Lebanese seasoning on a small spoon above a gold spice dish
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overhead: spoon in a small dish of Lebanese 7 spice

Lebanese 7 Spice

Lebanese 7 spice is a versatile blend of seven spices used in Middle Eastern cuisine. Use this recipe to make your own for the best flavor!
Servings: 20
Prep: 5 minutes
Total: 5 minutes

Ingredients 

Instructions 

  • Combine all spices in a bowl and whisk to incorporate and mix thoroughly. Great used as a dry rub for grilled meat and chicken or to season meatballs.
  • Store in an airtight container.

Nutrition

Calories: 6kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 698mg | Potassium: 6mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Calcium: 10mg | Iron: 1mg

The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

Course: Spice Blend
Cuisine: Lebanese
Author: Kevin
Have You Made This Recipe? Let Me Know on InstagramTag @keviniscooking or tag me #keviniscooking!

Kevin

I was bitten by the cooking bug as a kid cooking and baking along side my mom. After an ROP restaurant course in high school, I went to work in restaurants and catering. My love of travel and food has led me across the world and I love to share those foods with family and friends.

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4 Comments

  1. Hi Kevin, just wondering If you have a recipe for Lebanese Sujuk spice blend. I hope I’m spelling that properly,
    It is used to make soujouk flat bread with meat sauce and cheese. I saw it on the food network but can’t seem to find a recipe for it.
    Thanks in advance.

    1. Lori I am unaware of a specific Sujuk spice blend, but I have heard of soujouk which is a dry, spicy and fermented sausage. It is use don the flatbread with a sauce like my Lahmachun. I would just use my Lebanese 7 Spice blend. Hope this helps.