Made with ground cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, salt and pepper, this fragrant all-purpose Lebanese spice blend is the secret to enhancing your grilled meats, soups, roasts and other Middle Eastern specialties.
As a busy mother of two young boys under the age of 10, I have become a bit of a master in turning my family’s traditional Middle Eastern recipes into quick and easy weeknight dishes. In fact, I often joke that I am in favor of anything that helps me get dinner on the table before the meltdown train leaves the station.
For example, my mother and aunts have been preparing traditional Lebanese Green Beans and Beef for years, but I was the first to turn it into a hands-off slow cooker dish. I promise it’s just as good as the classic because my family would be the first to tell me if it wasn’t. Trust me on that one.
To speed things up in the kitchen I decided to create a simple, 5 ingredient All Purpose Lebanese Spice Blend made with cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, salt, and pepper.
It couldn’t be any easier to make and the versatility is astounding. I love making it in bulk, stashing it in the pantry, and grabbing it whenever I am craving Lebanese food. It makes every dish more savory and flavorful.
Spice Blend Uses
We love using this spice blend to flavor Hushwee (Ground Beef with Toasted Pine Nuts), Sfeehas (Lebanese Meat Pies), Grilled Kafta Patties, Beef or Chicken Shawarma and so much more. If you’re making Lebanese food, this is the perfect seasoning for your dish.
Frequently Asked Questions
The recipe can easily be doubled, tripled, or even multiplied by ten. I love to make it in bulk and store for later.
All Purpose Lebanese Spice Blend will keep for up to six months stored in an air-tight container at room temperature.
One serving will cover one pound of meat. If you want your dish to be a little spicier, you can adjust accordingly.
No, it does not need to be refrigerated. Dried spices are best stored at room temperature to avoid humidity and fluctuations in temperature.
Your fork is waiting.
📖 Recipe
All Purpose Lebanese Spice Blend
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon Ground Cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon Ground Nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon Pure Ground Black Pepper
- ¼ teaspoon Ground Allspice
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients and store in an airtight container until you're ready to use.
Video
Chef’s Notes
- Recipe is designed for one pound of meat.
- It creates a total of four servings
Nutrition
Want more healthy Lebanese recipes? Head over to Pinterest!
susan
Hello Liz,
I just came across your website and love it. I need a clarification for this spice blend. I would like to make it in bulk, maybe for 5 times to make my preparation time easier. So, if I pour the bulk amount together in one container, how do I know how much of the mixed batch to pour? Thank you.
Liz DellaCroce
You’ll use about 1 tablespoon per pound of meat. :) ENJOY!
Caryl
Is this the same spice blend used in making kibbie?
Liz DellaCroce
YES!! :)
John
Thanks so Much!!!
John C
The Green Bean with Tomatoes recipe calls for 2 servings of the Spice Blend…not sure what the measure per serving is. Thanks!!
Liz DellaCroce
1 teaspoon per serving!
A. White
Do you recommend any recipes to use this with? Lebanese food is new to me.
Liz DellaCroce
Yes TONS!!! Here are some of my favorites:
https://thelemonbowl.com/lebanese-hushwee-ground-beef-pine-nuts/
https://thelemonbowl.com/lebanese-hushwee-rice-with-chicken/
https://thelemonbowl.com/beef-shawarma-pitas-with-tahini-dipping-sauce/
https://thelemonbowl.com/warm-hummus-with-ground-lamb-and-pomegranate/
Danielle
This was super fast and yummy!
Liz DellaCroce
I’m so glad!
John
I wanted to do something differently to spice up my beef meatball recipe, literally. This blend was perfect. Thank you for sharing!
Liz DellaCroce
What a great idea!!
Bettina
Hello, there is something else in that spice blend that is not listed — I see it in the photo. It looks like sesame seeds…is that Zaatar?
Liz DellaCroce
Nope that’s Kosher salt you see. There are no sesame seeds or za’atar in this blend – this spice blend is used differently than za’atar. :)
Bettina
Great, thank you! I’ll have to try this.
Derek A Kamal
Just discovered your blog and I’m happy to find another Lebanese cook. This is a great idea! I love cooking Lebbo (my father’s side is Lebanese) and you pretty much always use the same spices, so why not blend them?
Liz DellaCroce
I’m so glad you found me!!