Pistachio Dukkah Seasoning Recipe

Swap the traditional hazelnuts in dukkah seasoning for crowd-pleasing pistachios. This flavorful nutty spice seasoning is great sprinkled over meats, vegetables and dips. 

What is Dukkah?

First off, dukkah can also be spelled dukka or duqqa, which is the traditional spelling of this Egyptian spice blend. Usually made of nuts and seeds, the combination can vary depending on the region and cook. Hazelnuts or chickpeas are often the base while cumin, coriander, sesame seeds and pepper are added for flavor and spice. 

The nuts, seeds and spices in dukkah are usually ground down into a coarse powder and sprinkled over vegetables and meats, or mixed with olive oil and served alongside bread as a dip. 

How Is Dukkah Used?

Traditionally, dukkah is sprinkled over meat, fish and vegetables, or mixed with extra-virgin olive oil and served as a dip with bread and vegetables. It makes a great dip on its own, and is also fabulous sprinkled over hummus, labneh, and creamy cheese such as fresh goat cheese and cream cheese. 

You can also sprinkle dukkah over soups, salads, toast (avocado toast would be great), and more.

Tips for Making the Best Dukkah

1. Toast the sesame seeds and pistachios. Toasting the nuts and seeds unlocks and enhances their flavor! This is an essential step, especially since the recipe calls for raw pistachios and sesame seeds.
2. Toast the spices. Just like with the pistachios, it’s important to toast the spices. Not only does it unlock flavor, but it adds flavor. Browning/toasting = flavor! (aka the Maillard reaction.)
3. Grind the nuts and spices into a coarse powder. If ground too fine, the spice blend will add fabulous flavor but no texture to meat, veggies and dip. Keep it coarse so you get a nice crunch from it too.

What’s In Dukkah Seasoning?

Traditional Egyptian dukkah seasoning is made with hazelnuts or chickpeas, pepper, coriander, cumin and sesame seeds. However, like most recipes, they tend to vary depending on the region and/or cook. My pistachio version is a bit different than the classic Egyptian recipe and features:

• Raw shelled pistachios—use any leftover pistachios in our Pistachio Cake!
• Coriander seeds
• Cumin seeds
• Sesame seeds
• Dried oregano
• Ground sumac 
• Kosher or flaky sea salt

FAQ about this recipe

Can I use ground spices instead of whole?

This nut and spice blend has the best flavor and texture when made with whole spices. Ground spices can be swapped in if needed, though I only recommend swapping in one at a time. For example, don’t use both ground coriander and ground cumin, try to at least use one of those spices in its whole form.

Can I substitute anything for the coriander and/or cumin seeds?

Both add such specific flavors, but if you’re looking to mix things up you could try fennel seeds, a little bit of cardamom, or pink peppercorns.

Where can I find ground sumac?

Ooo! I love ground sumac. It’s delicious sprinkled over salads, soups and toast. You can find ground sumac in most Middle Eastern grocery stores, though it’s becoming easier to find in major grocery stores. Still no luck? You can also always buy ground sumac from Amazon.

Did you try this Pistachio Dukkah recipe?! Let me know how it went—leave a comment and star-rating below. And if you snapped a pic, share it on IG and tag me @zestfulkitchen. I love seeing what you make!

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