Try This Simplified Moroccan Ras el Hanout Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is ras el hanout made of? ›

The mixture usually consists of over a dozen spices in different proportions. Common ingredients include cardamom, cumin, clove, cinnamon, nutmeg, mace, allspice, dry ginger, chili peppers, coriander seed, peppercorn, sweet and hot paprika, fenugreek, and dry turmeric.

If you can't get your hands on ras el hanout, or you don't have the time to make your own, baharat is a good substitute. It's a middle eastern spice blend with a similar flavour profile to ras el hanout, and is particularly good at flavouring soups, tagines, rice dishes, and in rubs for meat and fish.

Berbere is another spice blend similar to Ras el Hanout as it seems to have a little bit of everything tossed in - but the prominent spices in Berbere are always centered around the heat of pepper - cayenne, paprika, chili flakes and black pepper, in some variation.

Some blends have as many as 35 different spices in them, but commonly Ras El Hanout includes paprika, cardamom, cumin, clove, cinnamon, coriander, nutmeg, aniseed, dried ginger, peppercorn and turmeric. Whole spices, dried roots and leaves are ground together.

The literal translation of ras el hanout from Arabic to English is “head of the shop," but in reality, it means "top shelf," both terms implying that this is the very best offering in a spice shop.

Ras el Hanout is woody, pungent, and bitter, but it's also sweet because of the nutmeg, cinnamon, and cloves. And it's not spicy like you might think – just warm. Because of its strong flavours, it makes a great marinade or spice rub for meats, and it's traditionally used in tajines and stews.

Because it is not a Moroccan spice I would say it would be hard for it to achieve Moroccan flavours in Moroccan-style dishes, and vice versa. So, if you are making an Indian curry, stick to Garam Masala. If you are making a Moroccan tagine, make sure you invest in some good Ras el Hanout.

Ras el hanout is used for savory dishes, as a meat or fish rub and it's also mixed with rice and couscous. Za'atar – This condiment is made with ground dried thyme, oregano, marjoram or some combination of toasted sesame seeds and salt. It is a generic term for a mixture of Middle Eastern herbs.

Baharat vs Ras-el-hanout

Although baharat and ras-el-hanout share similar ingredients like cardamom, coriander, cloves and cinnamon, they do differ slightly. Ras-el-hanout is a Moroccan spice blend which contains a few more spices such as allspice and lavender.

The most famous and probably the tastiest Moroccan mix of spices is the raz el hanout. Its translation is “head spice” which means the main spice of the shop. And in fact, it is the most important mix since it is the one that you can use with everything!

Is ras el hanout the same as 7 spice? ›

Is ras el hanout the same as Lebanese 7 spice? No, ras el hanout is a Moroccan spice blend that differs from Lebanese 7 spice. Although they have several spices in common, ras el hanout usually has a much lengthier ingredient list and packs in more heat than Lebanese 7 spice.

Ras el Hanout literally means "head of the shop" in Arabic. This spice mix is an essential ingredient in North African countries. It is also commonly known in France as the "curry powder of the Maghreb”.

The ten spices that are the most important to Moroccan cuisine are: Cayenne (felfla), cinnamon (karfa), turmeric (quekoum), ginger (skinjbir), black pepper (elbezar), aniseed (nafaa), seaseme seeds (jinjelan), cumin (kamoon), paprika (felfla hlouwa), and saffron (zafrane).

Ras el Hanout is packed with traditional North African flavours. Coriander, turmeric, fenugreek, cumin and ginger blend with onion, cloves, nutmeg and a twist of black pepper to create a sensational flavour that will lift any dish.

The main difference comes down to a small nuance in earthy versus peppery spices, with ras el hanout taking on earthy note typical of yellow spices like turmeric and baharat boasting a sweet chili flavor reminiscent of red spices like paprika.