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Ras El Hanout Easy

Course Seasonings
Cuisine Mediterranean, Moroccan
Prep Time 10 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes
Servings 1 /4 cup

Ingredients

  • 2 tsp ginger ground
  • 2 tsp cardamon ground
  • 2 tsp mace ground
  • 1 tsp cinnamon ground
  • 1 tsp allspice ground
  • 1 tsp coriander seeds
  • 1 tsp nutmeg ground
  • 1 tsp turmeric
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper ground
  • 1/2 tsp white pepper ground
  • 1/2 tsp cayenne ground
  • 1/2 tsp anise seeds
  • 1/4 tsp cloves ground

Instructions

  • Gather the ingredients. Measure out all of the spices into a bowl, then stir to combine evenly. Transfer the spice mix to a glass jar and store it in a dry, cool place away from heat and sunlight. Enjoy.

Notes

Ras el hanout is a complex, aromatic spice blend that's famously associated with Moroccan cuisine—it always makes the list of foods to bring back from a trip to Morocco. The literal translation of ras el hanout from Arabic to English is “head of the shop," implying that this mix of spices is the very best offering in a spice shop. Due to its liberal use in mrouzia, a lamb, and honey dish with intense seasoning, ras el hanout is also sometimes called mrouzia spice.
No two versions of this spice blend are the same, so if sampling ras el hanout from different sources, you'll notice slight flavor variations. Most recipes include cardamom, nutmeg, anise, mace, cinnamon, ginger, various peppers, and turmeric, and a total of 30 or more ingredients might be used in varying quantities.
  • ​Use ras el hanout as desired to season tagines, stews, meat, poultry, fish, and vegetables.
  • Ras el hanout keeps well for several months stored in an airtight container in a cool, dry place.
  • Garam masala, another aromatic spice blend, is sometimes confused with ras el hanout. While they both add great flavors to dishes, they cannot be used interchangeably.
  • There are no easy substitutions for ras el hanout. However, adding a mixture of as many spices as called for will get you as close as possible.