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Spices & seasonings · Spice blends

Baharat (seven spice)

Levantine 'seven spice': black pepper and allspice with cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and coriander, for meat, rice and kibbeh.

Also called: seven spice, 7 spice, sabaa baharat, lebanese seven spice, arabic spice mix, bahārāt

Around the world: بهارات, سبع بهارات (ar)

A kind of spices

Read the full spice guide: flavour, history and how to use it

Make it yourself: Baharat (Lebanese seven spice)

What it is

Baharat simply means 'spices' in Arabic; in Lebanon, Syria and Palestine it usually means seven-spice, a ground mix led by black pepper and allspice with cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, coriander and ginger or fenugreek. Gulf and Iraqi baharat add cardamom, cumin, paprika and dried lime.

How it’s used

  • Mixing into kofta, kibbeh and meat fillings
  • Seasoning rice with minced meat (hashweh)
  • Rubbing on lamb and chicken before roasting
  • Stuffed vine leaves and vegetables

Characteristics

Taste
Peppery and warm, with sweet cinnamon and clove.
Sold as
ground
Cooking uses
Mainly a seasoning, Commonly cooked

Storage

Cool, dry and dark. Airtight and dark for up to 4 months.

Diet, allergens and safety

No major allergens in typical versions.

  • Vegetarian
  • Vegan
  • Dairy-free
  • Egg-free
  • Gluten-free
  • Nut-free
  • Soy-free
  • Caffeine-free

Nutrition per 100 g

Energy
251 kcal
Protein
10.39 g
Carbohydrate
63.95 g
Fat
3.26 g
Fibre
25.3 g
Sugars
0.64 g

USDA FoodData Central: Spices, pepper, black (a close stand-in).

Substitutes

Optional — what works if you don’t have it, and how it changes the dish.

  • Allspice — Allspice with a little black pepper and cinnamon covers most of the flavour.

Related ingredients

Recipes with baharat (seven spice)

No recipe in the catalogue uses it yet.

More spice blends