This Dukkah Recipe with Macadamia Nuts is perfect for a light but flavorful bite with a happy hour glass of wine. With some olive oil and bread, this mixture of earthy, citrusy, and warm spice flavors plus buttery macadamia nuts is an unexpected treat. Dukkah may be your new favorite seed and spice blend, it's a great alternative to the ubiquitous everything bagel seasoning. Perfect with a cheese plate, on bread, as a coating for chicken or fish, or stirred into cottage cheese, it's a must-try!
This macadamia dukkah recipe is a twist on Egyptian dukkah, also known as duqqa or dukka. The combination of seeds, nuts, and coarsely ground spices and herbs varies from family to family and there are many popular regional combinations. I was first introduced to this fragrant spice blend in Australia, where they often use macadamia nuts instead of pistachios, almonds, or walnuts.
Pair this easy but elegant appetizer with Muhammara and Hummus or Charcuterie Skewers for an enviable party spread!
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Ingredients
I include ingredient notes here when I think they'll be helpful, including ways to source, any preparation tips, or why I've chosen a particular ingredient. Be sure to check out the recipe card below for the full list of ingredients and their quantities!
Making homemade dukkah is ideal since the flavor of the nuts, seeds, and spices can change over time. You never know how fresh these ingredients are when you purchase a ready-made blend at the store! Make sure you test your own ingredients before making the dukkah, macadamia nuts can quickly go rancid. I store mine in the freezer to slow this process down!
- Macadamia Nuts - Find raw, unsalted macadamia nuts if possible, or adjust the salt you add if you can only source salted macadamias. I find the best price for macadamia nuts at Trader Joe's.
- Sesame Seeds - I like to buy these (and other whole spices) at the Asian or Indian grocer where you can often find bulk quantities at better prices than the traditional supermarket.
- Lemon Zest - The Australian version of dukkah contains lemon myrtle, a citrusy plant native to Australia. Lemon myrtle leaves aren't easy for me to find locally, so I've substituted dried lemon zest to get this citrusy note in my blend.
- Cumin - Buy whole cumin seeds and roast and grind them yourself. Cumin has an earthy rich flavor that brings warmth to the dukkah blend.
- Coriander - Just like the cumin, find whole seeds if you can. Coriander also has some citrus notes and brightens the flavors in the mixture.
- Salt - As always, I use kosher salt (and usually Morton brand). Adjust the salt as desired.
Toasting the Nuts and Seeds
Toasting is key to developing deep flavors in your dukkah! I toast each component separately because each one needs a different amount of time and you definitely don't want anything to burn.
Preheat your oven to 170-200°F (use a "keep warm" setting if that's available). Line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Zest your lemon over the parchment paper and then bake the zest for about 20 minutes until dried.
Toast the macadamia nuts in a dry skillet over medium-high heat until they start to take on a golden color. This takes about 3-4 minutes. Keep the pan moving constantly so that the nuts don't burn.
Transfer the macadamia nuts to a plate to cool as you finish toasting them. Do this after each seed you toast to stop the toasting process.
Toast the cumin seeds in the same skillet until they start to crackle and release an earthy fragrance. This takes about 1-2 minutes. Keep the pan moving constantly!
Toast the coriander seeds in the same skillet until they take on a bit of golden color and release a citrusy fragrance. This takes about 1-2 minutes.
Finally, toast the sesame seeds in the same skillet until they start to crackle and take on a golden color. This takes only 30 seconds to a minute. Keep the pan moving constantly!
Once the nuts and seeds are all toasted, check the lemon zest. If it is dry, remove it from the oven to cool.
Grinding the Nuts and Seeds
I process the seeds and nuts in stages because each one needs a different amount of time to prevent over-processing. The sesame seeds don't need to be processed at all, they are the perfect size as-is.
Process the macadamia nuts just until the biggest pieces are small pebbles, about 30 seconds. Stop to check the nuts midway so that they aren't getting too small or turning into nut butter. Move the nuts to a medium bowl.
The coriander seeds are pretty tough, so they need more time in the processor. This takes about 30 seconds to a minute, until many are cracked in half. The aroma after processing is heavenly!
Add the cumin seeds and the lemon zest to the processor bowl along with the coriander seeds. Pulse these together about 5-6 times.
Move the cumin, coriander, and lemon zest mixture to the bowl with the macadamia nuts. Add the sesame seeds and salt.
Mix the macadamia nuts, coriander, cumin, and sesame seeds together with the lemon zest and salt well until uniformly combined. The dukkah is ready to use now or can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator or freezer until later.
Substitutions and Variations
The substitutions listed below have been tested in this recipe and work well. If you successfully make any other ingredient substitutions, let us know in the comments!
- Pistachio Dukkah - You can substitute the macadamia nuts for walnuts, pistachios, almonds, or hazelnuts. Our favorite alternative is to use pistachios, the color and sweet flavor are a great compliment to all of the other spices.
- Add Spice - Use a pinch of dried red chili flakes or ground black pepper to add some subtle spice to your dukkah blend.
- Other Additions - Two popular additions to a dukkah blend are fennel seed and dried thyme. Toast fennel seeds before grinding them much like the coriander seeds.
Equipment
Here are the kitchen tools we use to make this homemade dukkah recipe:
- Food Processor - Food processors are great at breaking down nuts and seeds, especially if you use the pulse function. The one pictured in this post is a 9-cup capacity bowl.
- Microplane Zester - These long wand-style graters make quick work of any citrus, Parmesan cheese, or chocolate but don't cut so deeply that you end up with bitter citrus pith. The small holes of a box grater will also work, just take care to only grate the yellow part of the lemon.
- Single-Serve Blender - A small blender will also work for grinding the nuts and seeds, but they can quickly turn spices to dust! Be sure to use quick pulses to avoid over processing the dukkah ingredients.
Serving Suggestions
The first time I had dukkah was in Australia while toasting glasses of champagne at sunset over Uluru. We tap into that moment by serving our dukkah with a baguette and olive oil at home. Dip the bread into olive oil and then the spice mixture to get a good coating or just sprinkle the dukkah over olive oil in a shallow dish.
Use Macadamia Dukkah in place of everything bagel seasoning and sprinkle it over a bowl of cottage cheese, coat bagels and other breads, or use it on baked fish. Dukkah will elevate a simple log of goat cheese, too. Roll the cheese in the dukkah before putting it on your cheese board.
Make This Recipe Kid Friendly
The kids love avocado toast and this swap for "everything sprinkles" is 100% kid-approved. Drizzle a touch of olive oil over toasted wheat bread and a hearty layer of avocado and dukkah.
Storage
Store whatever portion of dukkah you don't use within a few days in the freezer. Store it in a zip bag or an air-tight container. Macadamia nuts will go rancid so quickly and the freezer keeps this mix fresh for a month or so. It takes only a few minutes for the dukkah to warm up to room temperature so it can be ready to enjoy in a snap.
FAQ
Dukkah is popular in Australia and made its way there in the 1990s. Australian dukkah has the standard cumin or coriander but also regional additions like wattleseed, lemon myrtle, saltbush, pepperberry, and macadamia nuts.
Because seeds and nuts can go bad with long term storage, making your own from whole seeds gives you the freshest and most flavorful dukkah. It's hard to know what the turnover of spice blends is at a store, you could be buying a very underwhelming bottle of dukkah that's been hanging around for some time.
Yes! Simply store the mixture in the freezer in an air-tight bag and bring it to room temperature before serving.
Cumin and Coriander Recipes
Cumin and coriander are spices found in many cuisines throughout the world. Common in both Mexican and Middle Eastern recipes, they are some of my favorite ways to add deep flavor. Try the recipes below to highlight these spices:
Cocktail Hour Favorites
This dukkah recipe is natural for a snack with wine or cocktails. Try any of these batch beverages or dips to add to your dukkah for a delicious happy hour:
Try It and Share
I hope you try this Dukkah Recipe with Macadamia Nuts and enjoy it as much as we do. I want to see your results! Tag your photo with #planeatpostrepeat and mention me @planeatpostrepeat on Instagram or Facebook. I can give you a virtual high five and thank you for cooking one of my recipes! Comment below with any questions and please leave a review so others can find this recipe more easily.
This post was originally titled Macadamia Dukkah. The post was updated in July 2026 to change the title, add extensive preparation details and step-by-step photos, and add additional post structure for easy navigation. The recipe was not changed from the original March 2021 version.
Recipe
Dukkah Recipe with Macadamia Nuts
Equipment
- food processor
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest (from one whole lemon)
- 1 cup macadamia nuts (150 grams)
- 2 tablespoon cumin seeds (10 grams)
- 2 ½ tablespoon coriander seeds (10 grams)
- ¼ cup sesame seeds (25 grams)
- 2 teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200°F or use a "keep warm" setting. Zest the lemon and spread out the zest over a piece of parchment paper on a baking tray. Bake for about minutes, until the zest is completely dried.
- While the zest is drying, heat a small sauté pan over medium-high heat. Toast the macadamia nuts until golden on some edges (about 3-4 minutes), then remove to a plate to cool.
- Repeat the toasting step with the cumin seeds (about 1-2 minutes), coriander seeds (1-2 minutes), and sesame seeds (30 seconds to 1 minute), toasting each separately.
- In the bowl of a food processor, pulse the macadamia nuts until the largest pieces are the size of pebbles. Remove to a medium bowl.
- Next, process the coriander seeds with several pulses until they are cracked and broken down a bit. Add in the cumin seeds and dried zest and pulse about 5 more times. You still want crunchy bits of spices, but not too many whole seeds. Remove to the bowl with the nuts.
- Add the sesame seeds and the salt to the bowl. Mix together until well blended.
- Store the mixture in the freezer for up to one month.
Notes
Nutrition facts are sometimes provided below and are calculated using an online calculator. With specific brands of ingredients and additions, omissions, or substitutions the nutrition facts may change. We encourage you to use your own nutrition facts calculator to obtain the most accurate nutrition facts for your meal.
Cassie says
Please let me know if you have any questions about this recipe!