This five-spice falafel spice mix is a delicious Middle-eastern spice blend perfect for falafel, popcorn, and even as a marinade. Plus, this savory spice blend saves time and money, with a long shelf life!

This is probably blasphemy to admit, but it was only really recently that I realized that spice blends are such an amazing time and effort saver. When you make certain dishes as much as I do, it just makes sense to have the blend on hand. Yes, it probably only saves a minute or two maximum. Still, without having to grab each of the individual spices and measure them out, everything seems just a little easier – especially on nights where making a meal from scratch feels a little daunting. 

This falafel spice blend recipe combines five spices (only four of which are compulsory!) that often used in Middle-Eastern cuisine. In fact, it’s quite similar to the Lebanese 7-spice mix (Baharat spice mix, minus a spice or two and one substitution). The result is something you can shake up and use immediately when needed, no need to grab all five jars every single time.

Plus, if you buy spices in bulk as I do, then this can be incredibly cost-effective and takes just a minute to prepare – with just five ingredients.

The Ingredients & Ratios

The only thing you need to know when making this falafel spice mix is the ingredients and their ratios and the rest is history. So, what are the perfect ratios?

1:1/2:1/4 i.e. 1 Tbsp to 1/2 Tbsp, to 1/4 Tbsp each.

• 1 part Coriander powder
• 1/2 part Cumin powder
• 1/4 part Black Pepper
• 1/4 part Red Chili Powder (or cayenne pepper)
• 1/4 part Cinnamon ( optional)

You could optionally add in garlic powder too, but I prefer to use fresh garlic for falafels.

And of course, you can easily adjust the recipe amount depending on what sized batch that you’d like to make. 

How To Make The Falafel Spice Mix

As you can imagine, it’s incredibly simple to make this savory spice blend. All you need is to measure out your ingredients into a bowl, combine them, and decant into a spice jar.

When you want to use it, give the jar a shake and use as needed. It’s as simple as that!

This recipe is customizable to your tastes, too, of course. If you want to adjust the spice levels or any of the spices mentioned, then go for it. The above ratio is my perfect level – but experiment if you’re finding that you want a specific spice to shine more than the others.

How To Use

You’ve probably guessed that this falafel spice blend is best used to make homemade falafel recipes like these Perfectly Baked Falafel (ball or patty), Authentic Falafel (Plus Wrap!), or even Easy Rainbow Vegan Falafels 5-ways.

However, this spice blend is also great with tons of other meals and even snacks like popcorn. You can use it to marinate homemade tofu and other proteins, or sprinkle some into grains along with some butter, etc.

Related Recipes

• Traditional Lebanese Zaatar Blend (za’atar)
• 5-Seed DIY Vegan Protein Powder/Blend
• Simple Golden Spice (Golden Milk Powder)
• Homemade Shawarma Seasoning
• Lebanese 7 Spice Blend (Sabaa Baharat)

Other Middle-Eastern Dishes

• Simple Lebanese Pita Salad (Fattoush)
• Spinach Fatayer (Lebanese spinach pie)
• Lebanese Spicy Potatoes Batata Harra
• Simple Stuffed Makdous Recipe (cured eggplant)
• Smoky Eggplant Dip (Baba Ganoush)
• Gluten-free Muhammara Dip (Roasted Red Pepper Dip)

If you give this falafel spice blend recipe a try, then let me know your thoughts in the comments. Also, feel free to tag me in your recreations @AlphaFoodie.