Ras El Hanout is a salt-free, MSG-free seasoning blend. It is also known as el hanout spice or ras el hanout Moroccan spice.

Ras El Hanout translates to "top of the shop" and it represented the best that Moroccan spice merchants, or souks, had to offer. It was a highly individualized blend—it still is, with no single recipe that defines it—and could have as few as 4 and as many as 100 spices put into the mix. 

Ras El Hanout is popular with American and Mediterranean restaurants; independent spice shops; olive oil shops; catering and seasoning companies; butchers; and salt and vegan cheese manufacturers.

Flavor Profile

Ras El Hanout has a complex, balanced taste that is warm and peppery with a savory and earthy sweetness.

How to Use

Ras El Hanout is inherently warm, so use it to deepen the sweet flavors of carrot or butternut squash soup, like this Roasted Carrot Soup with Ras El Hanout. Add it to mashed sweet potatoes in Moroccan Chicken and Sweet Potatoes. Put it in a marinade for grilled chicken or lamb with some olive oil and lemon juice, or use it to flavor couscous or rice. Swap it in to Grilled Lamb Kabobs to make them extra-earthy and fragrant. Saute into spinach when making Baked Eggs Florentine for a surprising twist on an elegant classic. Toss over halloumi cheese and sear, or blend into the cheese mixture when making Three Cheese Puff Pastry. 

Ras El Hanout can stand up to long cooking times, so it is appropriate for braises and roasts. Toss over meats, vegetables, and to a lighter degree, on hearty fish like salmon. It works well with dairy so blend into yogurt, eggs, sour cream or crème fraiche, or brush over cheeses. Add to hummus, mayonnaise, soups, stews, marinades, and dressings.